Paul Azinger will not be part of a newly-created Ryder Cup task force to be announced Tuesday that is expected to include former U.S. captains as well as past and current players, including Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
Azinger said Monday that he was approached by the PGA of America about being part of the panel that will evaluate everything related to the Ryder Cup but he feels it's too soon to make a commitment.
"I'm just not ready to sit down and jump on a task force," Azinger said by phone. "I have a scheduled meeting with the PGA of America in early November and I just think it's too soon for me to commit to jumping on a task force."
Azinger declined to discuss the subject of next month's meeting, although he has not ruled out returning to the role of captain again, if asked.
The U.S. has lost six of the past seven Ryder Cups, including a 16 ½ to 11 ½ defeat to Europe two weeks ago at Gleneagles in Scotland. Azinger is the only winning U.S. captain since 1999, leading the Americans to victory in 2008 at Valhalla in Louisville.
In the aftermath of defeat at Gleneagles, 10-time Ryder Cup player Mickelson controversially lauded Azinger's approach to the captaincy in 2008 -- while indirectly assailing current captain Tom Watson's methods.
"Nobody here was in [on] any decision," Mickelson said with his 11 teammates sitting beside him.
"Unfortunately, we have strayed from a winning formula in 2008 for the last three Ryder Cups, and we need to consider maybe getting back to that formula that helped us play our best."
Azinger, 54, won 12 times on the PGA Tour, including the 1993 PGA Championship. He also played on four Ryder Cup teams.
In the aftermath of the defeat in Scotland, Azinger -- who is also an ESPN golf analyst -- has been the subject of much speculation regarding the future. He has said in several interviews that his goal is "the bigger picture" and that he'd like to see a system for picking captains that is more like the one in Europe, in that captains learn from previous experience as a player and assistant captain.
"It is an approach that is comfortable and familiar," Azinger said.
GolfWorld.com reported Monday that current players Mickelson, Woods, Jim Furyk and Rickie Fowler would be asked to be part of the task force, as well as Steve Stricker -- who was an assistant to Watson this year -- and that former captains Raymond Floyd, Tom Lehman and Davis Love III would also be included.
The goal of the task force is to examine all aspects of the Ryder Cup, including selections of captains and players as well as how the week of the competition would play out. PGA of America president Ted Bishop told Golf Channel that the task force would include 10 to 12 members.
The PGA's Grand Slam of Golf -- featuring major winners Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Bubba Watson and Jim Furyk -- is taking place Tuesday and Wednesday in Bermuda, where the announcement is expected to be made.
"It's all happening too fast for me," Azinger said. "But we have a meeting set and I look forward to talking to them."