Freddie's logic flawed

Philadelphia, PA – Clear your mind and just imagine a player.

No names, just know this is a professional golfer, making his living on the PGA Tour and is an American.

He's started eight events in the 2011 PGA Tour season and his best finish was a tie for fourth. Granted, it came at the Masters, but by the time the last groups got into the middle of the back nine Sunday, our guy was pretty much out of it.

The reason he played eight events (well actually seven because he withdrew from The Players Championship after nine holes), is that he hurt his leg at Augusta and missed significant time to heal.

The mystery contestant returned after three months and didn't contend in his first tournament back. Understandable, but this guy won the very same WGC- Bridgestone Invitational seven times. In 2011, he had nothing.

The next week was the PGA Championship and after a spectacular start on Thursday, he misses the cut...by a lot.

He won the FedExCup twice, but due to the injury and generally mediocre play, this fella isn't even qualified for the playoffs. That means, he can't tee it up in a PGA Tour event until the very end of September.

Now in the rare instances where this guy has played, he's 190th on the PGA Tour in driving accuracy, 56th in distance, 31st in greens in regulation an 71st in the new stat, strokes gained in putting.

For years, this gentleman had a vice grip on the No. 1 spot in the world rankings. Now, he's a distant 36th.

He used to be a fixture atop whatever international team standings were going on that year. Now, he's 28th in Presidents Cup points and is sure to go down since he won't play again until after the team is finalized in three weeks.

These are the facts and I submit, would you pick this man to be one of your captain's picks for the Presidents Cup?

Fred Couples did.

And he did it a month early.

"There's no reason for me to wait until September 26th to pick Tiger," Couples said on Thursday.

There it is, at a press gathering before the Boeing Classic on the Champions Tour, U.S. Presidents Cup captain Couples confirmed what was speculated about for almost a month - Tiger Woods will be on the American team.

Philosophically, there are different ways to approach being a captain of a Presidents or Ryder Cup team.

You can believe in putting like players together or a long hitter with a great iron player in foursomes. There's the old "opposites attract" theory in personality, or you could put laid-back fellas out there and remind them periodically they're in a pretty important golf event.

No matter what approach you take to the job, the No. 1 priority is to put your team in the best position to win. That's any coach, manager or captain's top task.

Couples failed at the most important part.

Momentum has to mean something heading into these matches. It apparently doesn't for Couples, although he did request Woods play at least once before the Presidents Cup, which is scheduled for Nov. 17-20.

Couples has now put himself in a position where he has one pick left and here's the combination of players, all more qualified than Woods to be on the team, he has to choose from - PGA Champion Keegan Bradley, last year's FedExCup champion Jim Furyk or Rickie Fowler.

Say some wild-card American runs through the Playoffs like a wild dog, but still comes up a little short of making the top 10 on points? Couples doesn't want that guy, but wants Woods, who might even be close to 50th in the world by the time the matches start?

Couples could've maybe given a "no comment" when asked about Tiger and the Presidents Cup and waited the three weeks. That's a ton of time for a ton to happen.

What makes Couples' decision all the more puzzling is the rationale.

"He's the best player in the world forever," Couples said.

False.

Woods was, but he's not now. He's the 36th best player in the world, and it's not like just this year sent him down the scale. The world rankings are mathematically computer on two-year scales, so this slide has been happening for about 18-20 months. Numbers don't lie.

And, forgive me mom for working a little blue here, but who the hell cares if he was the best player? The objective is to get the 12 Americans who give you the best chance at winning. It's not about rewarding a guy for past accomplishments.

Is this an exhibition? Yes.

Does Couples have the right to pick whomever he wants? Of course.

Was there as much uproar when Corey Pavin took Tiger for last year's Ryder Cup? No, but Pavin had four picks and Woods was playing better 12 months ago than he is now.

Will Woods and Steve Stricker probably regain their awesome team form? Probably, they went undefeated at the last Presidents Cup and 2-1 at the Ryder Cup.

Will Woods' presence cost the Americans the Presidents Cup? Doubtful.

None of that makes this right. There are better choices than Woods.

Since his scandal and post-tabloid struggles on the course, Tiger has lost his most valuable weapon - his aura. There is no fear, or intimidation, or a feeling of invincibility.

He's playing badly, playing rarely and doesn't scare anybody and it almost sounds like Couples knows it and is justifying.

"Is he playing well right now, no. He almost won Augusta three months, four months ago, so you don't do that by playing poor golf," he said.

You don't, but that was three months ago. Couples better hope Woods has that Masters form three months from now.