Was Nick Watney snubbed by Ryder Cup Davis Love III?
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Was Nick Watney snubbed by Ryder Cup Davis Love III?

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Davis Love III made his four captain picks for this month's Ryder Cup on Tuesday, leaving Nick Watney off the team and maybe leaving Watney wondering if his late-season charge deserved a nod.

Watney's win in the first stage of the FedEx Cup playoffs at The Barclays was seemingly exactly what he needed to get the attention of the U.S. Ryder Cup captain.

It was his lone win of the year, however, coming just over a week before the picks were to be made. Was Watney's victory too little too late? It seems so.

To suggest Watney's 2012 season was sub-par and undeserving of a Ryder Cup nod might be a bit unfair. In 23 events this season, Watney has one win, four top-10 finishes, eleven top 25s and only three missed cuts. He won more than $2.7 million and is now second in the FedEx Cup points race.

The bulk of that good play, however, came after the U.S. Open. Love said Monday in an interview with Golf Channel that the whole season was under consideration - a strike against Watney.

On the other hand, the four players chosen ahead of Watney had solid seasons, and three also have a victory in 2012. Dustin Johnson, Brandt Snedeker and Steve Stricker are more than deserving of being captain's picks.

The choice of Jim Furyk, however, is a bit questionable.

Furyk has no wins this season, giving away chances to win the U.S. Open and at Firestone, as well as a playoff loss in Tampa. He has four missed cuts in 21 events to Watney's three in 23 starts. Then again, Furyk also has earned $100,000 more than Watney despite playing the shorter schedule.

Perhaps Furyk's edge is in experience having previously been on seven Ryder Cup teams, despite an 8-15-4 record, which likely bumped him ahead of Watney in the eyes of Davis Love III.

For Watney, it wasn't a case of too little, too late. Maybe it was a case of not enough all along.

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Adam Fonseca

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