Watson names Floyd as Ryder Cup assistant captain
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Naples, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson named Raymond Floyd as his second assistant for the 2014 matches on Tuesday.
Watson made the announcement at a press conference prior to playing in this week's stop for the Champions Tour, the ACE Group Classic.
"It's great to have somebody with experience. It's great to have somebody who can really play," Watson said of his new assistant. "Raymond has had a tremendous amount of Ryder Cup experience. He's been successful as a Ryder Cup player."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Floyd, who was a captain's pick by Watson the last time he captained the Ryder Cup team in 1993, joins Andy North as the vice-captains for the U.S.
That 1993 squad was the last team to win for the U.S. on foreign soil. The 2014 Ryder Cup will be contested at The PGA Centenary Course in Gleneagles, Scotland.
Floyd has 36 career wins between the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, including four majors victories on each tour. The 71-year old was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1969, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1991 and 1993, collecting a total record of 12-16-3.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I'm flattered, obviously. It's going to be thrill for me to have (Watson's) back," said Floyd about the honor. "I think it will be a lot of fun."
Watson, North and Floyd are now tasked with trying to get the Ryder Cup back after a stunning defeat in 2012. The American team squandered a four-point lead with singles to play.
Paul McGinley will be at the helm for the European team when the two sides meet at Gleneagles in late September. McGinley has yet to name any of his assistants.