Pavin appointed U.S. captain for 2010 Ryder Cup
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former U.S. Open champion Corey Pavin was appointed United States captain for the 2010 Ryder Cup by the PGA of America on Thursday.
The next Ryder Cup will be staged in Britain at Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, Wales. The United States won the Ryder Cup for the first time in nine years with a 16-1/2 to 11-1/2 victory over Europe in Louisville, Kentucky, in September.
Pavin, who won the 1995 U.S. Open at Shinnecock and played three times in the Ryder Cup and was on two winning teams, said the pressure in the matches was unequalled within the sport.
"Winning the U.S. Open is a walk in the park compared with the Ryder Cup (in terms of pressure)," he told a news conference.
"It's the Super Bowl of golf -- the greatest event in sports, certainly golf."
An emotional Pavin, 49, added that the captaincy was the biggest honor of his career. "Today my dream has come true."
Pavin said he aimed to build on the success achieved by Paul Azinger, who captained a young U.S. side to victory at Valhalla, and use his own experience playing on the last U.S. team to win on European soil in 1993 at the Belfry in England.
"Playing in the Ryder Cup on foreign soil brings a whole new set of challenges in 2010," said Pavin, who compiled an 8-5 record as a Ryder Cup player.
"The home field advantage will shift back to the European team. They will be able to set up Celtic Manor as they wish, plus they have a very partisan crowd.
"As captain, I am encouraging all U.S. golf fans to make reservations now and come support us in Wales. We need you and we want you there."
Missing from the triumphant U.S. side in the last Ryder Cup was world number one Tiger Woods, who is recovering from knee surgery he had after winning the U.S. Open in San Diego.
Pavin dismissed talk that the absence of Woods somehow made it easier for the U.S. team to rally together against Europe.
"I would be a fool not to want Tiger Woods on my team, I can tell you that," Pavin said.
"But that's a good point. We won without Tiger. I certainly hope he will be on the team and that will make a stronger team for sure. Anything that can make us better, I'm all for it."
(Reporting by Larry Fine, editing by Justin Palmer)
