Pavin says Woods pick is no gamble

UNITED States team captain Corey Pavin does not believe he has taken a risk in selecting Tiger Woods as one of his wild cards for next month’s Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor.

Woods was named by Pavin along with 21-year-old rising star Rickie Fowler, Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson to complete his 12-man line-up as the US look to defend the cup they won at Valhalla in 2008.

Pavin said: “I just watched and waited.

“I was hoping he would qualify on points, but he didn’t and so I waited to see how he played.”

Woods has finished 12th and 11th the last two weeks.

Pavin added: “He is one of 12 on the team and everyone is just as important.

“The objective is to have 12 players that make up Team USA and have one goal in mind.

“Our team is very good and these four complement the other eight very well. That was the goal.”

Woods is expected to play with World No4 Steve Stricker, with whom he won four out of four at the Presidents Cup in San Francisco 11 months ago.

But Pavin said: “There are a lot of combinations out there and I’m not afraid to put anybody with anybody. Nothing is set in stone yet.”

Cink, last year’s Open champion, and Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, were safe choices, adding experience to a side that already had four rookies.

But after deciding Anthony Kim, a star of the last side, had run out of time to prove his recovery, Pavin went with a gut feeling that Fowler was ready.