Tuesday 17 February 2015 19:39, UK
Former Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger believes Davis Love III would be an excellent choice to lead the US side in 2016.
While an official announcement isn’t expected from the PGA until next Tuesday at their Florida headquarters, reports in America suggest that Love will be handed the captaincy for a second time.
Love was on the receiving end of the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ in 2012, when Europe overturned a four-point deficit on the final day to snatch an unlikely victory, but is set to succeed Tom Watson at Hazeltine next autumn.
Azinger, the last US captain to lift the trophy in 2008, and three-time Presidents Cup-winning captain Fred Couples were the favourites to succeed Watson, as the hosts look to end a run of three straight defeats.
While Azinger has since ruled himself out of a return to the role, he has backed the idea of giving Love another chance.
“If true, I believe that Davis is an excellent choice to lead US Ryder Cup in 2016,” Azinger wrote on Twitter. “The public may not remember Freddie's (Couples) influence in 2012…I think Fred's friendship with Davis gets him there again.”
Time for change
Love is part of an 11-strong task force, including former world No 1 Tiger Woods and five-time major winner Phil Mickelson, set up to examine all aspects of the US Ryder Cup process following last year’s defeat at Gleneagles.
A statement from the PGA of America read: "It is premature to discuss the US Ryder Cup captaincy and we are not prepared to comment at this time."
If chosen, the 50-year-old would become the eighth man to captain the United States on more than one occasion, alongside Walter Hagen, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Burke, Jack Nicklaus and Watson.
Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ, Rex Hoggard, senior writer at golfchannel.com, said: “It was a bit of a surprising announcement simply because the leaders in the clubhouse were Freddy Couples and Paul Azinger.
“I think they narrowed in for Davis for a number of different reasons. The players on that panel feel that Davis would be a ‘player’s captain’.
“This also has a lot to do with a succession plan, as I think the PGA of America wants to create a plan where future captains are groomed under existing captains much like Europe does.”
