Love comments on Toms being next Ryder Cup captain

• By Rex Hoggard
• Oct 18, 2012 2:27 PM ET

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – On Wednesday at Sea Island Resort Davis Love III hypothetically referred to David Toms as the next U.S. Ryder Cup captain and a reporter playfully pressed him, “Did you just confirm David Toms is the next captain?”

“I'm assuming you got Toms, (Jim) Furyk, (Phil) Mickelson, (Tiger) Woods, (Justin) Leonard. I would bet Toms (in 2014),” smiled Love, although he stressed that he didn’t have any inside information.

The 2001 PGA champion played on three Ryder Cup teams and certainly fits the unofficial criteria for U.S. captains. He would be 47 years old when the matches are played in 2014 in Scotland, would still be active enough on the PGA Tour to know any potential players and is well liked.

All of which makes Love’s offhand comment that much more intriguing and is creating a drumbeat that even Toms can’t ignore.

“I would hope at some point in time I would get that opportunity,” he said following an opening-day 65 at the McGladrey Classic. “It’s the best event in golf, and to be able to captain a U. S. team and somehow get a victory, that would certainly be one of the highlights of my career, if not the highlight of my career.”

Toms said he has not been in contact with anyone from the PGA of America but that is not unusual given the organization’s normal schedule of naming captains just after the New Year.