Two months ago, former U.S. Open champion and UCLA golfer Corey Pavin was awarded the post of 2010 United States Ryder Cup captain.
Although the initial rush of being tabbed as captain has worn off over time, Pavin remains ecstatic about his selection.
“I’ve been waiting for it for 17 years since I played my first Ryder Cup in 1991,” Pavin said. “I’m very excited and very honored to have the privilege to represent the United States as captain of the Ryder Cup team.”
Pavin played in three Ryder Cups, in ’91, ’93, and ’95, winning in ’91 and ’93. The victory in ’93 came overseas in England, which also marks the last time that the U.S. has earned a victory away from America.
The Ryder Cup is organized so the home team can set up the golf course to its own liking, giving it a great advantage. Because the next Ryder Cup will be played in Wales, the European team has a home-course edge over the U.S.
“It’s a lot harder to win over there,” Pavin said. “The crowd is going to be a pro-European crowd … they’ll be able to set the golf course up differently, and we have to travel overseas. A victory over there would mean even more than a victory here.”
Last year, U.S. Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger used a team-building strategy to bring the team together ““ it was successful after the Americans won the tournament.
“I’ll look at all the personalities and try to match up guys the best possible to get a victory out of each match,” Pavin said.
Pavin will undoubtedly have a tough time selecting his fellow captains for the team in 2010, as the captain now gets to make four selections as opposed to the previous two.
Although it’s still some time away, Pavin has already begun to think about what kind of players he wants on his team.
“I want guys that think second and third place is not okay and winning is what it’s all about,” Pavin said. “We just need more of that winning attitude: winning tournaments will help you win the Ryder Cup.”
Pavin has surely set the bar high himself, with 15 career PGA victories and over 100 top-10 finishes.
Besides these accomplishments and experience playing on three Ryder Cup teams, one thing that Pavin said will help him with his captaincy is his experience at UCLA.
Professional golf is almost exclusively played individually, but college golf is played as a team, like the Ryder Cup. The camaraderie of being in college, on a successful team, is something that Pavin won’t soon forget, and that atmosphere is very similar to the Ryder Cup.
“We had some really fun times together after we won some tournaments just hanging out (at UCLA), enjoying the victories as a team,” Pavin said, “We all meshed pretty well.”
Some of Pavin’s teammates at UCLA have gone on to be successful golfers in their own right. Steve Pate has six career PGA victories, Duffy Waldorf has four, and Tom Pernice Jr. has won twice. Waldorf and Pavin both helped out at the 2006 Ryder Cup, and it is possible Pavin would choose a Bruin to be an assistant of his.
“We all keep in touch and know what everyone is doing,” Pavin said. “There is a bond there that’ll never be broken between the players on the (Bruin) team.”
Pavin had a great college career at UCLA, but was never able to capture a national championship during his time in college. This is something that the current UCLA players can boast about, as they won the national championship last season.
“I try to keep up to date with what’s happening (with the UCLA team),” Pavin said. “I stay involved as much as I can.”
Pavin, who is known as one of the nicest guys on tour, will certainly add to his resume with his Ryder Cup captaincy, and leading the U.S. team to victory in 2010 would be a huge step towards becoming the first ever Bruin to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.