Azinger gunning for Faldo

Oct 24

I’m not looking for baby-sitters, I want assistants who can keep me from making mistakes.

Paul Azinger on Ray Floyd and Dave Stockton
Quotes of the week

One year ahead of their Ryder Cup showdown at Valhalla, US captain Paul Azinger has fired his first salvo in the direction of counterpart Nick Faldo, claiming that the latter’s assistants were “dropping like flies”.

Azinger’s barb referred to Paul McGinley, who stepped down from his position as deputy last month, the Irishman saying he wanted to play his way into the side.

However, newspaper reports at the time – denied by Faldo – suggested the real reason for McGinley’s departure was because of his omission from Faldo’s Great Britain and Ireland squad for the recent Seve Trophy.

Faldo and Azinger came together in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday to inspect the course, which will play host to the 37th Ryder Cup next September.

Struggle

Azinger’s appointment as captain comes as the United States – for so many years dominant in the competition – attempt to reverse a prolonged period of struggle.

Europe have triumphed in the last three Ryder Cup competitions, with 2004 and 2006 both resulting in record nine-point triumphs.

With Faldo yet to name a replacement for McGinley alongside his other deputy, Jose Maria Olazabal, Azinger retains the full complement with Ray Floyd and Dave Stockton.

Both are former captains in their own right, with Azinger readily admitting their collective experience will be of benefit.

“I am trying to surround myself with the right people, people who can help me,” he said. “I’m not looking for baby-sitters, I want assistants who can keep me from making mistakes.”

Schedule

Azinger also admitted that the hectic schedule posed by the FedEx Cup at the end of next season may affect his Ryder Cup stars.

With the PGA Tour schedule promising to be even more gruelling next season, the climax to the FedEx Cup, the season-ending Tour Championship, is scheduled to be held just one week before the Ryder Cup.

Azinger claimed he had heard suggestions that the PGA were considering moving the Tour Championship to the week following the Ryder Cup – the latter to be played between September 19-21 – in order to give US players an extra week to prepare.

Nevertheless, citing the recent Presidents Cup, in which the Americans inflicted a heavy defeat on the international team despite the FedEx Cup schedule, Azinger said he had no plans to lobby for a switch.

“I’m not going to lobby for a date change for the Tour Championship,” he added. “I liked the idea of the team playing right into the Presidents Cup.

“I’ll just accept whatever it is and just deal with it however it unfolds.”