Phil Mickelson may have publicly lobbied for a return to Paul Azinger’s winning ways, but the players reportedly have a different U.S. captain in mind for 2016: Fred Couples.
Golf World senior writer and Golf Channel contributor Tim Rosaforte reported Monday that Couples recently told him that the entire U.S. team texted or called him after the loss at Gleneagles and said: “We need you to do this.”
As Presidents Cup captain, Couples, 55, was beloved by his players for his laid-back, team-first attitude that led to a 3-0 record.
His remarks this past weekend echo what he said last month on his Sirius XM radio show, when Keegan Bradley joined the program to beg the PGA of America to tab Couples as the next captain.
Said Bradley, “We need him in the team rooms … Freddie brings out the best in us. So if anybody at the PGA is listening, we need Freddie Boom Boom.”
On the show, Couples said, “I feel like what I do best is maybe I get these guys to play a little bit better because they’re relaxed. It’s not like I say, ‘Oh, well, I want to go to Minnesota and be the captain and if we don’t win so be it.’ I would want to win as hard as I possibly could.”
Like Paul Azinger, Couples isn’t on the 11-man task force that is charged with examining all things Ryder Cup, from the way a captain is selected to the week-of activities. Jack Nicklaus said the group is “overkill” and an unnecessary reaction to the U.S. losing six of the past seven Ryder Cups. Couples agreed, telling Rosaforte, “I don’t think we need the PGA of America straining on this.”
Though it’s clear that Couples wants the U.S. Ryder Cup captaincy, it remains to be seen whether the PGA wants Couples.
