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He masterminded the USA’s thumping 16½-11½ win over Europe in the 2008 Ryder Cup, a victory that snapped a three-match losing streak in the contest, which included back-to-back, record-equalling, 18½-9½ losses in 2004 and 2006.
Strange, then, that the PGA of America would choose to ignore Paul Azinger’s requests to captain the United States again at the 2010 Ryder Cup.
Speaking to the Golf Channel as it was announced he will replace Johnny Miller as the broadacster’s lead analyst from next year, Azinger revealed that he had wanted another crack at the captaincy.
Instead, the opportunity fell to Corey Pavin, whose side went down narrowly to Colin Montgomerie’s Euros at the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales.
“I wanted to do it again, I lobbied to do it again after we won in 2008, but I think I waited a little too long and they had already made a decision,” explained Azinger.
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“The excuse I got was that there are more captains than there are Ryder Cups and I thought that was fair, but then they asked [Tom] Watson to do it again shortly afterward [for the 2014 match] and I was like, ‘What, huh?’
“I didn’t do it again, I didn’t carry the flag to Europe in 2010, which is fine, and now I’m never going to get to do it again.”
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