“The team has spoken,” Fred Couples DEFENDS controversial Ryder Cup picks following heavy social media backlash
Veteran golfer Fred Couples has defended the picks for the Ryder Cup and claimed that the team has already spoken about this matter.
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Fred Couples during a practice round at Masters (Pic Credit: Imago)
On Tuesday, the ifs and buts and the various permutations and combinations for Ryder Cup picks came to an end as Zach Johnson announced his team. With his six picks, the US team for the tournament is set. However, there have been huge discussions regarding the picks on social media. Team vice-captain Fred Couples has now defended the picks.
The biggest talking point of this was the inclusion of Justin Thomas. The former world number one is going through one of his worst career phases. Despite this poor run of form, he was named in the squad. Johnson would later give a reason for this pick and claimed that Thomas is the heart and soul of the US team and he cannot be left behind.
The pick of Thomas saw fierce backlash from the fans on social media. He was brutally trolled and slammed by fans. The message by Keegan Bradley on being an “outsider” did not help as fans criticized Johnson for not picking him.
Couples now come to the defense of picks. While speaking to Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio, Couples mentioned how he has gotten over 50 texts from people asking about the picks. He claimed that he did not have an answer for the development. “I don’t have an answer. The only answer I have is, this is the team, and the team has spoken,” he said.
Fred Couples places confidence in Justin Thomas for the Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is an important tournament when it comes to golf. Players give it their all to make it into the squad to represent their home region. The golfers have given everything they had to be picked. Justin Thomas is one of them. While he might be struggling for form this year, he is one of the recent greats and Fred Couples has backed him to do well in Rome.
The year 2023 turned out to be a nightmare for Thomas. He missed cuts in several events and was unable to qualify for the FedEx Cup. However, his experience on the golf course and Ryder Cup gives him a little edge. “I think the JT thing was the strongest pick. It was a no-brainer,” Couples said while dismissing his poor run of form in events this season.
Thomas now has the backing of him to go along with the support of Johnson. Internet sensation Paige Spiranac also defended his inclusion. If the two-time major champion was under pressure before, he is going to be under more pressure now. The eyes of the world will be on him. This also gives him a good chance to silence his critics once and for all and once again prove that form is temporary but class is permanent.
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Vinay Dave
(1743 Articles Published)