Davis Love labels US Ryder Cup team as their best ever
By Keith Jackson
Last Updated: 24/09/16 12:18am
Davis Love III has described his US side for next week's Ryder Cup as "the best golf team maybe ever assembled".
The American captain issued a no-nonsense rallying cry during an interview with the Fairways of Life radio programme as he bids to deny Europe a fourth consecutive victory in the competition.
But Lee Westwood, who recently questioned the impact Tiger Woods would have as one of Love's assistant captains at Hazeltine, believes the comments from the US skipper could have placed added pressure on his players.
Westwood posted a link to the interview on his Twitter account and wrote: "No pressure there then lads!", hinting that Love's comments may have an adverse effect on his team.
Love, who will not name his final wildcard choice until the season-ending Tour Championship concludes in Atlanta on Sunday evening, highlighted the importance of his players having the belief that they can conquer Europe for the first time since Paul Azinger orchestrated victory in 2008 - one of only two American wins in the last 10 contests.
"Tom Kite always told me, you know what's better than two up? Three up," Love said. "Let's just try to roll these guys and I think if we go out there with that attitude, we are the better team, let's show them, let's go out there and show off, that's a big part of it.
"And then just having confidence. We don't have to do anything superhuman, we're a great golf team. This is the best golf team maybe ever assembled."
Love also reiterated the words of encouragement from legendary New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, adding: "If we just go play our game, like coach Belichick told us a few weeks ago, ignore the noise, work hard, do your job, everything else will take care of itself.
"We just need to tell these guys the same message day after day after day. Just do your job, just play golf and all the results will take care of themselves. We've just gotta look for one day at a time one session at a time and stay focused and not try to win too hard."
Ray Floyd angered several European players during the opening ceremony ahead of the 1989 Ryder Cup at The Belfry, when he introduced his American team as "the 12 greatest players in the world", a description echoing the words of Ben Hogan in 1967.
But while Hogan's side coasted to a record 15-point win at the Champions Golf Club in Houston, Floyd's team left Sutton Coldfield without the trophy after being held to a 14-14 draw.
