U.S. Ryder captain has plenty of fire, passion

Any reports that Davis Love III is a man without fire and passion have been greatly exaggerated.

Both traits were on full display Thursday morning at Medinah Country Club when Love was introduced as captain of the 2012 United States Ryder Cup team that will play in Illinois for the first time in the history of the event.

It only took about 15 minutes to see Love’s passion emerge as he choked up while lauding his good friend and 2012 European captain, Jose Maria Olazabal.

“We have shared a lot of trials and tribulations through our careers together,” Love said. “He has been a good friend. He’s always been respectful and supportive of my career.”

And then the tears started flowing as Love was answering a question about how proud he thought his late father would be of him for being named captain.

“That’s a good question since I almost started crying on the last one,” he said. “Now to be named Ryder Cup captain is a thrill that I never thought I would have (tearing up). I would love to share that with my father, and I know that somehow I am.”

Love, 46, becomes the 27th U.S. captain and he immediately stoked the fire a bit when he said would like nothing better than to be the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1967.

“If I’m healthy and make the team on points, then I would deserve a shot at playing. And I would have, I think, the experience to play,” said Love, who has played on six Ryder Cup teams. “Yeah, the responsibilities would have to shift and maybe I would play once a day and turn my radio in … but it would be a nice problem to have, let’s put it that way.

“If I can be a part of that on or off the golf course, that’s the ultimate goal is getting the Cup back. And we need 12 committed players that are ready to go come 2012.”

That’s music to ears of the folks at Team U.S.A., particularly after their loss last year to the Europeans in Wales. They’re itching to keep the 2012 Cup right here.

“His competitiveness and passion for the game, particularly the Ryder Cup, makes him the consummate captain to guide our next American team,” said Allen Wronowski, president of the PGA of America. “We gave him one mission and one mission only: to bring the Ryder Cup back to American soil.”

Love can’t wait to get started.

“We are going to have definitely a homefield advantage here,” he said. “We look forward to showing the Chicago fans and the world a great Ryder Cup. “

That Love will serve as captain of the 2012 team was officially one of the worst-kept secrets in golf, and he had a litle fun with it to start the morning festivities saying before he begins, “I’m going to go ahead and tweet out the news.”