Watson to be captain, Golf Digest reports

The PGA of America is bringing a mystery guest to the “Today” show — its next Ryder Cup captain. Golf Digest reported on its website Tuesday night that it would be Tom Watson.

An organization that is not shy about giving rockstar treatment to the Ryder Cup, the PGA of America said it would reveal the next U.S. captain during a segment Thursday of NBC’s morning show, followed by a news conference in the Empire State Building. NBC is the longtime broadcast partner of the Ryder Cup.

Golf Digest cited sources it did not identify in reporting the PGA of America planned to pick Watson.

“We look forward to sharing the news of the 2014 Ryder Cup captain on Thursday,” PGA spokesman Julius Mason said when asked for com- ment.

Watson would be 65 when the 2014 Ryder Cup is played at Gleneagles, Scotland, making him the oldest U.S. captain in history. He also would be the first American to repeat as captain since Jack Nicklaus in 1987 when the matches were played on his home course of Muirfield Village.

Watson, however, is revered in Scotland, where he captured four of his five British Open titles. He also was the captain in 1993, the last time the Americans won the Ryder Cup away from home.

Watson said over the weekend at the Australian Open that it would be a “great honor if I got tapped on the shoulder.”

Watson, who came within an 8-foot putt of winning the British Open at Turnberry in 2009 when he was 59, said in Sydney he had not spoken to PGA of America officials.