LOS ANGELES: Former PGA Championship winner Davis Love III, one of the most respected figures in the game, was appointed United States captain for the 2012 Ryder Cup by the PGA of America Thursday. The 46-year-old American, a veteran of six Ryder Cups as a player, will lead the US team at the 39th edition of the biennial competition, to be held at Medinah Country Club in Medinah near Chicago. Love, who won his only major title in the 1997 PGA Championship at Winged Foot, has long expressed his desire to captain his country against Europe. “I am thrilled and honored,” an emotional Love told a news conference at Medinah Country Club. “It (the 2012 Ryder Cup) is a long, long away but we (Love and his wife Robin) have been talking about this for a long time.” Asked to describe his leadership style, Love replied: “I'm a players' captain, if you can term it that way. “I'm going to try to give them what they need to be successful. I'm not going to tell the best players in the world how to play golf. I'm not going to read their putts. “I'm going to stay out of their way and let them show their talents. I think a good leader knows he's got a great team and just gets them prepared, let's them go play.” Schwartzel leads in Abu Dhabi A change of continents was not enough to stop the remarkable run of form of South African Charl Schwartzel, who raced to the top of the leaderboard on the opening day of the $2.7 million Abu Dhabi Golf Championship Thursday. The 26-year-old from Verceeniging, winner last week at the Joburg Open, was eight-under par after just 12 holes, which was how he finished after making a bogey on the penultimate hole before negating that with a birdie finish. That gave Schwartzel, the current leader of the European Tour's Race to Dubai standings, a one-shot lead over Ireland's Padraig Harrington, who appeared pleasantly surprised with his position considering he overhauled his swing completely over the winter break. There were some anxious moments for US Open champion Graeme McDowell as he endured the possibility of a rule violation on the final hole after a rousing finish of five birdies in his last five holes. That gave him a round of 66 and tied third place with Swedes Alexander Noren and Niclas Fasth. Defending champion Martin Kaymer also opened strongly with a five-under par 67, but that could have been much better considering he was six-under par after 12 holes. World No. 1 Lee Westwood opened with a round of three-under par 69, while the reigning Masters champion, American Phil Mickelson, could only manage a one-under par 71. Open champion Louis Oosthuizen was at even-par 72. Lamely leads Bob Hope In California, Derek Lamely fired a nine-under par 63 Wednesday to seize the first-round lead at the US PGA Tour's Bob Hope Classic, one stroke in front of Jhonattan Vegas and J.J. Henry. Lamely, who teed off on the 10th hole of the Palmer Private course - one of four in use for the five-day event - got hot coming home with an eagle and five birdies from the second to seventh holes. Lamely is seeking a second career victory. He put himself in contention for rookie of the year honors last season with his victory in the Puerto Rico Open. But he was well aware that in a 90-hole event on birdie-friendly courses, a first-round lead was tenuous. Venezuela's Vegas had nine birdies in his eight-under 64 on the Palmer course, while Henry notched his 64 on the Nicklaus Private course. Six players were a further shot back on 65.
