Aug. 21, 2006
ATLANTA – Strong play on tour during recent weeks and a solid performance in the PGA Championship last weekend helped former Georgia Tech All-American Stewart Cink earn his third invitation to play for the United States in the Ryder Cup.
Cink was made one of two captain’s picks along with Scott Verplank in an announcement made Monday by U.S. captain Tom Lehman. Having played for the U.S. in the 2001 and 2004 Ryder Cup matches, Cink will become the first Georgia Tech alumnus to play in three of the biennial events when the matches commence in September at the K Club in Straffan, Ireland.
The Duluth, Ga., resident has three top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour since the beginning of July, tying for fifth place at the Buick Championship, tying for fourth at the Cialis Western Open and finishing fifth at The International. He tie for 24th at the PGA Championship, posting a four-under-par score of 284 that included a final-round 69 while paired with U.S. assistant captain Corey Pavin.
“It would mean a lot,” Cink said prior to Lehman’s announcement. “It would definitely be the satisfaction of a huge goal of mine to make the team this year because of the fact that I’ve played on four of the last five teams in international competition and I really don’t want to miss any. I feel like I can help the team and if I’m picked, I’ll be honored and I’ll try to represent the U.S. as best I can.”
Cink also has played for the United States in the 2000 and 2005 President’s Cup matches.
The following 10 players automatically qualified for the U.S. team once points closed Sunday after Tiger Woods’ dominating win at the PGA Championship: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Chad Campbell, David Toms, Chris DiMarco, Vaughn Taylor, J.J. Henry, Zach Johnson and Brett Wetterich. Woods, Mickelson, Furyk, Campbell, Toms and DiMarco all played in 2004.
