US turn to strugglers for Ryder quest

Two players who have just one tournament win between them in the last four years have been chosen to try to help America win back the Ryder Cup.

Jay Haas, who at 50 will be the second oldest player in cup history after Ray Floyd, has not tasted victory since 1993 and on his last appearance nine years ago made a mess of the last hole against Philip Walton to cost America the match.

Hal Sutton's other wild card announced yesterday, is 31-year-old Stewart Cink, one of six survivors from the team beaten at The Belfry two years ago. The pair have played in more than 1,000 US Tour events and won only 12 of them, Haas nine in 31 years, Cink three in nine, but Sutton still feels they are the best men for the job at Oakland Hills from 17 - 19 September.

America's captain did not consider the claims of Open champion Todd Hamilton, US PGA runner-up Justin Leonard and Steve Flesch, who finished ahead of both Haas and Cink in the three-year points race, to be strong enough.

"I feel for every one of those guys that didn't get picked, but I only had two spots," said Sutton .

"The two I have chosen are not only great players, but also great human beings who can be mature about this. They are going to help us win back the Ryder Cup. We are going there on a mission and we are not going to settle for less." US team: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, Jim Furyk, Kenny Perry, David Toms, Chad Campbell, Chris DiMarco, Fred Funk, Chris Riley, Jay Haas and Stewart Cink.