Shot to captivate captain

Ryder Cup hopeful Rollins is paired with Lehman for two days

Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 9, 2006 at midnight

Text size

More Golf

More stories »

CASTLE ROCK - With the Ryder Cup casting call still wide open, John Rollins just landed a personal two-day audition with the director.

Rollins learned Tuesday that he will play the first two days of the 21st International at Castle Pines with none other than U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman.

It could turn out to be a timely break for Rollins, a former Nationwide Tour player who would like nothing more than to represent his country against Team Europe next month at the K Club in Ireland.

Rollins, 31, is 11th in the U.S. Ryder Cup standings. The top 10 players earn automatic berths, and Lehman will round out the team with two captain's picks.

Before the official pairings came out, Rollins admitted there might be some extra pressure if he was in the same group as Lehman.

"You maybe would try to press a little bit more than you should to impress him, but the only way you're going to impress him is winning golf tournaments or playing good," he said.

Time is running out for Rollins and others on the bubble.

The International and next week's PGA Championship are the final events for Americans to accumulate points.

Among the hopefuls playing Castle Pines this week are Rollins, J.J. Henry (eighth), Zach Johnson (ninth), Lucas Glover (13th), Davis Love III (14th), Fred Couples (15th), Tom Pernice Jr. (17th), Arron Oberholser (19th) and Stewart Cink (20th).

Johnson, who just missed qualifying for the Presidents' Cup team last year, played at the Buick Open last week and came to Castle Pines for the primary purpose of solidifying his Ryder Cup spot.

"At one time, I was like, 'I'm just not even going to think about it,' " Johnson said. "I don't know if that's necessarily the right thing to do. It's my biggest goal. I want to make it more than anything."

Johnson, Rollins and other potential Team USA members have been inundated with Ryder Cup questions for the past several weeks, and they pay close attention to the standings from week to week.

"You can't help but get caught up in it," Rollins said. "That's all you're asked for the last month, but you just have to play the best you can and see what happens."

The International winner will receive 375 Ryder Cup points, while the stakes double at the PGA Championship. Everyone else finishing in the top 10 will earn points on a graduated basis.

Fewer than 200 points separate 20th from 10th in the standings, so the next two weeks are critical.

"It's huge," Rollins said. "To somebody like myself who's never been on a Ryder Cup or Presidents' Cup or any kind of team . . . to represent your country, I would say it would be a career-defining moment."

"I'm right with him on that one," Johnson said. "I love the team aspect. I love team sports in general. Outside of that, captain Lehman is a friend of mine and playing for him would be a huge honor. There's a lot of reasons I want to make it."

As it stands, Johnson would be one of four Ryder Cup rookies on the American team, leaving Lehman with plenty of veterans to ponder as captain's picks.

Love has played in the past six competitions, while Couples is a five-time team member. Cink has been on the past two U.S. teams, both of which lost decidedly against the Europeans.

Because Europe has won four of the past five biannual competitions, some believe the United States might be in need of some new blood.

The Americans were hammered 18 1/2-9 1/2 two years ago in Michigan. It was the worst U.S. loss in the 77-year history of the event.

"That stunk," Johnson said. "I watched nearly every second. That was hard to watch."

David Howell, an Englishman and Ryder Cup rookie two years ago, admitted that the Europeans might have a hard time selling themselves as underdogs at the K Club.

"We might go in as slight favorites with the bookies, and that's probably when the problems start for us," Howell said.

"I might be speaking out of turn, but I think with four or five (U.S.) rookies, I think the energy will come through from the new guys. There's going to be a lot of positive energy there for them, and that's probably what they need."

Among those eager to help the United States reclaim its dignity is Pernice, the 2001 International champion who already has earned a career-best $1.78 million this season.

"At 46, almost 47, it would be something nice to be able to say you've played on the Ryder Cup team," he said. "It's something that's always a goal. Sure it would be great, but you can't get overwhelmed with it."

Try telling that to Rollins when he tees it up with Lehman on Thursday.

lopezaa@RockyMountainNews.com

Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain News