Jim Furyk named new U.S. Ryder Cup captain; mulls playing role

Jim Furyk is the new United States Ryder Cup captain, set to lead the American dozen into Paris for the 2018 matches.

Furyk was officially named the head man on Wednesday, winning over the votes of the Ryder Cup committee that includes three PGA of America officials, as well as players Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and outgoing captain Davis Love III.

“I am anxious to get started and recapture the momentum we enjoyed at Hazeltine, both in the team room and on the golf course,” Furyk said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve won in Europe and I am looking forward to the challenge.”

Love won’t be going far from the Ryder Cup, however, as Furyk has named Love as one of his assistant captains for the matches.

“Davis is going to be a tough act to follow. He put a system in place, got the players behind it,” Furyk said. “His experience, two captaincies and a vice captaincy, will be priceless for me, so I’m happy to have him by my side.”

The 46-year-old 2003 U.S. Open champion, Furyk has been a prolific American Ryder Cup player, competing in nine consecutive matches from 1999-2014. Only Phil Mickelson has more Ryder Cup appearances for the U.S. with 11 and counting. Unfortunately for Furyk, his long-standing tenure representing the stars and stripes has come in an era of European domination of the biennial matches. Furyk has the most losses of any American player in Ryder Cup history, carrying a 10-20-4 career mark.

Nevertheless, Furyk, who made a late push to make the team after an early-season stint recovering from surgery, did not shut the door on being a playing captain were he to make the team on merit.

Of course, Furyk’s dismal Ryder Cup record is no indication of the kind of captain he will be. Furyk was an assistant to Love at Hazeltine last year as the American side ended a three-match losing skid in Minnesota. The challenge will be slightly more stout for Furyk in trying to deliver the first consecutive pair of American Ryder Cup wins since 1991 and 1993, the latter of which represents the last time the U.S. won the Ryder Cup on European soil.

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn will be the opposing European captain, already named to the role in December 2016.

The 2018 Ryder Cup will be played Sept. 28-30, 2018 at Le Golf National in Guyancourt, France.

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.