By TOM PATRI, Scripps Howard News Service

If you were Corey Pavin would you be considering Watson or Couples for your Ryder Cup captain's picks?

At match play, why not? Do you think they're playing well enough? Are they experienced? Are they good for young guys to be around?

Who is the bigger circus act today in golf? Tiger Woods or John Daly?

What the heck is going on out there? Has the entire world gone crazy?

This winter has all but flown by. Where does the time go?
So once again, I'm on my soapbox about why the average amateur golfer doesn't improve.
First, in general, they don't practice. Second, those who do practice to some extent don't practice with any certain purpose.

It was pretty refreshing to see a relatively new face in golf play really clutch down the stretch at Torrey Pines and win.
Nick Watney made a bomb on No. 16, and then ripped a drive on No. 18 like all these kids seem to. He proceeded to launch a hybrid into orbit, landing safely on the green in two. A ho-hum two-putt for birdie, and victory was his.

I'm thrilled to report my prediction was 100 percent wrong. A few weeks back I thought Europe would drill the United States at the Ryder Cup. I have never been so glad to be wrong.What a wonderful effort shown by the American team.

Vijay Singh wins last week's PGA Tournament at The Barclays in a playoff with Sergio Garcia and Kevin Sutherland ... yawn.I was looking down the top-10 finishes at the Barclays -- Matt Goggin, Martin Laird, Kevin Streelman -- not exactly media standouts. Where are Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk, all world-class players?

I have asked probably 20-plus golfers that I know watch golf regularly on TV what they think of golf without Tiger Woods, who has been out since having knee surgery shortly after the Masters.

Lorena Ochoa does it again. She is absolutely bombing those girls. Four straight wins. The ladies can't duck to get out of the way of her fastball. She simply is playing a game with which few of them are familiar.Or on the men's side, Boo does Hilton Head? That's Boo Weekley from Milton, Fla.

Tiger Woods is in a slump. Not only did he not win last Sunday's World Golf Championships event at Doral, he didn't finish second, and he didn't finish third.He finished fifth. Fifth!

Well, now that Santa has come and gone, and hopefully all the kids had a blast, I know I did.