United States enlist Sutton to win back Ryder Cup

Hal Sutton will be unveiled today as the United States captain for the next Ryder Cup to be played at Oakland Hills in two years' time. The 44-year-old met with USPGA executives last week and decided to accept the job after talking it over with his family.

Although Sutton declined to comment, the USPGA is set to formally confirm his appointment for the 2004 match to be played just outside Detroit. The Texan will have the onerous duty of taking the Cup back to the United States after they lost to Europe last month by the largest margin in 17 years.

Sutton, who was a member of the vanquished team at The Belfry, was asked last week about the criticism that losing Ryder Cup captains always receive, saying that would never keep him from accepting the job. "If you're afraid to be second-guessed, you better not make any decisions," he said.

Asked about his prospects of being captain, Sutton admitted he would be honoured. "Making Ryder Cup teams, whether as a player or a captain, is what you strive to do when you're young or old," he said.

He will be 46 at Oakland, although he still plans to play a full schedule on the PGA Tour next year. One reason he was thought to be hesitant to accept the offer was on giving the appearance that he was giving up on the playing side.

Sutton has won 14 times in a career of amazing peaks and shocking lows. He earned the sobriquet "The Golden Heir" when he beat Jack Nicklaus in the 1983 PGA Championship and went on to win seven times in his first five years. But then Sutton went into a deep slump, winning just once over the next 11 years. His return to the top was just as stunning. Sutton won the 1998 Tour Championship, just one of six titles he has collected since turning 40.

Sutton played on four Ryder Cup teams, none more memorable than 1999, when he was the anchor of a US team that rallied to beat Europe at Brookline. Sutton won three of his five matches.

The Europe's captain is expected to be chosen by the end of the year. Germany's Bernhard Langer and Ian Woosnam, of Wales, are among the candidates.