PGA of America President Ted Bishop has called for a new selection process to pick the U.S. Ryder Cup team captain. Amid the controversy that has continued to grow after the team’s defeat at Gleneagles, a 15-member committee will be organized to begin the selection process for the 2016 Ryder Cup to be held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota.
Bishop and the PGA made a bold decision to appoint Tom Watson as Ryder Cup captain in 2012, but that decision didn’t reap the dividends he had hoped. The generation gap and Watson’s autocratic management style did not mesh with today’s youthful, wealthy and entitled golf professionals.
After a rather nasty and heated exchange in the team room on Saturday evening, Watson stormed out and Phil Mickelson was left to do damage control. Mickelson was still smarting from Watson’s actions on Sunday evening and made comments that were not complimentary to Watson’s captaining efforts.
On Tuesday evening the Back 9 Report discussed the ramifications of Watson’s reported fiery team meeting and what may happen in the future for the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
Mickelson was castigated in the press after his comments, but since the news of Watson’s Saturday melt down became public, he has been vilified.
Watson even posted an “Open Letter” on the Ryder Cup website to take full blame for the U.S. loss to the Europeans at Gleneagles.
The last winning Ryder Cup captain, Paul Azinger has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the 2016 captaincy and he has been lobbying for a six-year term as captain.
Whatever the outcome the new committee will meet and discuss the errors of the past and what course needs to be charted for the future.
One thing is certain, however. The Europeans show up to have a good time, enjoy the festivities with their friends and maybe take home the Ryder Cup.
The U.S. team seems to be more concerned with not being embarrassed and their individual performances rather than fitting into a team concept.
Until that mindset changes for the Americans, a different captain or new selection process will not matter.