The New Boss Man

The U.S. Ryder Cup team will have a strong, passionate leader at the head of the table at Gleneagles in Scotland during the 2014 matches. On Thursday morning the PGA of America president Ted Bishop officially named Tom Watson as the next boss of the American squad.

Watson was the captain at the ’93 matches at Belfry, which was the last time the U.S. team won on foreign ground. The Americans have only clinched the Cup twice since then, losing seven of the past nine biennial matches against the Europeans. Yikes.

Who better to break the America’s dismal losing streak in 2014 than the five-time Open Champion Golfer of the Year? I can’t think of one. Not when the venue is in Scotland. It’s important to note that Gleneagles is not a links course, but it doesn’t matter — it’s still Scotland, a magical place filled with remarkable memories for the 63-year-old Watson. (continue reading…)

Ed. note: I started writing this post before Rosaforte’s article with the breaking news was published.

Watson saluting the fans at St. Andrews at The Open in '10 (it was quite poignant)

If you woke up this morning and thought David Toms or Larry Nelson or anyone else not named Tom Watson were the favorites to be tapped as the 2014 U.S. Ryder Cup captain, you may have changed your mind by now.

While the PGA of America won’t make an official announcement until Thursday at 8:30am EST on The Today Show (under the radar, per usual), industry insiders are putting their money on five-time Open Champ Tom Watson, who captained the last American team to win on foreign soil in ’93. Phrases like the PGA is “thinking outside the box” or “shaking it up” have been tossed around by respected journalists. (continue reading…)

Toms in action at at the Olympic Club in June.

David Toms is one of the most successful American golfers of his generation. He’s collected 13 PGA Tour victories, including the 2001 PGA Championship; played on three Ryder Cup teams; and, over a career spanning nearly 25 years, amassed a little under $40million in prize money.

And yet, if he’s named on Thursday as Davis Love’s successor to the Ryder Cup captaincy, there remains a sense the decision will have owed more to his inoffensiveness and political good fortune than golfing pedigree. (continue reading…)