U.S. Presidents Cup captain Davis Love III announced Tuesday that Steve Stricker and Webb Simpson will round out his backroom team for next month’s matches at Quail Hollow.
Those additions will give Love a total of four assistant captains, joining the previously announced Zach Johnson and Fred Couples.
A fixture in U.S. team competitions, Stricker captained the Ryder Cup team last fall at Whistling Straits, where the Americans won by a record margin. This will be the 36-year-old Simpson’s first appointment as a vice captain, but he was an inspired choice considering his longtime ties to host venue Quail Hollow. A two-time winner in 2020, Simpson has dealt with a slew of injuries this season that have derailed his momentum. He is down to 74th in the world ranking and wasn’t under serious consideration for one of Love’s six captain’s picks.
Simpson compiled a 5-3-2 record in the Presidents Cup, playing on victorious teams in 2011, 2013 and 2019. “I’ve had the good fortune of playing for Davis in past international events, and he will have this team prepared to play each day,” he said. “It’s an honor to be named a captain’s assistant, and I look forward to helping the guys with a bit of course knowledge and a fun, enjoyable team atmosphere.”
With Love finalizing his support staff on Tuesday, it means Tiger Woods, the victorious captain from 2019, will not serve in an official capacity for this year’s competition. Love told reporters last week that he’s still in communication with Woods about team matters but that he wasn’t sure the 46-year-old wanted to be as involved this time.
“He’s involved,” Love said Tuesday. “Tiger’s been a huge influence and a huge resource. He really has opened up and embrace that role. So he’ll be involved – he just won’t be on the golf course.”
There are three remaining events in the qualification period for the U.S. team, with the top six players in the points standings after the BMW Championship automatically clinching their spot.
The Presidents Cup will be held Sept. 22-25. The Americans haven’t lost a cup since 1998.