captain's pick

plural captain's picks

1. hobbiesa person selected for a team by the team's captain

   It would not be until a decade later, in 1989, that a U.S. captain would join his European counterpart in having the luxury of captain’s selections. The historic first two captain's picks from captain Raymond Floyd ahead of a 14-14 draw at The Belfry in England were Lanny Wadkins and Tom Watson.

   2019 August 29, Jeff Babineau, “The best -- and not best -- Ryder Cup captain's picks”, in Ryder Cup

   1 more example

   Czech No.1 Tomas Berdych is the first captain’s pick named for Team Europe in the inaugural Laver Cup. Berdych will line up alongside top 10 stars Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Marin Cilic and Dominic Thiem at the O₂ arena in Prague, Czech Republic from September 22-24, 2017. […] Team Europe captain Björn Borg is thrilled Berdych has accepted his invitation.

   2017 August 15, “Laver Cup: Borg selects Berdych as first captain’s pick”, in O2 Arena

2. AustraliaidiomaticinformalgovernmentA decision made by a leader without consulting others.

   At the time he acknowledged that the decision to knight Prince Philip was a “captain’s pick” and made clear that the Queen had accepted his recommendation.

   2015 October 1, Roger Maynard, “Tony Abbott admits that knighthood for Prince Philip was a mistake”, in The Times

   3 more examples

   Ms Gillard said on Tuesday she had made a "captain's pick" and asked Ms Peris to join the Labor Party and run as a Northern Territory Senate candidate later this year.

   2013 January 22, Simon Cullen, “Gillard picks Nova Peris to run for Senate”, in ABC News

   Abbott asked O’Dwyer after the 2010 election to write a supportive op-ed on his captain’s pick paid paternity-leave scheme. Inside the party it was well known that she opposed the policy in the form he had announced it, after he had consulted only a few people, including Credlin and his friend Christopher Pearson. It was designed to counter his problem with women, but it only made things worse.

   2016, Niki Savva, The road to ruin : how Tony Abbott and Peta Credlin destroyed their own government, Melbourne: Scribe, →ISBN, page 128

   The eye watering splurge, adding to a record budget deficit, is headlined by two captain's picks for Joyce: a $5 billion rail line from Toowoomba to Gladstone for coal and farm exports and a $5 billion dam near Townsville, plus a $1.5 billion for a new port in Darwin for minerals and gas exports and $7.1 billion for infrastructure in the Pilbara, North Queensland, Darwin and the Hunter Valley.

   2022 May 15, Mike Foley, “Northern exposure in the federal election will determine the Nationals' future”, in Sydney Morning Herald