I like the choice of Paul Azinger as the next U.S. Ryder Cup captain. Azinger has two important qualities: he’s a competitor and he’s a cut-up. The U.S. needs both.

Azinger only has a 5-7-3 Ryder Cup record, but he’s never lost a singles match in the event. After he watched highlights of himself beating beat Nick Faldo in Ryder Cup competition, he said, “Look at that. I had cancer and he still couldn’t beat me.”

Faldo, who has worked with Azinger in the broadcast booth, will be the European captain.

“I think he’ll bring a lot of fire,” Jim Furyk told the Associated Press, which reported the choice by the PGA of America. “He’s a feisty player, a real competitor.”

That’s just what the U.S. needs after three humiliating defeats. Tom Lehman seemed to sleepwalk through the latest fiasco, as America’s captain. I’ve campaigned for Jack Nicklaus as captain, but Azinger is a good choice. The U.S. needs to strike a balance between being looser and getting mean, and Azinger has the personality to infuse the U.S. team with both.

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