Monty: I've Got Myself Penciled In Right After Lyle, Olazabal

Douglas Lowe hangs on Monty's every word, especially when the Scot nominates himself and the next two Ryder Cup captains. But Monty's not presumptuous. No sirree!

The Scot is a member of the 15-player tournament committee of the European Tour that will recommend the next Ryder Cup captain and the matter is on the agenda for the next meeting in Abu Dhabi.

"I think it is becoming more cut and dried that we will have two Scottish captains in the next three," he said, meaning Lyle for Wales in 2010, Jose Maria Olazabal for Medinah, Illinois, in 2012 and himself for Gleneagles in 2014.

Olazabal, who has back problems, is still dithering over whether to offer himself for captaincy at Wales or his preferred option of trying to play his way on to the team, but Montgomerie, who views Ryder Cup captaincy as a one-hit job, considers the decision should be made sooner rather than later.

"We have to move on," he said, "and in my view Olazabal, being two-and-a-half years younger than I am, would be a great asset to any team if fit and playing the way he does. There's great passion involved. That leaves Sandy Lyle and I'm 100% behind the idea of taking as vice-captains two of the past winning captains in Ian Woosnam and Sam Torrance with Sandy at the helm. It would be a fabulous team."

I wonder if he checked with Woosie and Torrance about that vice-captaincy nomination?

"The players wanted Azinger to return, Azinger wanted Azinger to return and so the PGA came up with... Pavin."

The Telegraph's Mark Reason questions the Corey Pavin captaincy selection, writing that "The players wanted Azinger to return, Azinger wanted Azinger to return and so the PGA came up with... Pavin. It was a decision worthy of the 57 old farts of the RFU lampooned by Will Carling."

And:

Is it possible that the PGA saw a Jesus syndrome in Pavin, a man who is a convert from Judaism to Christianity? Or did they see a new Zen-like calm in a man who has mellowed out since his second marriage to Lisa Nguyen. She said: "When I met Corey I could tell he was empty inside." And now presumably he is full, perhaps even to the point of overflowing with the milk of human kindness.

Or maybe the PGA just liked Pavin sucking up to them. Did he really say: "The Ryder Cup is in my blood. I think if you cut my arm open, Ryder Cup would just bleed out. It's the greatest event in the world, I think, and certainly the golf world."

The duffers at the PGA may be fooled by that sort of soap, but will it wash with the players?

“It ain’t gonna be me"

Doug Ferguson reports that Paul Azinger will not be the 2010 Ryder Cup captain.

“It ain’t gonna be me,” Azinger told The Associated Press on Monday. “I am not the captain.”

I love Azinger's passion but this is for the best. He did a super job. He will be remembered as the captain who proved Captains matter and for having pulled off one of the great wins in Ryder Cup history.

Azinger Now Issuing Non-Denial Denials

Steve Elling is the latest to try and find out where the Ryder Cup captain stands in his desire to head the 2010 U.S. effort.

Azinger was asked a half-dozen variations on the same question, and though the answers never much changed, he all but telegraphed his renewed interest in the position two years hence -- if not that the position is already in the pipeline.

"I'm not going to go there," Azinger said.

Which doesn't mean he won't be going to Wales in 2010, when the U.S. defends the Cup. The host PGA of America ought to lease the jet for his trip, like, yesterday.

Azinger, playing this weekend in the Del Webb Father/Son Challenge, openly gushed about the experience of leading the American team three months ago in Kentucky, but when it came time to discuss whether he might re-up, he was uncharacteristically mum.
"Anything regarding the future Ryder Cup captaincy needs to be directed to them," Azinger said. "I don't want to step on their toes."

Paul, do you dread those Champions Tour pro-ams that much?

Azinger Fired Up and Ready To Go!

After considering his offers (not too many) and touring the White House where 43 convinced him the job was as meaningful as the Presidency, Paul Azinger appears to have thrown his hat in the ring for the 2010 Ryder Cup captaincy. At least, judging by this comment reported by Tim Rosaforte.

"It would mean something to carry the flag [into Wales]," Azinger said, excited by the challenge.

Meanwhile, Jeff Rude says "PGA of America" has not popped up on Zinger's caller I.D. in some time and the job will likely be going to Corey Pavin.

"I'm looking next year to be back playing golf and that's why I cannot give an answer that soon."

Phil Casey reports that the debate over raising the European Tour minimum from 11 to 12 (Tim Finchem sends his thanks) has put the Ryder Cup captaincy debate on hold. However, the delay seems to not bode well for Ian Woosnam. This is from Thomas Bjorn, committee member:

"Because it's such a big thing, we may decide to do it later than January just to make sure that we make what we think is the right decision."

That would appear to increase the chances of Jose Maria Olazabal becoming captain at Celtic Manor in 2010. Olazabal was Faldo's vice-captain at Valhalla and impressed the players with his passion.

Padraig Harrington revealed the Spaniard had the players in tears with a speech in the team room on Saturday evening. Immediately after the defeat in Kentucky, Olazabal said he wanted to get back to full fitness and try to play in two years' time, adding: "If they wanted a decision by the end of this year, I'm not going to be able to give them that.

"The scenario is that my condition is improving and I'm feeling better. I'm not 100 per cent pain-free, but I'm hoping that I might be able to play one or two events at the end of the year to see how the back holds up.

"I'm looking next year to be back playing golf and that's why I cannot give an answer that soon.

"When the time comes, McKenzie will have the fairways like slender ribbons around the 320 to 340-yard mark with a view to throwing the longer-hitting Americans."

Lewine Mair reports on the re-perfection of Celtic Manor, 2010 Ryder Cup site and where they already seem to know the makeup of the U.S. team.

Ross McMurray, the architect, yesterday admitted that he had already had conversations with the European Tour and Jim McKenzie, the course manager, about how it will be set up to the Europeans players' advantage.

When the time comes, McKenzie will have the fairways like slender ribbons around the 320 to 340-yard mark with a view to throwing the longer-hitting Americans.

Isn't that impressive? What soul, what integrity, what vision!

Again, he will be leaving the area around the greens so shorn that they will not be able to play any of their usual flop shots if they fail to find the target. Instead, they will have to do as the Europeans do in improvising with long putts and chip-and-runs from the swales which will swallow up anything even marginally off line.