Pavin's Picks

U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin said last week that Tiger Woods is not a lock to make his team. Whoa! Woods would need one of Pavin's four picks to make the squad if the points race ended today, but are you kidding me? Sure Tiger has a losing Cup record [10-13-2], but how do you pass on the most dominant player of the last decade? What's more, Woods is the preferred partner of Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk. If Woods is even close to 100% physically you must pick him. And here's another guy that needs to be on the U.S. team: Fred Couples(below). The guy still bombs it (most of it carry on a course that promises to be wet in October) and makes a boatload of birdies. Couples might not be able to go in back-to-back sessions, but this thing will come down to Sunday and Fred's lost only once in Ryder Cup singles.

• It's no secret that for a number of reasons—mostly schedule—some tournaments struggle to get strong fields. At a players' meeting this week, PGA Tour pros were set to discuss the idea of designated tournaments, a plan in which each year the Tour would single out four or five events and each top 50 Tour member would have to play in at least one of them. All the players need to get behind this concept, not only for the sake of those tournaments but also for the health of the Tour itself, especially in these economic times. Events like the Hope and the Nelson, both icons, are on the edge of extinction, and the tournaments in Los Angeles, Memphis, New Orleans and Tampa could use a boost too. It's time for the players to take ownership of their Tour. The entire Tour.

Dottie Pepper, is a 17-year LPGA veteran and an analyst for NBC.

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ROBERT BECK (PEPPER)

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DARREN CARROLL (COUPLES)