LONDON. — Paul Azinger said he would consider a second spell as captain of the United States’ Ryder Cup golf team after his leadership skills were praised by Phil Mickelson in a thinly-veiled attack on this year’s losing skipper Tom Watson. Within hours of Europe completing a convincing 16 1/2 points to 11 1/2 victory in the biennial clash with the US at Scotland’s Glenegales course on Sunday — their third straight Ryder Cup win and eighth in the last 10 editions — Mickelson contrasted Watson’s approach unfavourably with that of Azinger, the last victorious American captain back in 2008.

Mickelson, at a press conference also featuring Watson, said: “Unfortunately, we have strayed from a winning formula in 2008 for the last three Ryder Cups.”
Asked whether he was consulted in any of the decisions the 65-year-old Watson took at Gleneagles, Mickelson — dubbed “a one-mutiny” by former US PGA Tour player Brandel Chamblee, added: “No. Nobody here (any of the US players) was, in any decision.”

Five-time major winner Mickelson, controversially benched by Watson on Saturday’s second day, cited Azinger’s Pod system, allowing groups of players to bond together, as central to the Americans’ victory in 2008.

The 54-year-old Azinger, asked if he would captain the team again, told USA Today on Monday: “I’m not going to rule anything out.”
Azinger added the US needed to learn from the European model of selecting captains who had gained experience as vice-captains, rather than continuing with their “lone wolf” policy. — AFP.

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