Azinger picks Ryder Cup wildcards

NEW YORK (Reuters) - United States captain Paul Azinger named Steve Stricker, Chad Campbell, JB Holmes and Hunter Mahan as his Ryder Cup wildcard picks on Tuesday.

The quartet join Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry, Jim Furyk, Anthony Kim, Ben Curtis, Justin Leonard and Boo Weekley who qualified automatically for the side that will meet holders Europe at Valhalla, Kentucky from September 19-21.

"We have rounded off this team with the best possible players at this time," Azinger told a news conference. "It really depended on how the players performed in the last four weeks."

Campbell, who also featured in 2004 and 2006, was the only wildcard selection with previous Ryder Cup experience.

"We're missing Tiger Woods, the greatest player on earth, which is a big blow to us," added Azinger about the world number one who is recovering from knee surgery. "But I really like my team."

Azinger said he had been set on picking Stricker and the long-hitting Holmes since last month's U.S. PGA Championship.

"I really like Stricker and JB Holmes," he said. "Stricker is a great chipper, putter and match play player. JB is a Kentucky bomber who knows Valhalla like the back of his hand."

Stricker was ninth on the points list and Holmes 17th.

Azinger said his last two selections went down to the wire. "I was mulling it over as late as last night," he said. "It was up for grabs."

Mahan, 12th in the points list, has played well in the opening FedExCup tournaments in the last two weeks. Azinger said he chose Campbell, who tied for seventh in the Deutsche Bank event which ended on Monday, to add experience.

"I picked three guys that had never played Ryder Cup before and I thought Chad had experience and played well this week. I knew he was the right guy," said the captain.

Campbell was 20th in the points list.

"I felt I was on the outside looking in but got the call from captain Azinger," said Campbell via telephone link. "I'm very excited."

WORKMANLIKE PERSONALITIES

Azinger added: "There's a bunch of workmanlike personalities on this team. Personalities that seem to blend and mesh together nicely.

"Teams I played on were like that and we had some success. Maybe it will bode well for us."

Six of Azinger's 12 players have Ryder Cup experience while the Europeans have eight veterans of the biennial team event.

Europe, captained by Nick Faldo, will be bidding for a sixth victory in seven editions.

Faldo picked Britons Paul Casey and Ian Poulter as his two wildcards on Sunday. They joined Justin Rose, Soren Hansen, Oliver Wilson, Padraig Harrington, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Graeme McDowell who qualified automatically.

"We'll try to improve on what happened last time," said Azinger referring to his team's 18-1/2 to 9-1/2 drubbing in Ireland in 2006. "Europe is sending over a great team.

"When I look at them I see a really powerful team. They have a lot of confidence. We're going to have to play our best."

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)