Davis Love selected Tiger Woods as one of his vice captains on the United States team for the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine Golf Club in Chaska, Minn.
Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk also were named by Love, who earlier selected Tom Lehman as a vice captain. Love said he will add one more assistant to his staff down the road.
“Tiger wants to be a playing assistant; that’s his goal,” Love said. “Tiger is so excited about it. You saw what came from the Presidents Cup, that he was calling and texting us about what was going on.
“He wants to make the team, don’t mistake. But he’s also committed to helping me. He wants to be the leader of his group. But he wants to do it from on the golf course. He doesn’t want to be the general in the room. He wants to be in the battle.”
The U.S. leads the Ryder Cup series, 25-13-2, but Europe has won eight of the last 10, including what is called by the Euro media the “Miracle at Medinah,” in 2012, when the Americans collapsed in Sunday singles and lost, 14 1/2 to 13 1/2.
Love III made the unusual move of announcing most of his staff before the start of 2016 for the matches that will be played from Sept. 30-Oct 2.
“It lets potential team members know that we’re going to do whatever it takes to win in 2016,” Love said. “Two things that excite me about these vice-captains is … to a man they said, ‘We will do anything you ask us to do to make this Ryder Cup team successful.’
“I’ve surrounded myself with passionate people who have a tremendous amount of match play experience. These guys can help me over the next year. They will be my eyes and years from event to event on tour. This is going to make an incredible statement to our players.”
Woods, who will be 40 next month, is recovering from his third back surgery since last year and it is not known when he will rejoin the PGA Tour, although he is expected back sometime next year.
Tiger was recovering from his first back surgey last year and did not play when the Euros won, 16 1/2 to 11 1/2 at Gleneagles in Scotland. Woods has a career record of 13-17-3 in the Ryder Cup, including 4-1-2 in singles.
“I’d like to thank Davis for his confidence in me and for my selection as a Ryder Cup vice-captain,” Woods said. “This is something I want to do. I will continue to do whatever I can to help win the Cup back.
“Once I’m full healthy, I’d like to do everything I can to make the team, too. But either way, I’m very excited to work with Davis, the other vice-captains and the players to help the U.S. get a victory.”
Woods and Furyk will serve as Ryder Cup assistants for the first time, while this is the second appointment for Stricker.
