Sluman: Love will be 'a great captain' at Ryder Cup

• By Ryan Lavner
• Aug 20, 2012 9:19 AM ET

Jeff Sluman is becoming a veteran in team competitions. Three times he assisted Jack Nicklaus at the Presidents Cup, and he was one of Corey Pavin’s top aides at the 2010 Ryder Cup in Wales.

Perhaps it’s only fitting, then, that after the U.S. lost in heartbreaking fashion at Celtic Manor, Sluman wrote incoming captain Davis Love III a lengthy letter, outlining his thoughts on the 2012 Cup.  

“I don’t know what he took out of that, but he’s going to be a great captain,” Sluman said Monday on “Morning Drive.” “He’s very calm, cool and collected, but on the radio, he’s really fired up.”

Sluman, one of four vice captains for this year’s event at Medinah, added that he didn’t know what Love’s “themes” are going to be with the team. That’s an aspect that wouldn’t be known, he said, until the final four captain’s picks are announced in two weeks.

Nonetheless, Sluman alluded to two players who seemingly are locks to be named captain’s picks. When asked about possible partners for Tiger Woods in team play, Sluman said, “Tiger is such a dominant figure that even our guys – even though they’re partners – just don’t seem to play well with him. The two guys who seemingly play their game are Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker. Those are the ones you want to see paired with Tiger.”