Steve Stricker will captain the United States at the 2020 Ryder Cup with an emphasis on keeping an open line of communication with players, the former world No.2 said after his appointment yesterday.
Stricker, who turns 52 on Saturday, was clear favourite to succeed Jim Furyk as captain for the biennial event against Europe, which will next be played at Whistling Straits in his home state of Wisconsin.
"Truly, a dream come true," Stricker told a news conference in Milwaukee.
"Truly humbled by this opportunity because I am very passionate about this competition."
After the US were beaten by Europe last year in Paris, Masters champion Patrick Reed, who was dropped for two sessions at Le Golf National, slammed Furyk's decision to break up the partnership he shared with Jordan Spieth and said egos were a problem for the American team.
But Stricker said if a player has the team's best interests in mind then the squad can easily go forward from there.
"I want to make sure that all of these players that make the team know what to expect from me and what I expect from them," said the 12-times winner on the PGA Tour.
"I think communication and being up front with them and knowing what I expect from them is going to be the biggest thing."
Stricker captained the victorious US team at the 2017 Presidents Cup and served as one of Furyk's vice captains at last year's Ryder Cup in Paris where the US team suffered a crushing defeat.
Tiger Woods, who is competing at the opening World Golf Championship event of the year this week in Mexico, said there is nobody more deserving of the US captaincy than Stricker.
In his first act as captain, Stricker named Furyk as the first of his vice captains.
The European Ryder Cup team named Padraig Harrington as their captain in January.
While Europe has captured four of the last five Ryder Cup events, Stricker expressed confidence in the US team's chances of prevailing at Whistling Straits.
"This is a new year, new Ryder Cup coming up. I am looking forward to it, our guys are looking forward to it," said Stricker.
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