Davis Love III is getting another shot as U.S. captain in the Ryder Cup.
Two people familiar with the decision told the Associated Press on Monday night that the PGA of America has selected Love as captain for the 2016 matches at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska. They spoke on condition of anonymity because it has not been announced.
Golf Channel first reported that Love will be the next captain.
He is to be introduced on Feb. 24, when the Honda Classic is held at PGA headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
The 2016 Ryder Cup Chairman Patrick Hunt told the Star Tribune on Monday night that the Europeans will name their captain Wednesday, but the Americans are not announcing anything.
Love, 50, led the U.S. to a 10-6 lead at Medinah Country Club in Illinois in 2012, until Europe staged an improbable rally to win 14½-13½, matching the greatest comeback in the history of the biennial event.
The Europeans then retained the Cup by winning 16½-11½ last September at Gleneagles in Scotland, their third victory in a row and eighth in 10 tournaments. Tom Watson served as American captain for the first time in 21 years, but his team appeared to be in disarray all week. It spilled over into the closing news conference when Phil Mickelson heaped praise on Paul Azinger's winning formula in 2008 and asked why the PGA of America went away from that. With Watson sitting at the table, Mickelson said the captain never took any input from the players.
Out of that mess, the PGA of America organized an 11-man task force of players and former captains, including Love, to build some continuity and tradition, similar to what Europe has done. Out of those task force meetings — the second and most recent one was at San Diego's Torrey Pines two weeks ago — the PGA decided its best bet was with Love.
Azinger was mentioned as a candidate, and Fred Couples had the support of key players. It was not immediately clear if they were considered, or if Azinger wanted the job again.
The Golf Channel reported Tom Lehman and Steve Stricker are likely to be heavily involved in next year's matches. Both were part of the task force, which also included Mickelson and Tiger Woods, among others.
Lehman is a Minnesota native who captained the U.S. team to a loss in the 2006 Ryder Cup in Ireland. Stricker, a Wisconsin native, played on the 2008, '10 and '12 Ryder Cup teams.
Europe is expected to announce Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke as its captain. Love and Clarke are close friends.
Love played in six Ryder Cups as a player and also served as an assistant captain to Corey Pavin in 2010 in Wales. He has 36 career professional victories, including one major championship, the 1997 PGA Championship at Winged Foot.
Star Tribune staff writer Sid Hartman contributed to this report.
