[Photo: Ross Kinnaird]
Paul Azinger, the mastermind behind the US victory in the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla, figures it’s high time that the PGA of America adopts a long view towards America’s fortunes in the biennial event. Next week at the Senior PGA Championship, Azinger intends to make a pitch to new PGA of America chief executive Terry Clark to create a permanent position in the organisation dedicated solely to what has become the PGA’s most valuable asset.
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Azinger is passionate about the Ryder Cup and believes the PGA should hire an individual to oversee the competitive details for the US team. Call it Ryder Cup director or some such title, but it would be a role filled – perhaps for a decade or more – that sets the tone for the US squad from the captaincy down to the 12-man team and also digs into details such as course setups, overseas scouting of venues, plus overall culture and messaging.
“I just want to have a conversation about the importance of a long-term vision as opposed to every two years we look around and say, ‘OK, who gets [the captaincy] next?’ You have to have someone whose sole job is putting it together,” Azinger, 66, told Golf Digest. “The way we’ve been doing things, it feels like we start out two points behind because [Europe] have things so buttoned up.
“They have directors, and they have tremendous continuity,” Azinger said of the European contingent, which is 9-3 against America this century. “Our side, we have people on the organisational side that have things down pat; that part of it is excellent. But we have to do more when it comes to getting our guys prepared for three days of high-pressure golf.”
The only US wins since 2000 have come in 2008 under Azinger, 2016 with Davis Love III at the helm and the 2021 edition in which Steve Stricker oversaw America’s record 19-9 victory at Whistling Straits. With Luke Donald in command, Europe has won the past two, including a hard-fought, two-point triumph at Bethpage Black last September in New York. The Englishman is returning for a third stint as European captain in 2027 at Adare Manor in Ireland.
Azinger, whose innovative ideas include the creation of the “pod” system that also has been adopted by the European team, already has made brief overtures to some PGA officials, but the 1993 PGA champion hopes to have a deeper discussion with Clark at Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida, where Azinger is a member.
With Tiger Woods withdrawing his name from consideration to be the 2027 skipper, the PGA of America has some decisions to make. And rather soon. Azinger isn’t so much interested in throwing his hat into the ring as he is filling the director role, which among other responsibilities is finding the right man to take on the captaincy – perhaps for more than one edition – and then not just building a team but a program.
“Yes, I’d like to do the job [as director] or at least have some input into what the role should be,” he said. “I have some ideas on what I would like to see happen. It’s just all about preparing our side as thoroughly as possible. And if we lose, it doesn’t fall on the captain, it falls on the director. Their side doesn’t sit there throwing it together every two years, and you see the results.”
