Taking a Good Thing a Lil Too Far

Tom Watson and Andy North played some fantastic team golf over three rounds on their way to victory at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf on the Champions Tour. Adam Van Brimmer, in the Savannah Morning News, may have taken his enthusiasm about their performance this year and over the last four a little too far when he claimed that Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger should consider bringing the pair onto his team for September.

Azinger's charge as the 2008 United States' team captain is to end a nine-year drought. Given the U.S.'s recent ineptitude in the Ryder Cup's two-man matches, he better use his four captain's picks on golfers who play well together.

He better consider North and Tom Watson for half those picks, because when it comes to doubles golf, they make up a dream team.

The duo won the Legends of Golf's team competition Sunday. Again. That's four years running. And with the tournament's top division's format change, from individual to team, the victory came against the Champions Tour's top talent.

North and Watson can legitimately claim to be the world's best golf team, at least among the seniors.

"I've been telling Azinger for two years he has picks," North said. "We can play teams. Maybe his guys can't, but we can play teams. He ought to be thinking about it anyway."

North's joking. Kind of.

He and Watson might not outplay Brandt Snedeker and Sean O'Hair - ranked ninth and 10th on the Ryder Cup points list - in an individual stroke-play event. But team up North and Watson and pit them against Snedeker and Tiger Woods (No. 1 on list) or O'Hair and Phil Mickelson (No. 3) in a better-ball match-play competition.

Given what North and Watson have done the last four years at The Club at Savannah Harbor, I'd take them over O'Hair-Mickelson and at least consider them versus Snedeker-Woods.

Then again, let's think about this a little bit. Paul Azinger has thrown out that he would be willing to give a Nationwide Tour player that earns a Battlefield Promotion at least some consideration to make the Ryder Cup team. Why not skew older? Certainly, Watson and North may prove to be a huge detriment in the singles' matches. And they may have trouble on the lengthy setup at Valhalla. But, is it at least worth considering? To end a 9 year losing streak? You bet.