Azinger Not Ruling Out Captaincy; Wants PGA To Blow-Up Model
/Paul Azinger went on a 10-day motorcycle trip and Steve DiMeglio opens his story recounting that image after talking to former Ryder Cup Captain Paul Azinger about his willingness to not "rule anything out" regarding a return engagement.
DiMeglio writes:
"I'm not going to rule anything out," Azinger, the last victorious U.S. captain in the Ryder Cup, said on Monday.
His phone started blowing up with text messages and voice mails shortly after the U.S. team's post-match press conference.
Sounding like a well rehearsed politician, Azinger is using this unexpected (or was he expecting?) this opportunity to leverage changes in the PGA of America's selection system. He is cleverly backing them into a corner that no doubt has the folks in Palm Beach Gardens thrilled!
"But my goal is the bigger picture. It is time for the PGA of America to recognize the great disconnect and formulate the same business model for selecting a captain as it does for selecting its president and officers.
"Europe consistently repeats a philosophy of leadership that every captain has learned from the captains in the past. It is an approach that is comfortable and familiar. The U.S. approach is less comfortable and completely unfamiliar to every repeat player. The players have to adjust to a completely unique system to the previous two years."
Permanent pods!