LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Tom Watson began the week by naming Steve Stricker as his third vice captain for the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
Now he should end the week by naming Stricker as his first wild-card captain’s pick as a player.
Based on the way the 47-year-old Stricker is performing at this week’s PGA Championship at Valhalla — he enters Sunday’s final round at 8-under par, five shots behind leader Rory McIlroy after shooting 68 on Saturday — he will serve as a more valuable piece to Watson’s Ryder Cup puzzle as a player than he will as a vice captain.
Consider this: Through three rounds this week, Stricker has outplayed all but three of the 37 players ahead of him in the U.S. Ryder Cup points standings (Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson and Ryan Palmer).
If that isn’t enough to draw Captain Watson’s attention, perhaps nothing will.
No disrespect intended, but who’s making the argument that the likes of Brendon Todd (12th in the points standings), Ryan Moore (13th), Chris Kirk (14th), Harris English (16th) or Kevin Na (17th) would be more trustworthy than Stricker would be in the caldron of international competition?
How about Matt Every (18th), Erik Compton (19th), Kevin Stadler (20th) or Brian Harmon (21st)?
Shall I go on?
Because these players are among the pool of choices from which Watson will be choosing when he makes his three picks on Sept. 2 for the Sept. 26-28 matches against Europe at Gleneagles in Scotland.
“I definitely see his value as a player more than as a vice captain,’’ Jerry Kelly told The Post on Saturday. “I think he’s a fantastic addition if he wasn’t playing, but you put him in this position of playing, you’re talking about alternate shot and best ball, where you’re not playing as much. You don’t have to worry about really being [physically] taxed as much, even though the emotions tax you that much more.
“I think he’s got plenty in the tank for that. And, how can you not take that putter? Especially if he shows he’s hitting it well enough, how can you not take that putter … and the mind? The mind is fantastic.’’
Stricker said he believes he “would have to do something special this week and that would be either win or finish second’’ to make the team as a player.
Asked directly if he felt he would be more of an asset as a player than as a vice captain, Stricker deftly dodged the question.
“It’s going to sting, I’m sure, when I’m over there as an assistant captain and watching the guys and wishing I was probably a part of the playing part of this team,” he said.
I asked Kelly, a fellow PGA Tour veteran and also a Wisconsin native who knows Stricker about as well as anyone, how much his friend burns to be a player rather than being a vice captain.
“There’s such a dichotomy there,’’ he said. “He doesn’t come out here [on the PGA Tour as often] because he wants it so much, and if he’s not going to be there he’s going to be burning because he wants it so much. I think he’d still play 25 tournaments a year if he didn’t have an inner struggle. People don’t see an inner struggle with him. But he burns to win. He wants it so bad.
“Top 10s [tick] him off. The guy expects to win. If he doesn’t win, it burns him bad. People don’t sense that about him, but that’s what would make him a great Ryder Cup player.’’
Never mind Stricker’s 3-7-1 record in two Ryder Cups. He is 11-8 in Presidents Cup play and has been the one player who’s brought out the best in Tiger Woods in team play.
“He’s a guy who makes putts, he’s not afraid of the moment, he’s a great ball striker and he’s got plenty of good golf in him,’’ Hunter Mahan told The Post. “He’ll be a valuable commodity no matter what he’s doing, but absolutely he can still make the team. Why not?’’
Watson, who played the first two rounds with Stricker this week at Valhalla, said, “Strick has got game. If he should win here, there would be no question that he would be on the team rather than vice captain. If he runs the tables and happens to win [a FedEx Cup event in the next few weeks] … I’d be a fool not to consider him.’’
Watson is scheduled to conduct a news conference on Monday to discuss the nine players who have clinched their spots on the team. While he’s at it, Watson should just go ahead and make his second announcement of the week about Stricker, this time naming him as one of the 12 players who will tee it up for him in Scotland.
That will put Stricker in his best role of all: as a key player and a vice captain.