D-Day looms for Pavin

Pavin: names wildcards on Tuesday

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Corey Pavin names his Ryder Cup wildcard picks on Tuesday, with Tiger Woods almost certainly the least of the United States captain's concerns.

Much is made of the world number one's less-than stellar form in the tournament - the USA having won last time without Woods but losing the previous three with him - not to mention the effect an unravelling personal life has had on his game.

Even so, he should be Pavin's first and easiest pick to be in Wales at the start of next month.

Woods is clearly not the player he was before his sex scandal and subsequent marriage break-up, but he has upped his game significantly in recent weeks.

A month ago, Woods was next-to-last in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on a course where he had won seven times and had his own doubts about travelling to Celtic Manor.

"I wouldn't help the team if I'm playing like this," he said at the time. "No-one would help the team if they're shooting 18 over par."

But four days later he led the US PGA Championship for a while and then did the same in the first of the FedEx Cup play-off events, The Barclays, after shooting an opening-round 65.

Woods also shot a 65 on Saturday in the Deutsche Bank Championship, although he heads into Monday's final round in Boston 10 shots behind young Australian Jason Day.

However, the Ryder Cup is match play and last October he won five points out of five at the Presidents Cup.

Of course, one extra pick gives Pavin more leeway than counterpart Colin Montgomerie. Assuming Woods gets the nod, who will be the other three names on the list?

Kim quandary

Anthony Kim seems central to the equation Pavin must try to solve. Five months ago it would have been impossible to think his place would be in question.

A star of the 2008 Cup, when he thrashed Sergio Garcia 5&4 in the singles and helped galvanise American support with his energetic - some might say brash - presence, Kim started April by winning in Houston and coming third at The Masters.

But the former world number six was then forced to undergo thumb surgery and his form has since suffered - Kim not making a halfway cut since his return five weeks ago.

Kim is still in the play-offs, though, and Pavin might well choose to name him and then monitor his fitness and play next week in Chicago.

His chances were probably boosted by the sight of leader Nick Watney collapsing in the final round of the US PGA and then Sean O'Hair, six places below Kim at 22nd in the world, finishing dead last in the second play-off.

If Pavin does believe that Kim has run out of time, he could turn to a youngster already making waves in his first year on the PGA Tour: Rickie Fowler.

The 21-year-old, who just under a year ago won a maximum four points in the amateur Walker Cup, is already up to 32nd on the rankings.

Meanwhile, last year's Open champion Stewart Cink and 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson, who came third at the US PGA last month, appear likelier choices than the uncapped Lucas Glover, who did not win a game in the Presidents Cup.