Christianity, professional golf and the Ryder Cup

From John Paul Newport in the WSJ...

In 2006, when a U.S. Ryder Cup team rich in born-again Christians descended on the K Club in Ireland for the biennial matches, the British press published several reports about the team's conservative leanings, both religious and political.

...this year's Ryder Cup team...is no less religious than its predecessor. The captain, Corey Pavin, and several of the players are born-again Christians. Three of Mr. Pavin's four discretionary "captain's picks"—Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson and Rickie Fowler—are regulars at the PGA Tour's weekly Bible-study sessions. Messrs. Pavin and Lehman are also frequent attendees, along with team members Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar. (The fourth pick, Tiger Woods, claims Buddhism as his religion.)...

Mr. Pavin's captain's picks were logical. Mr. Woods, whose game appears to be coming around despite another over-par round Friday at the BMW Championship, was a no-brainer. Messrs. Cink and Johnson, both experienced Ryder Cup hands, have been playing superb golf recently and will add stability to a U.S. team with five Ryder Cup rookies (Messrs. Watson, Fowler and Kuchar, Dustin Johnson and Jeff Overton).

The 21-year-old Mr. Fowler, despite ranking only 20th on the Ryder Cup points list, brings enthusiasm, personality and five top-10 finishes this year, as well as a 7-1 match play record in amateur Walker Cup competitions. He also marks his golf balls with "4:13," for a verse in Philippians: "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."