Tom Watson was named on Thursday as the United States captain for the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland, a move the Americans hope will end their run of losses in the biennial match against Europe. Watson succeeded Davis Love III as the American captain for the next edition of the biennial golf match between the U.S. and Europe and received an instant stamp of approval from Tiger Woods. A winner of eight majors, including five British Opens, the 63-year-old Watson joined a select group to lead the U.S. team more than once and will become the oldest American captain in the event’s history. “I was waiting 20 years to get the call again. I loved it the first time,” said Watson, who led the U.S. to victory in 1993, the last time the Americans won the Ryder Cup away from home.
“I’ve been a great fan of the Ryder Cup, always been watching, I get the same gut feeling just watching it at home on TV. It’s a great honour to do it again and this time it is going to be 14 and a half points.”
In a break from tradition, the PGA of America made Thursday’s announcement on national breakfast television, the NBC’s Today show. Watson appeared live on the show and was scheduled to hold a news conference near the top of the Empire State Building later on Thursday.
Watson to be oldest captain in cup history: Golfing great Tom Watson – at 63 old enough to be Rory McIlroy’s grandfather – was named as the oldest Ryder Cup captain in history on Thursday. In the boldest of moves possible, the PGA of America confirmed Watson had been given back the job he did at The Belfry in 1993 – the last time Europe lost at home – and entrusted with the task of ending a run of five American defeats in the last six matches.
By the time he leads the United States out at Gleneagles in September 2014, the five-time Open champion – so close to winning the Claret Jug again just three years ago – will be 65.
That will make him eight years older than America’s previous record-holder Sam Snead and three years older than JH Taylor was when he led Britain, as it was then, back in 1933.
