Ryder Cup: Oh Captain My Captain ...

[BruceMGF]

Johnny Miller and Co were mentioning this on TV:

Good idea to bring back Azinger for another Cup, if he wants to? It goes against recent practice to have anyone captain successive Ryder Cup teams, regardless of results.

I say yes. It's his if he wants it.




Europe:

Anyone think that anyone offered the captain's job for Europe should demand four captain's picks instead of two - like Azinger got?

Faldo's picks won 5 points and lost 3. The rest of the team won 6.5 and lost 13.5.

Hmmmm...

[iacas]

Good idea to bring back Azinger for another Cup, if he wants to? It goes against recent practice to have anyone captain successive Ryder Cup teams, regardless of results.

I think he'd be stupid to take it again. He can't possibly achieve the same high he had this time, and he could very possibly tarnish his "captain reputation" if he loses.

Anyone think that anyone offered the captain's job for Europe should demand four captain's picks instead of two - like Azinger got?

I don't really - Europe had a strong team. They just didn't play. Ken Schofield said 2 picks has worked for 20 years - they won't over-react to this one match. They had a good team.

Faldo's picks won 5 points and lost 3. The rest of the team won 6.5 and lost 13.5.

That's not accurate at all. Casey and Poulter went a combined 4-2-2 for five points, losing three. You got that part just fine.

But the rest of the team was 8-17-11 - winning 13.5 points and losing 22.5. That's still pretty bad, but 8.5 points for 10 guys isn't right.

[Thrash13]

I think he'd be stupid to take it again. He can't possibly achieve the same high he had this time, and he could very possibly tarnish his "captain reputation" if he loses.

I agree. Captain Azinger needs to ride off into the sunset. As for future captains, one name that comes to mind is Davis Love III. I'm sure he will still want to play competitively and attempt to qualify on his own though, so he may not even be an option. However, I'm not sure he will ever qualify again, and if that's the case, he would be a pretty deserving captain.

[iacas]

I agree. Captain Azinger needs to ride off into the sunset. As for future captains, one name that comes to mind is Davis Love III. I'm sure he will still want to play competitively and attempt to qualify on his own though, so he may not even be an option. However, I'm not sure he will ever qualify again, and if that's the case, he would be a pretty deserving captain.

Corey Pavin's the name I've heard most.

[Chilli Dipper]

Corey Pavin appars to be the most likely candidate for the 2010 squad, though Mark O'Meara also has a chance. Davis Love III is almost certain to captain the U.S. team in 2012, while the next three Ryder Cups will probably be captained by David Toms, Jim Furyk, and Phil Mickelson (in no particular order).

On the European side, I'd bet that Sandy Lyle will lead the team in 2010, unless the Euro PGA invites Ian Woosnam back to play captain in his home country. Colin Montgomerie should be next in line for the captaincy, but he might decide to defer the privilege until the matches are held in Scotland in 2014; in that case, 2012 will be Jose Maria Olazabal's turn. Darren Clarke will assume the role in 2016, while 2018's captain remains a mystery, as the site of the matches has yet to be determined, and odds are the Euro PGA will prefer a player from the country hosting the matches. Wild guess: Sweden and Robert Karlsson (if he can sustain his current play for a few more years).

[MSDOGS1976]

I wouldn't care to be the captain period when it is played on foreign soil. Home turf is probably worth a couple of points so your in a hole to begin with. But, someone has to do it. Pavin would be a good choice.