Sept. 7, 2010
New York – Former Georgia Tech All-America golfer Stewart Cink earned a spot on the United States team for the Ryder Cup Monday, being named as one of four captain’s picks by Corey Pavin. He joins Tech All-American Matt Kuchar on the team which will compete in the 2010 Ryder Cup Matches, Oct. 1-3, at Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales.
He joins Tiger Woods, Zach Johnson and Rickie Fowler as captain’s picks for the United States team. Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan, Bubba Watson, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Jeff Overton and Kuchar qualified for the U.S. team based on points accumulated over a two-year period.
Cink, a native of Florence, Ala., now living in the Atlanta area, will compete in the Ryder Cup for the fifth time, having played in the event in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. The 2010 British Open champion, Cink was 14th on the PGA points list. Kuchar, playing in his first Ryder Cup, earned his automatic berth with his No. 8 position on the points list.
He and Kuchar become the second pair of Tech alumni to play on the same Ryder Cup team, joining Cink and David Duval in 2002.
Cink’s selection marks the third time he has been a captain’s pick. “I’m starting to probably be close to being a record there,” joked Cink, who owns a 4-7-4 career record in 15 Ryder Cup matches. “I guess all that means is I’m not very good in qualifying in the Top 10, I don’t know. I’ll be excited and pumped up to play and representing the U.S.”
A 1995 graduate of the Institute, Cink earned All-America honors three times at Georgia Tech, earned the Fred Haskins, Jack Nicklaus and Dave Williams awards as collegiate golf’s national player of the year in 1995. He earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors three times and was named the ACC Player of the Year in 1995. He won five tournaments during his collegiate career.
As a professional, Cink has won six times on the PGA Tour, including the 2009 British Open Championship. He has earned more than $29 million in official money since he joined the PGA Tour in 1995. He ranks 35th in the Official World Golf Ranking and 35th in this year’s FedEx Cup points standings, earning more than $1.4 million.
Begun in 1927, the Ryder Cup is among the last great professional sporting events where winning, not prize money, is the ultimate reward. The United States owns a 25-10-2 overall advantage in the biennial competition, but Europe has won five of the last seven Ryder Cups.
