Davis Love Appointed 2016 USA Ryder Cup Captain – European Players Comment.

A number of leading European Ryder Cup players competing in this week’s PGA Tour Honda Classic have commented on the appointment of Davis Love 111 as 2016 USA Ryder Cup captain.

Love was officially announced as replacement for Tom Watson on the same day his son, Davis Love IV, or ‘Dru’ as he is affectionately known, won his first college golf event.

Joining Love 111 for the announcement at the HQ of the PGA of America was former 2004 USA Captain, Tom Lehman and the first of four Hazeltine vice-captains.

Here is what some of Europe’s Ryder Cup stars had to say regarding the appointment of Love 111.

Lee Westwood – 

“It makes a lot of sense to hand Davis the Hazeltine captaincy.

“He was a good captain when he led the team first time around at Medinah even though people might say the Americans were slightly unfortunate given the team was in such a good position going to the last day.

Davis Love 111 - What his European Team rivals have to say regarding his 2016 USA  Team captaincy appointment.  (Photo  - Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

Davis Love 111 – What his European Team rivals have to say regarding his 2016 USA Team captaincy appointment. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

“So I am not at all surprised but I am more surprised they keep over-looking Freddie Couples given the fact he’s been so successful in winning the last three Presidents Cup for the States, so you have to wonder why he’s not been handed a Ryder Cup captaincy.

“And I am not one for using words like revenge or redemption as they used the word ‘redemption’ heading into Gleneagles and that didn’t work.

“It’s just nice for Davis he can have another crack at it and looking back on Medinah, he did a decent job by all accounts and just got a bit unlucky given it was such a strong performance by Europe on the last day.”

Paul Casey –

“The selection of Davis has to be seen as following the European selection model and how can it not.

“The players have to become more involved as has been the case in Europe, as we saw just last week with the overall membership of the Tour saying Darren was the best man for the job.

“But you can phase Davis’ appointment as revenge, redemption or desperate so whatever phrase you use because as soon as that first ball is struck on the Friday at Hazeltine whatever has been said in the past is irrelevant.

“So if the PGA of America has gone about trying to pick the best guy for Hazeltine 2016 and believe Davis is the guy then that is the right choice.”

Martin Kaymer – 

“Firstly, I was surprised that someone like Davis who has been captain before will now be captain for a second time but then I mean not in a negative way or a positive way.

“I think he did a very good job in 2012 and it was not really his fault or the fault of any of the players they lost the lead that they had.

“So therefore I am very happy for him as he is a very nice guy and he deserves another chance to win, but then we will be trying hard that his team doesn’t.

“I think also after what happened at Medinah he is going to be more focused and he’s going to be a difficult captain to beat because he will be stronger for what happened at Medinah.  So he will bring more experienced to the position given how heart-breaking it was for his team to lose in 2012.

“So it’s not a bad decision to choose him again as captain and it’s not that bad of a job the PGA of America did in choosing him.”

Francesco Molinari –

“Davis did a good job in leading the team at Medinah and it was just a couple of things on the Saturday that didn’t go his way.

“Everybody judges a captain on whether he wins or if he doesn’t win but then I feel he did a good job.

“I can see why they wanted to give him another chance at winning the Ryder Cup because he is going to be better motivated to turn around what happened at Medinah.

“I won’t say he’s after revenge as that is not the word but I would say he will be very motivated to lead his team to victory given what happened at Medinah.

“I first met him when I played a few holes in practice at the Open at Royal Lytham and St. Annes in 2012 and the year of Medinah a few months later, and he struck me a very nice guy.

“He will be a good match to Darren Clarke as they are both  very popular players.”

Padraig Harrington –

Padraig Harrington says it's a tribute to the European Tour the USA  Ryder Cup task force has followed suit.  (Photo - www.golffile.ie)

Padraig Harrington says it’s a ‘huge compliment’ to the European Tour the USA Ryder Cup task force has followed suit. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)

“What the PGA of America has done today in announcing Davis is a huge compliment to how Europe have gone about choosing a new European Captain.

“By winning the last three, and also eight of the past 10 Ryder Cup’s, and that’s what over the past two decades, no it’s three decades, what they’ve done is push the US into really caring about the Ryder Cup.

“No longer is it a holiday atmosphere or a friendly three days when they can throw the balls up in the air and go and play because it is a big series of matches these days where the US have been pushed into a corner where they really do care.

“I’ve seen that behind the scenes and especially last year at Gleneagles as the older guys were devastated to lose again.

“And while the European Tour doesn’t have near the size of structure that was in place to reappoint Davis, the European captain selection process has also undergone change as we saw last week with Darren’s appointment.

“But then I can see the European Captain selection process changing as well if we were to start losing like the Americans, so in saying that it’s good the US are changing.

“I wouldn’t use the word revenge but I see it more as a redemption for Davis and I see it as a big upside for him rather than a big downside.

“I have to say I was a little surprised because I thought they would ask Paul Azinger but then I heard he wasn’t available but then Davis was a great captain at Medinah and clearly they are giving him another chance.

“Then if he had of led the team to victory in 2012 would have he been appointed captain for 2016?  No. I don’t think he would have.  He did a great job at Medinah.  Should have got across the line first but things conspired against him at the end of the day and it was just fate it turned against him.

“Also they could have gone outside the box and choose someone like a Scott Verplank or a Justin Leonard as Europe did in appointing Paul McGinley.

“But then Davis is a super nice guy, and while I’m not saying other captains have not been nice guys, he’s a tough, tough opponent and he will very much mimicking the Paul McGinley line of going about his duties.”

Stephen Gallacher –

“It’s what the players wanted in calling for Davis Love to be given another shot at the captaincy.

“They appointed this 11-man committee after what happened to the Americans at Gleneagles and it’s a smart move to listen to what the rank-and-file PGA Tours were calling for.

“He went so close to winning to winning in 2012 at Medinah so it would seem right Davis be given another shot at victory.

“And while the Americans are getting desperate to win back the Ryder Cup, I don’t think you can say that by appointing Davis they are after revenge or getting even or what you want to call it.

“All the committee was charged with was picking the right man for Hazeltine and it would seem he is the right man for the job, and given also they want that Ryder Cup trophy back on this side of ‘The Pond’ so much.

“And I’ve met Davis a few times in my career and he seems a really nice fellow and it’s clearly obvious, and maybe what was lacking at Gleneagles, is that he gets on so well with all the players.

“So I think you will find it will be again like Medinah, and a very close series of matches ahead while he also gets on great with Darren, as well.”



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