"The Ryder Cup has been captains coming up and saying, ‘You’re playing with him and he’s playing with him.'"

Doug Ferguson on Ryder Cup Captain Paul Azinger reaching out to Jack Nicklaus...

What the Presidents Cup inspired Azinger to do was call Nicklaus — and that’s never a bad idea no matter what the subject, unless it’s the golf ball — along with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, David Toms and Stewart Cink.

Low blow Doug! Low blow.

Those five have played on each of the last two Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup teams.

“I want input from the guys who played on both teams,” he said. “I’d rather know from them, rather than blurt out what I like. And I’d like to spend some time on the phone with Nicklaus and get a feel for what he was thinking and doing. And if there’s a glaring difference, then I’d like to try to duplicate what he did.”

Nicklaus wants it to be fun, but isn’t it always fun when you’re winning?

Captain Jack also has reduced the science of pairings to an art form by letting the players decide. He pulled his master list out of his pocket Saturday morning, and next to each player was three or four names. Nicklaus couldn’t accommodate everyone, but he was close.

“The thing that I’ve noticed between the Ryder Cup and here is Jack is very much, ‘Guys, do what you want to do, have a great time. Tell me who you want to play with,’ ” Scott Verplank said. “The Ryder Cup has been captains coming up and saying, ‘You’re playing with him and he’s playing with him.’ I don’t know if that makes a difference.”