Davis Love III Says That Tiger Woods Wants To Make History At This Year’s Ryder Cup
“I wouldn’t bet against Tiger Woods in anything.”
These were the words of 1997 PGA Tour champion, 21-time PGA Tour winner, and current Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III. In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Love mentioned that one of his assistant captains for this year’s team, some guy named Tiger Woods, is looking to make a little history this fall at Hazeltine, site of this year’s event.
“He keeps telling me ‘I’m going to be the first playing assistant captain.’ He wants to be on the team playing, not driving a golf cart, so I expect if he gets healthy he’s going to make a good run for it.
“If he can get out and play 10 or 15 tournaments — which will be a lot after what he has been through — I think he can make the team, and we would love to have him.”
That is the big question. Can Tiger Woods get back and be healthy enough to even put himself into consideration to be on the 2016 Ryder Cup team as a player? Tiger hasn’t hit a golf ball in competition since last August at the Wyndham Championship, where he finished in a tie for 10th. Ironically enough, that tournament was won by none other than Davis Love III. Woods has had two back surgeries since then, which has forced him out of competitive play, including this year’s Masters tournament just a few weeks ago. Tiger hasn’t yet set a timetable for his return, but did play a few holes at the grand opening of his new course, Bluejack National Golf Club, this past Monday.
RG: Ceremonial opening tee shot is dead down the middle. pic.twitter.com/5mAtIMaUif
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) April 25, 2016
RG: The tee shot on the long 18th hole. pic.twitter.com/KdI9dQHi1V
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) April 25, 2016
Tiger Woods’ latest comeback effort has the golf world buzzing, and when word came down that he had officially registered for the 2016 U.S. Open, rumors started flying about when exactly the 14-time major champion would make his return. Word was that he had targeted next week’s Wells Fargo Championship, but the deadline to enter has come and gone. The Players Championship, a tournament that Tiger has won twice, is the following week and could make for a great place for Woods to come back. He has told the Golf Channel that he’s sick of watching his fellow competitors play without him.
“I’m sick and tired of being on the sidelines. I want to start competing against these boys. I miss it.”
While Woods has to decide when and where he’ll return, Davis Love III will have to make the difficult choice later this year whether or not to include Woods as a player, assuming Tiger doesn’t qualify on his own, which of course ties into how many tournaments he’ll participate in — and perform well in — when he decides to return.
“I want him on the team either way because he’s a great influence. He obviously brings a lot of incredible passion to our team and confidence. Tiger doesn’t have to be in the top eight or 10 in the points to make the team. He just needs to be playing and playing well and he will know — as an assistant captain I guess he will get a vote — if he’s ready. We will know if he’s ready and we’d love to have him because he brings an aura with him to our team that we really need.”
Love’s counterpart, European captain Darren Clarke, is on the same page. He understands that there’s just something extra that comes with having Tiger Woods at an event.
“Any time you have Tiger Woods playing in any tournament, it makes it that more special, but for a Ryder Cup it would be even more so.”
What do you think? Can Tiger Woods make history by being the first playing assistant captain? Sound off in the comments section.
[Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images]
