2016 Ryder Cup Captain

Later this afternoon, the PGA of America will unveil the worst kept secret in the golf world.  Davis Love III will be named the United States Captain of the 2016 Ryder Cup Matches.  In naming Love the captain, the PGA of America bypassed the player-friendly candidate Fred Couples, and the last American captain to win the Ryder Cup, Paul Azinger.  

Love's appointment came as a surprise to many who remember him as the losing captain at Medinah in 2012, a year which saw the Americans blow a 10-6 lead in the singles matches.  It was the biggest comeback for a team on foreign soil.  And while many golf fans are not thrilled with the announcement, Love's second term as captain ushers in a new era of American leadership in the Ryder Cup.  

Love remains close with American players, and in a way, can bridge a lot of generational gaps.  Love pushed all the right buttons to get his team a four point lead heading into the singles match.  Any discussion that Love is responsible for the American letdown on Sunday at Medinah is misplaced.  As insiders such as Tim Rosaforte are reporting, the PGA has created a new model which will see captains and vice-captains involved in the process for more than two years.  This model is not unlike the European model which has seen vice-captains elevated to captain.  

Ultimately, Love's legacy (and the memory of Medinah) will be defined by the outcome at Hazeltine.