Pavin to Captain
the 2010 U.S.
Ryder Cup Squad
The 1991 PGA of America Player of the Year
will guide the United States Team at Celtic
Manor in Newport, Wales
By Bob Denney
Corey Pavin, a member of three Ryder Cup Teams and the winner
of the 1995 U.S. Open, was introduced Dec. 11, by The PGA of
America as Captain of the 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup Team. Pavin
will guide a 12-member team in the 38th Ryder Cup on Sept. 28–Oct. 3,
2010, at Celtic Manor in Newport, Wales.
Pavin, 49, competed on the 1991, ’ 93 and ’ 95
Past U.S. Ryder
Cup Captains
Year Captain
2008 Paul Azinger
2006 Tom Lehman
2004 Hal Sutton
2002 Curtis Strange
1999 Ben Crensha w
1997 Tom Kite
1995 Lanny Wadkins
1993 Tom Watson
1991 Dave Stockton
1989 Raymond Floyd
1987 Jack Nicklaus
1985 Lee Trevino
1983 Jack Nicklaus
1981 Dave Marr
1979 Billy Casper
1977 Dow Finsterwald
1975 Arnold Palmer
1973 Jack Burke
1971 Jay Hebert
1969 Sam Snead
1967 Ben Hogan
1965 Byron Nelson
1963 Arnold Palmer
1961 Jerry Barber
1959 Sam Snead
1957 Jack Burke
1955 Chick Harbert
1953 Lloyd Mangrum
1951 Sam Snead
1949 Ben Hogan
1947 Ben Hogan
1937 Walter Hagen
1935 Walter Hagen
1933 Walter Hagen
1931 Walter Hagen
1929 Walter Hagen
1927 Walter Hagen
Ryder Cup Teams, and was an inspirational performer during that period, posting an 8-5-0 overall
record. He succeeds Paul Azinger, who guided the
U.S. to a memorable victory last September over
Europe at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.
The winner of 15 PGA Tour events, Pavin captured the 1995 U.S. Open Championship with a
memorable final round and an 18th-hole clutch
approach shot to complete a three-stroke rally and
a one-stroke victory over Greg Norman.
Pavin becomes the 26th Ryder Cup Captain to
guide a team in one of the world’s most compelling
sports events. He has won 27 worldwide professional championships since becoming a tour professional in 1982. He was named the 1991 PGA of
America Player of the Year.
“In 1991, I played in my first Ryder Cup at
Kiawah Island, listening to the National Anthem,
experiencing the pressure of the Ryder Cup for the
first time as a player,” said Pavin. “Watching the
last match between Hale Irwin and Bernhard
Langer and, of course, throwing Captain (Dave)
Stockton into the ocean, cemented my love for the
Ryder Cup in my blood forever.
“I knew then that I wanted to play in as many
Ryder Cups as possible, and dreamt about being
Captain some day. Today, my dream has come true.”
Pavin will attempt to become the first U.S. Captain since Tom Watson in 1993 to lead a winning
Ryder Cup Team outside the United States.
“Corey Pavin has built a reputation as one of the
finest competitors and most focused players in the
game,” said PGA President Jim Remy. “Corey’s
record in the Ryder Cup, as displayed in three previous appearances, is a study in passionate play and
a love for competition.”
Pavin served as an assistant to Captain Tom
Lehman in 2006 at the 36th Ryder Cup at The K
Corey Allen Pavin
Birthdate: Nov. 16, 1959
Birthplace: Oxnard, Calif.
Residence: Dallas, Texas
Family: Wife, Lisa; Children: Ryan (5/29/86), Austin
(3/5/93)
College: UCLA, where he was the 1982 College Player
of the Year
Turned Professional: 1982
Joined PGA Tour: 1983
PGA Tour Career Earnings: $14,606, 155
Career Worldwide Victories: 27
Achievements:
• Three-time Ryder Cup Team member (1991, ’ 93, ’ 95)
8 victories, 5 defeats, 0 halves,
Assistant Captain in 2006
• 1991 PGA of America Player of the Year
• 1995 U. S. Open Champion
• Member, The Presidents’ Cup Team (1994, ’ 96)
Captain’s Assistant in 2000
Club in Ireland. Pavin alluded to that experience
and his having been a member of the 1993 U.S.
Team. “I think it’s important that I participated
overseas in the Ryder Cup and was on a winning
team,” said Pavin. “There are a few things I learned
when I was over there playing in the ’ 93 Ryder Cup
that I will use in 2010.”
When asked about the pressure of serving as a
Captain of a Ryder Cup Team as opposed to playing
in the event, Pavin said serving as a Captain “is a different kind of pressure.” He then referred to his
nerves as a player in 1993 at The Belfry when he
suddenly realized that he had the honor of being
the first player to tee off in the Ryder Cup.
“I can’t even describe how nervous I was,” said
Pavin. “I put the tee in the ground and I went to put
the ball on the tee, and I got about that far (an inch)
from the tee and I was shaking so much, I decided
to just drop the ball and hoped it would stay on the
tee. And, thank goodness, it did. I was able to compose myself and get up and hit a good drive.
“The nerves you feel at the Ryder Cup are nothing like you feel anywhere else in golf. I’ve won the
U.S. Open; it felt like a walk in the park compared
to the Ryder Cup.” ■
