Every week of the 2010 PGA Tour season, the editorial staff of the SI Golf Group will conduct an e-mail roundtable. Check in on Mondays for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors and join the conversation in the comments section below.

ASSESSING THE PICKS
Mike Walker, senior editor, Golf Magazine: Welcome to the special “Decision” edition of PGA Tour Confidential. Corey Pavin’s captain’s picks are in: Tiger Woods, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink, and Rickie Fowler. Let’s start with the most basic question: Do you like the picks? If so, why? If not, what picks would you have changed?

Alan Shipnuck, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: No surprises, and you can’t really argue with any of ‘em, though there will be a lot of pressure on Fowler to produce. Winless rookie hasn’t had a top-10 in months.

Cameron Morfit, senior writer, Golf Magazine: Fowler is sort of a surprise but there was no one who really jumped out for that fourth pick. Pavin just cited his 7-1 Ryder Cup record ? he meant Walker Cup, but the point is strong: Fowler’s a proven match play stud.

David Dusek, deputy editor, Golf.com: These were the four I thought Pavin would pick. Alan points out, correctly, that Fowler has some pressure to produce, but having his close friend and fellow rookie Bubba Watson there should help.

Damon Hack, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: No big shockers. Tiger finally has a pulse, Cink and Zach are solid vets, and Fowler brings youth and plenty of game. l was on the Fowler bandwagon for a spot since the spring. We’ll see if he can channel AK, circa ‘08.

Shipnuck: Speaking of AK, he’s the big loser here. Guy was the hottest player on Tour until his Ryder bid was derailed by a bum thumb. Too bad, because his swagger and firepower will be missed.

Jim Herre, managing editor, SI Golf Group: Liked the way Fowler said “I’m not Anthony Kim” in the press conference. Fowler is a special player, but a totally different personality.

Walker: That was cool. Fowler is not Anthony Kim, but he’s being asked to play the same role on this team.

Shipnuck: On Golf Channel there was a lot of talk about Fowler being the new AK. Pavin could’ve had the real AK. Unlike Fowler, Kim has actually won a tourney this year and contended at a major. And it’s not like Rickie has been red hot. The last three months he missed two cuts and didn’t finish better than 13th.

Herre: Hey Alan, don’t start with the missing cuts business. AK hasn’t made one since he came back.

Walker: These are the guys I wanted him to pick so no complaints here. Woods/Cink/Johnson will give the team a good veteran/rookie mix, while Fowler clearly is ready for the big stage.

Farrell Evans, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: Corey went with the flashy choice of Fowler over more seasoned players like O’Hair, Glover and J.B. Holmes. Tiger, Zach and Cink were obvious picks.

Dusek: I’m not going to say Fowler will win five points or dominate in singles the way Kim did against Sergio at Valhalla. The European team is stacked, so no matter who he plays against, he will have his hands full. But I have no doubt he will play well. Very well.

Charlie Hanger, executive editor, Golf.com: O’Hair’s a little more seasoned than Fowler, so I might have gone with him instead, but no question that Fowler will be an exciting addition to the team. In the press conference, Tiger said that being on the team as a captain’s pick won’t be different from being on the team as a qualifier. I’m not so sure ? this year will be a new kind of pressure for Woods. Before he had to prove that he was truly No. 1; now he has to prove that he belongs.

Dusek: Maybe Michael Jordan wasn’t going to be available to encourage O’Hair the way he did at Harding Park in the Presidents Cup?

Evans: In my lifetime (35 years) there has only been one horrible captain’s choice: Lanny Wadkins taking Curtis Strange in ‘95 over Lee Janzen, who won three times that year. Fowler is not a controversial pick.

Shipnuck: It’s the same old story. If Fowler plays great, it’s a smart choice. If he goes 0-3, then Pavin should have taken O’Hair or Holmes. It’s on Rickie, not Corey.

Michael Bamberger, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Maybe Jim Gray had it right when he quoted Pavin as saying, “Of course Tiger is going to make the team.” Still, it’s a shock to see the great Tiger Woods being reduced to a captain’s pick. As a pro, Fowler has done little to earn this spot, and that tells you where American golf is right now.

WHO, IF ANYONE, WAS SNUBBED?
Walker: No player left off the U.S. side can argue that he was snubbed in the way Paul Casey and Justin Rose were left off Team Europe, but Pavin bypassed a lot of guys to pick Fowler, including Kim (9th in points), Glover (10th in points), O’Hair and Holmes. Can you make the case for any of those guys going to Wales instead of Fowler?

Shipnuck: Not really!

Dusek: I don’t think you can.

Herre: Maybe Holmes, who can be an intimidating player, but not the others.

Hanger: I can’t make the case for any of these guys really being snubs. Maybe O’Hair because he’s more seasoned, but Glover has not made many waves since his Open win, and J.B. Holmes seemed like he was uniquely suited to the home game at Valhalla, but certainly not an essential part of the squad in another venue.

Evans: Fowler is the sexy piece. Pavin had one chance in his life to be boss, and this was it. If he picks one of those obvious choices, he looks like the guy who took the safe road.

Jeff Ritter, senior producer, Golf.com: I thought Holmes might’ve been a better pick than Rickie, but Fowler’s Walker Cup record definitely gets your attention. I wonder if Pavin will divide the team into three four-person “pods” like Azinger did two years ago. A Fowler-Bubba-Dustin-Mahan group would probably win some points, and also be fun to watch.

Morfit: Good point, Jeff ? the young-gun quartet. I like it. Ski buddies Cink and Zach Johnson could anchor another pod.

Walker: Pavin’s picks are not controversial. However, he has way too many captain’s picks. Four picks is a full third of the team and denies guys opportunities to play their way on the team. Let’s go back to two. Four wildcards is like my favorite poker game, Russian Revolution, where all red cards are wild.

Dusek: Funny, I was thinking that it might be a good idea to skip the whole point system and give both captains 12 picks to be revealed at the same time, in one place.

Hanger: I like the four picks because the points list is too often determined by long-ago performance. The four picks make it possible to get the guys who are playing well right now instead of having to take guys who might have earned the majority of their points months ago.

Morfit: Pavin said he went with his gut feeling to pick Fowler, which is what these captain’s picks are supposed to be about. If he’d just selected straight off the points list it would invalidate the whole thing. Why have captain’s picks if you’re not going to use them?

Every week of the 2010 PGA Tour season, the editorial staff of the SI Golf Group will conduct an e-mail roundtable. Check in on Mondays for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors and join the conversation in the comments section below.

ASSESSING THE PICKS
Mike Walker, senior editor, Golf Magazine: Welcome to the special “Decision” edition of PGA Tour Confidential. Corey Pavin’s captain’s picks are in: Tiger Woods, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink, and Rickie Fowler. Let’s start with the most basic question: Do you like the picks? If so, why? If not, what picks would you have changed?

Alan Shipnuck, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: No surprises, and you can’t really argue with any of ‘em, though there will be a lot of pressure on Fowler to produce. Winless rookie hasn’t had a top-10 in months.

Cameron Morfit, senior writer, Golf Magazine: Fowler is sort of a surprise but there was no one who really jumped out for that fourth pick. Pavin just cited his 7-1 Ryder Cup record ? he meant Walker Cup, but the point is strong: Fowler’s a proven match play stud.

David Dusek, deputy editor, Golf.com: These were the four I thought Pavin would pick. Alan points out, correctly, that Fowler has some pressure to produce, but having his close friend and fellow rookie Bubba Watson there should help.

Damon Hack, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: No big shockers. Tiger finally has a pulse, Cink and Zach are solid vets, and Fowler brings youth and plenty of game. l was on the Fowler bandwagon for a spot since the spring. We’ll see if he can channel AK, circa ‘08.

Shipnuck: Speaking of AK, he’s the big loser here. Guy was the hottest player on Tour until his Ryder bid was derailed by a bum thumb. Too bad, because his swagger and firepower will be missed.

Jim Herre, managing editor, SI Golf Group: Liked the way Fowler said “I’m not Anthony Kim” in the press conference. Fowler is a special player, but a totally different personality.

Walker: That was cool. Fowler is not Anthony Kim, but he’s being asked to play the same role on this team.

Shipnuck: On Golf Channel there was a lot of talk about Fowler being the new AK. Pavin could’ve had the real AK. Unlike Fowler, Kim has actually won a tourney this year and contended at a major. And it’s not like Rickie has been red hot. The last three months he missed two cuts and didn’t finish better than 13th.

Herre: Hey Alan, don’t start with the missing cuts business. AK hasn’t made one since he came back.

Walker: These are the guys I wanted him to pick so no complaints here. Woods/Cink/Johnson will give the team a good veteran/rookie mix, while Fowler clearly is ready for the big stage.

Farrell Evans, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: Corey went with the flashy choice of Fowler over more seasoned players like O’Hair, Glover and J.B. Holmes. Tiger, Zach and Cink were obvious picks.

Dusek: I’m not going to say Fowler will win five points or dominate in singles the way Kim did against Sergio at Valhalla. The European team is stacked, so no matter who he plays against, he will have his hands full. But I have no doubt he will play well. Very well.

Charlie Hanger, executive editor, Golf.com: O’Hair’s a little more seasoned than Fowler, so I might have gone with him instead, but no question that Fowler will be an exciting addition to the team. In the press conference, Tiger said that being on the team as a captain’s pick won’t be different from being on the team as a qualifier. I’m not so sure ? this year will be a new kind of pressure for Woods. Before he had to prove that he was truly No. 1; now he has to prove that he belongs.

Dusek: Maybe Michael Jordan wasn’t going to be available to encourage O’Hair the way he did at Harding Park in the Presidents Cup?

Evans: In my lifetime (35 years) there has only been one horrible captain’s choice: Lanny Wadkins taking Curtis Strange in ‘95 over Lee Janzen, who won three times that year. Fowler is not a controversial pick.

Shipnuck: It’s the same old story. If Fowler plays great, it’s a smart choice. If he goes 0-3, then Pavin should have taken O’Hair or Holmes. It’s on Rickie, not Corey.

Michael Bamberger, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Maybe Jim Gray had it right when he quoted Pavin as saying, “Of course Tiger is going to make the team.” Still, it’s a shock to see the great Tiger Woods being reduced to a captain’s pick. As a pro, Fowler has done little to earn this spot, and that tells you where American golf is right now.

WHO, IF ANYONE, WAS SNUBBED?
Walker: No player left off the U.S. side can argue that he was snubbed in the way Paul Casey and Justin Rose were left off Team Europe, but Pavin bypassed a lot of guys to pick Fowler, including Kim (9th in points), Glover (10th in points), O’Hair and Holmes. Can you make the case for any of those guys going to Wales instead of Fowler?

Shipnuck: Not really!

Dusek: I don’t think you can.

Herre: Maybe Holmes, who can be an intimidating player, but not the others.

Hanger: I can’t make the case for any of these guys really being snubs. Maybe O’Hair because he’s more seasoned, but Glover has not made many waves since his Open win, and J.B. Holmes seemed like he was uniquely suited to the home game at Valhalla, but certainly not an essential part of the squad in another venue.

Evans: Fowler is the sexy piece. Pavin had one chance in his life to be boss, and this was it. If he picks one of those obvious choices, he looks like the guy who took the safe road.

Jeff Ritter, senior producer, Golf.com: I thought Holmes might’ve been a better pick than Rickie, but Fowler’s Walker Cup record definitely gets your attention. I wonder if Pavin will divide the team into three four-person “pods” like Azinger did two years ago. A Fowler-Bubba-Dustin-Mahan group would probably win some points, and also be fun to watch.

Morfit: Good point, Jeff ? the young-gun quartet. I like it. Ski buddies Cink and Zach Johnson could anchor another pod.

Walker: Pavin’s picks are not controversial. However, he has way too many captain’s picks. Four picks is a full third of the team and denies guys opportunities to play their way on the team. Let’s go back to two. Four wildcards is like my favorite poker game, Russian Revolution, where all red cards are wild.

Dusek: Funny, I was thinking that it might be a good idea to skip the whole point system and give both captains 12 picks to be revealed at the same time, in one place.

Hanger: I like the four picks because the points list is too often determined by long-ago performance. The four picks make it possible to get the guys who are playing well right now instead of having to take guys who might have earned the majority of their points months ago.

Morfit: Pavin said he went with his gut feeling to pick Fowler, which is what these captain’s picks are supposed to be about. If he’d just selected straight off the points list it would invalidate the whole thing. Why have captain’s picks if you’re not going to use them?

Every week of the 2010 PGA Tour season, the editorial staff of the SI Golf Group will conduct an e-mail roundtable. Check in on Mondays for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors and join the conversation in the comments section below.

ASSESSING THE PICKS
Mike Walker, senior editor, Golf Magazine: Welcome to the special “Decision” edition of PGA Tour Confidential. Corey Pavin’s captain’s picks are in: Tiger Woods, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink, and Rickie Fowler. Let’s start with the most basic question: Do you like the picks? If so, why? If not, what picks would you have changed?

Alan Shipnuck, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: No surprises, and you can’t really argue with any of ‘em, though there will be a lot of pressure on Fowler to produce. Winless rookie hasn’t had a top-10 in months.

Cameron Morfit, senior writer, Golf Magazine: Fowler is sort of a surprise but there was no one who really jumped out for that fourth pick. Pavin just cited his 7-1 Ryder Cup record ? he meant Walker Cup, but the point is strong: Fowler’s a proven match play stud.

David Dusek, deputy editor, Golf.com: These were the four I thought Pavin would pick. Alan points out, correctly, that Fowler has some pressure to produce, but having his close friend and fellow rookie Bubba Watson there should help.

Damon Hack, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: No big shockers. Tiger finally has a pulse, Cink and Zach are solid vets, and Fowler brings youth and plenty of game. l was on the Fowler bandwagon for a spot since the spring. We’ll see if he can channel AK, circa ‘08.

Shipnuck: Speaking of AK, he’s the big loser here. Guy was the hottest player on Tour until his Ryder bid was derailed by a bum thumb. Too bad, because his swagger and firepower will be missed.

Jim Herre, managing editor, SI Golf Group: Liked the way Fowler said “I’m not Anthony Kim” in the press conference. Fowler is a special player, but a totally different personality.

Walker: That was cool. Fowler is not Anthony Kim, but he’s being asked to play the same role on this team.

Shipnuck: On Golf Channel there was a lot of talk about Fowler being the new AK. Pavin could’ve had the real AK. Unlike Fowler, Kim has actually won a tourney this year and contended at a major. And it’s not like Rickie has been red hot. The last three months he missed two cuts and didn’t finish better than 13th.

Herre: Hey Alan, don’t start with the missing cuts business. AK hasn’t made one since he came back.

Walker: These are the guys I wanted him to pick so no complaints here. Woods/Cink/Johnson will give the team a good veteran/rookie mix, while Fowler clearly is ready for the big stage.

Farrell Evans, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: Corey went with the flashy choice of Fowler over more seasoned players like O’Hair, Glover and J.B. Holmes. Tiger, Zach and Cink were obvious picks.

Dusek: I’m not going to say Fowler will win five points or dominate in singles the way Kim did against Sergio at Valhalla. The European team is stacked, so no matter who he plays against, he will have his hands full. But I have no doubt he will play well. Very well.

Charlie Hanger, executive editor, Golf.com: O’Hair’s a little more seasoned than Fowler, so I might have gone with him instead, but no question that Fowler will be an exciting addition to the team. In the press conference, Tiger said that being on the team as a captain’s pick won’t be different from being on the team as a qualifier. I’m not so sure ? this year will be a new kind of pressure for Woods. Before he had to prove that he was truly No. 1; now he has to prove that he belongs.

Dusek: Maybe Michael Jordan wasn’t going to be available to encourage O’Hair the way he did at Harding Park in the Presidents Cup?

Evans: In my lifetime (35 years) there has only been one horrible captain’s choice: Lanny Wadkins taking Curtis Strange in ‘95 over Lee Janzen, who won three times that year. Fowler is not a controversial pick.

Shipnuck: It’s the same old story. If Fowler plays great, it’s a smart choice. If he goes 0-3, then Pavin should have taken O’Hair or Holmes. It’s on Rickie, not Corey.

Michael Bamberger, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Maybe Jim Gray had it right when he quoted Pavin as saying, “Of course Tiger is going to make the team.” Still, it’s a shock to see the great Tiger Woods being reduced to a captain’s pick. As a pro, Fowler has done little to earn this spot, and that tells you where American golf is right now.

WHO, IF ANYONE, WAS SNUBBED?
Walker: No player left off the U.S. side can argue that he was snubbed in the way Paul Casey and Justin Rose were left off Team Europe, but Pavin bypassed a lot of guys to pick Fowler, including Kim (9th in points), Glover (10th in points), O’Hair and Holmes. Can you make the case for any of those guys going to Wales instead of Fowler?

Shipnuck: Not really!

Dusek: I don’t think you can.

Herre: Maybe Holmes, who can be an intimidating player, but not the others.

Hanger: I can’t make the case for any of these guys really being snubs. Maybe O’Hair because he’s more seasoned, but Glover has not made many waves since his Open win, and J.B. Holmes seemed like he was uniquely suited to the home game at Valhalla, but certainly not an essential part of the squad in another venue.

Evans: Fowler is the sexy piece. Pavin had one chance in his life to be boss, and this was it. If he picks one of those obvious choices, he looks like the guy who took the safe road.

Jeff Ritter, senior producer, Golf.com: I thought Holmes might’ve been a better pick than Rickie, but Fowler’s Walker Cup record definitely gets your attention. I wonder if Pavin will divide the team into three four-person “pods” like Azinger did two years ago. A Fowler-Bubba-Dustin-Mahan group would probably win some points, and also be fun to watch.

Morfit: Good point, Jeff ? the young-gun quartet. I like it. Ski buddies Cink and Zach Johnson could anchor another pod.

Walker: Pavin’s picks are not controversial. However, he has way too many captain’s picks. Four picks is a full third of the team and denies guys opportunities to play their way on the team. Let’s go back to two. Four wildcards is like my favorite poker game, Russian Revolution, where all red cards are wild.

Dusek: Funny, I was thinking that it might be a good idea to skip the whole point system and give both captains 12 picks to be revealed at the same time, in one place.

Hanger: I like the four picks because the points list is too often determined by long-ago performance. The four picks make it possible to get the guys who are playing well right now instead of having to take guys who might have earned the majority of their points months ago.

Morfit: Pavin said he went with his gut feeling to pick Fowler, which is what these captain’s picks are supposed to be about. If he’d just selected straight off the points list it would invalidate the whole thing. Why have captain’s picks if you’re not going to use them?

Every week of the 2010 PGA Tour season, the editorial staff of the SI Golf Group will conduct an e-mail roundtable. Check in on Mondays for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors and join the conversation in the comments section below.

ASSESSING THE PICKS
Mike Walker, senior editor, Golf Magazine: Welcome to the special “Decision” edition of PGA Tour Confidential. Corey Pavin’s captain’s picks are in: Tiger Woods, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink, and Rickie Fowler. Let’s start with the most basic question: Do you like the picks? If so, why? If not, what picks would you have changed?

Alan Shipnuck, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: No surprises, and you can’t really argue with any of ‘em, though there will be a lot of pressure on Fowler to produce. Winless rookie hasn’t had a top-10 in months.

Cameron Morfit, senior writer, Golf Magazine: Fowler is sort of a surprise but there was no one who really jumped out for that fourth pick. Pavin just cited his 7-1 Ryder Cup record ? he meant Walker Cup, but the point is strong: Fowler’s a proven match play stud.

David Dusek, deputy editor, Golf.com: These were the four I thought Pavin would pick. Alan points out, correctly, that Fowler has some pressure to produce, but having his close friend and fellow rookie Bubba Watson there should help.

Damon Hack, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: No big shockers. Tiger finally has a pulse, Cink and Zach are solid vets, and Fowler brings youth and plenty of game. l was on the Fowler bandwagon for a spot since the spring. We’ll see if he can channel AK, circa ‘08.

Shipnuck: Speaking of AK, he’s the big loser here. Guy was the hottest player on Tour until his Ryder bid was derailed by a bum thumb. Too bad, because his swagger and firepower will be missed.

Jim Herre, managing editor, SI Golf Group: Liked the way Fowler said “I’m not Anthony Kim” in the press conference. Fowler is a special player, but a totally different personality.

Walker: That was cool. Fowler is not Anthony Kim, but he’s being asked to play the same role on this team.

Shipnuck: On Golf Channel there was a lot of talk about Fowler being the new AK. Pavin could’ve had the real AK. Unlike Fowler, Kim has actually won a tourney this year and contended at a major. And it’s not like Rickie has been red hot. The last three months he missed two cuts and didn’t finish better than 13th.

Herre: Hey Alan, don’t start with the missing cuts business. AK hasn’t made one since he came back.

Walker: These are the guys I wanted him to pick so no complaints here. Woods/Cink/Johnson will give the team a good veteran/rookie mix, while Fowler clearly is ready for the big stage.

Farrell Evans, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: Corey went with the flashy choice of Fowler over more seasoned players like O’Hair, Glover and J.B. Holmes. Tiger, Zach and Cink were obvious picks.

Dusek: I’m not going to say Fowler will win five points or dominate in singles the way Kim did against Sergio at Valhalla. The European team is stacked, so no matter who he plays against, he will have his hands full. But I have no doubt he will play well. Very well.

Charlie Hanger, executive editor, Golf.com: O’Hair’s a little more seasoned than Fowler, so I might have gone with him instead, but no question that Fowler will be an exciting addition to the team. In the press conference, Tiger said that being on the team as a captain’s pick won’t be different from being on the team as a qualifier. I’m not so sure ? this year will be a new kind of pressure for Woods. Before he had to prove that he was truly No. 1; now he has to prove that he belongs.

Dusek: Maybe Michael Jordan wasn’t going to be available to encourage O’Hair the way he did at Harding Park in the Presidents Cup?

Evans: In my lifetime (35 years) there has only been one horrible captain’s choice: Lanny Wadkins taking Curtis Strange in ‘95 over Lee Janzen, who won three times that year. Fowler is not a controversial pick.

Shipnuck: It’s the same old story. If Fowler plays great, it’s a smart choice. If he goes 0-3, then Pavin should have taken O’Hair or Holmes. It’s on Rickie, not Corey.

Michael Bamberger, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Maybe Jim Gray had it right when he quoted Pavin as saying, “Of course Tiger is going to make the team.” Still, it’s a shock to see the great Tiger Woods being reduced to a captain’s pick. As a pro, Fowler has done little to earn this spot, and that tells you where American golf is right now.

WHO, IF ANYONE, WAS SNUBBED?
Walker: No player left off the U.S. side can argue that he was snubbed in the way Paul Casey and Justin Rose were left off Team Europe, but Pavin bypassed a lot of guys to pick Fowler, including Kim (9th in points), Glover (10th in points), O’Hair and Holmes. Can you make the case for any of those guys going to Wales instead of Fowler?

Shipnuck: Not really!

Dusek: I don’t think you can.

Herre: Maybe Holmes, who can be an intimidating player, but not the others.

Hanger: I can’t make the case for any of these guys really being snubs. Maybe O’Hair because he’s more seasoned, but Glover has not made many waves since his Open win, and J.B. Holmes seemed like he was uniquely suited to the home game at Valhalla, but certainly not an essential part of the squad in another venue.

Evans: Fowler is the sexy piece. Pavin had one chance in his life to be boss, and this was it. If he picks one of those obvious choices, he looks like the guy who took the safe road.

Jeff Ritter, senior producer, Golf.com: I thought Holmes might’ve been a better pick than Rickie, but Fowler’s Walker Cup record definitely gets your attention. I wonder if Pavin will divide the team into three four-person “pods” like Azinger did two years ago. A Fowler-Bubba-Dustin-Mahan group would probably win some points, and also be fun to watch.

Morfit: Good point, Jeff ? the young-gun quartet. I like it. Ski buddies Cink and Zach Johnson could anchor another pod.

Walker: Pavin’s picks are not controversial. However, he has way too many captain’s picks. Four picks is a full third of the team and denies guys opportunities to play their way on the team. Let’s go back to two. Four wildcards is like my favorite poker game, Russian Revolution, where all red cards are wild.

Dusek: Funny, I was thinking that it might be a good idea to skip the whole point system and give both captains 12 picks to be revealed at the same time, in one place.

Hanger: I like the four picks because the points list is too often determined by long-ago performance. The four picks make it possible to get the guys who are playing well right now instead of having to take guys who might have earned the majority of their points months ago.

Morfit: Pavin said he went with his gut feeling to pick Fowler, which is what these captain’s picks are supposed to be about. If he’d just selected straight off the points list it would invalidate the whole thing. Why have captain’s picks if you’re not going to use them?

NORTON, Mass. (AP) ? Charley Hoffman was rolling in so many putts he lost track of how many birdies he made Monday. His final stroke on a Labor Day masterpiece was his 11th birdie, more than enough to win the Deutsche Bank Championship.

The question is whether it was enough to make him a last-minute pick for the Ryder Cup.

“Hopefully, I’m on the real short list,” he said.

Hoffman ran off four straight birdies early to erase a four-shot deficit, seized control by holing a bunker shot on the 13th and closed with a 9-under 62 on the TPC Boston for a five-shot victory over Geoff Ogilvy, Jason Day and Luke Donald.

Tiger Woods had three rounds in the 60s for the first time this year. He closed with a 69 to tie for 11th, and kept his No. 1 ranking in the world when Phil Mickelson imploded again.

Mickelson needed only to finish fourth to become No. 1 for the first time in his career. Instead, he opened the back nine with a triple bogey, made a double bogey on the 17th and shot 76 to finish 15 shots behind in a tie for 25th. A month ago, Mickelson had an equally good chance at Firestone and shot 78.

Even if he doesn’t make the Ryder Cup, the FedEx Cup is looking pretty good for Hoffman.

He was No. 59 in the standings and arrived at the TPC Boston wanting to make sure he advanced to the third round of the playoffs next week outside Chicago. He wound up a winner, moving to No. 2 in the standings. That assures him a shot at the $10 million bonus, and puts him in all four majors next year after not playing any of them this year.

That includes his first trip to the Masters, one of many perks.

“The best perk would be the Ryder Cup,” Hoffman said.

U.S. captain Corey Pavin will make his four selections Tuesday morning in New York. The frontrunners are Woods, Zach Johnson and Stewart Cink, with no one standing out as the fourth choice.

Pavin had said earlier in the week that no one should assume a good week at the Deutsche Bank would put him on the team.

Hoffman, oozing California cool with his blond locks flowing from under his cap and kelly green pants to match his shoes, made a strong impression with his game and his words.

“No question I think I can contribute to that team,” Hoffman said. “If I can shoot 62 here in the playoffs, I’m pretty sure I can handle the Ryder Cup.”

Hoffman tied the tournament record at 22-under 262, winning for the second time in his PGA Tour career.

He looked plenty strong on a gorgeous Labor Day in New England. Starting the final round four shots behind Day, Hoffman began his first big run with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 second, and a pair of 10-foot birdies sandwiched around a good tee shot to the front bunker on the par-4 fourth green for a tap-in birdie.

Hoffman must have known it was his day on the 13th, as Ogilvy was hitting his stride. He blasted out of the front bunker, trying to nestle it close on greens that were firm and fast, then climbed out of the trap pumping his fist when it fell for an unlikely birdie. He followed that with a 5-foot par save on the 14th, an 18-foot birdie on the next hole and a 7-foot birdie on the 16th.

No one could catch him.

“The playoffs, that’s what you try to do,” Hoffman said. “Just got it going this week.”

Day was wild off the tee early, then struggled with his putter coming in. He shot an even-par 71. Donald, who also had a share of the lead early, remained winless on the PGA Tour since 2006 when he settled for a 69.

Ogilvy closed with a 66, and the runner-up finish moved him from No. 52 to No. 9, assuring him a spot in the Tour Championship. It was Ogilvy’s first top 10 on tour since he won at Kapalua in the first tournament of the year.

He played alongside Hoffman and appreciated what he saw.

“I had the best seat in the house to watch that,” Ogilvy said. “He hit great shots all day. He putted really well and as soon as he got himself in trouble he’d go and hole a bunker shot or something like that. So it was a pretty class act and he never looked like doing anything but winning after about three holes.”

The top 70 in the standings advance to the BMW Championship, which starts Thursday.

Andres Romero, who only started these playoffs at No. 115 and only got to the TPC Boston with a 40-foot birdie putt on the final hole last week, shot a 72 and narrowly made it at No. 68. The surprise was Tom Gillis, who was at No. 92 until a 65-65 weekend gave him a tie for fifth and moved him to No. 48.

Steve Marino shot 76 and John Rollins had a 79 to fall out of the top 70.

The heartbreak belonged to Kris Blanks, who closed with a 70 and appeared to narrowly make the field in Chicago until Charlie Wi birdied the last hole to bump him out.

NORTON, Mass. (AP) ? Jason Day capped off an exciting day with a routine birdie to take the lead Sunday in the Deutsche Bank Championship, setting up a Labor Day finish with all sorts of possibilities.

Day watched a three-shot lead evaporate in two holes, only to get it back on the par-5 18th with a shot just off the back of the green, leaving him a simple two-putt for birdie and a 5-under 66. He had a one-shot lead over Brandt Snedeker, who made a mess of the 18th until chipping in for par and a 67.

Just like so many other times at this tournament, the Deutsche Bank Championship could be up for grabs.

And so could the No. 1 ranking.

Tiger Woods could only manage one birdie over the last 11 holes and shot a 2-under 69, leaving him tied for 23rd and 10 shots out of the lead. That set the stage for Phil Mickelson or Steve Stricker to end his five-year run atop the world ranking.

Stricker is closer to the lead. Mickelson has better odds.

Both of them might have a tough time catching up to Day, the 22-year-old Australian who won the Byron Nelson Championship in May and is starting to play his best golf during the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Day was at 17-under 196, matching the 54-hole record at the TPC Boston set by Mike Weir two years ago.

Luke Donald, winless on the PGA Tour in more than four years, was steady again in his first tournament since being picked for Europe’s Ryder Cup team. He birdied the last hole for a 66 and was two shots behind.

Defending champion Stricker played his third straight round without a bogey for a 67 and was at 13-under 200 with Charley Hoffman, who had a 69.

Mickelson was in a group at 201 that included Geoff Ogilvy (65), who hasn’t finished in the top 10 since winning the season-opening SBS Championship; and Adam Scott (65), who won the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2003.

Snedeker was three shots behind going to the 16th tee when he made consecutive birdies – Day three-putted the 16th – to share the lead. But the final hole – the easiest at the TPC Boston with a tail wind – nearly got him. He didn’t hit enough club and went into the hazard, and after taking a penalty drop, his fourth shot barely cleared the hazard and stayed in the rough.

Snedeker set off one of the loudest cheers of the day when he chipped in to escape with par.

But this was a day for plenty of noise.

Vijay Singh made the rarest shot in golf – an albatross – when he holed a 5-iron from 229 yards on the par-5 second hole for a cheer that resounded across the front nine of the TPC Boston.

“I hit it just like I wanted to and was hoping it was going to get up on the green somewhere, and it went in the hole,” said Singh, who had a 69 and is right on the bubble for getting into the third round next week at the BMW Championship.

It was the second straight year someone made an albatross on that hole, with John Senden doing it a year ago.

Mickelson felt like he was back in 2009, too.

A year ago on the 15th hole, facing a front left pin, he banged his approach off the flag and watched it roll off the green. He was determined not to let that happen again and said he told his caddie, “I’m going to try to just miss the pin.”

He missed his mark – and hit the pin.

The ball spun around, caught the false front and rolled into the rough. Instead of getting mad, Mickelson got even. He chipped in for a birdie, and gave his biggest fist pump of the day.

“That was a fun little moment, because that stuff happens,” Mickelson said.

This is the 10th tournament this year that Mickelson has had a mathematical chance of replacing Woods at No. 1 in the world, and one of his better chances. He was four shots behind going into the final round at Firestone and shot 78.

This time, Mickelson might only need to finish in fourth place alone, provided Woods is out of the top 24. And this time, he is far more confident in his driving, with only his iron play needing to get a little more sharp.

“I haven’t paid attention to what needs to happen,” Mickelson said. “But I’m looking forward to getting in the hunt tomorrow and seeing if I can get off to a good start and make some birdies.”

Woods keeps making progress, although not on the leaderboard.

He got off to a good start and got within four shots of the leaders – before they had teed off – until he stopped making putts. Woods made a difficult flop shot behind the 18th green look easy, hitting it to a foot for birdie. He appears safe to advance to the third round of the playoffs next week at Cog Hill, where he is the defending champion.

“I think I played better than what my score indicated,” Woods said. “I had a lot of putts that I didn’t make.”

Winning will have to wait, though. For the third consecutive tournament, Woods was at least nine shots out of the lead.