One way or another, Bubba Watson always wanted to be a part of the United States Ryder Cup team this week and his pleas to be an assistant captain finally met with success Monday. Notably overlooked as a wildcard pick by US captain Davis Love III despite being ranked seventh in the world, Watson was officially appointed as one of five vice captains for the host ahead of this week's competition at Hazeltine National. "Bubba has offered a couple times to come and be one of our assistant captains, and I told him we had an extra red cart and we'd love to have him," Love said during a joint news conference Monday with his European counterpart, Darren Clarke. "He adds a lot of fun, he adds a different personality, he brings a great heart." Left-hander Watson joins Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk and Tom Lehman as assistants to Love. Renowned for his booming drives and creative short game, Watson has played in the last three Ryder Cups and would have been the third-highest ranked American in its 12-man lineup if selected for the 2016 edition. However, Love opted to discard the merits of a seven-time PGA Tour champion who has twice won the Masters, choosing Rickie Fowler, JB Holmes and Matt Kuchar as his first three wildcard picks before adding Ryan Moore as his fourth late Sunday. Moore earned the final selection after a red-hot run of form since the PGA Championship in July, highlighted by a victory at the John Deere Classic in August and a playoff loss to Rory McIlroy at the season-ending Tour Championship Sunday. "It was a tough decision," Love said of his final pick. "Bubba obviously disappointed not to be on the team. "We waited until the last minute to catch a hot player, and Ryan week after week after week after week was the hottest player ... he's just been right there at the forefront for us. He's a great addition to our team. Obviously playing great." Watson first presented his case to be an assistant after he was overlooked as one of the first three wildcard selections. "And then he offers, if you don't pick me (Sunday), I would like to be assistant captain, before he even played the Tour Championship," Love said. "And then I called him and told him that I was going a different direction again, and he immediately said, ‘I still want to be a part of this team, if you'll have me.' Incredible gesture." Rory McIlroy's Tour Championship-FedExCup Series double in Atlanta at the weekend has given Europe's team a mighty fillip ahead of the Ryder Cup, said Clarke. "From a European perspective it is always good to have one of our members win the week before the Ryder Cup," a hay-fever stricken Clarke told the news conference. "Rory is a wonderful young man and an unbelievable golfer so he's a hugely inspirational figure for our team and I feel very lucky he's on our European side." The Ryder Cup starts Friday. — Agencies
