Rory McIlroy is surprised Davis Love is getting a second chance to lead the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
"It came as a huge shock when they announced Davis [Love III] as the next U.S. captain," McIlroy said Wednesday at the Honda Classi. "But then I'm also surprised, and I feel they're overdoing it, with the setting up of a task force and talking about all the changes they want to bring in."
In addition to tipping Love again, the PGA of America announced Tuesday changes to the qualifying process for future U.S. teams. The qualifying cycle for the biennial matches will start and end later, while the captain will get more time to decide on his four wild-card selections. The PGA also announced a support structure in the form of four vice-captains, including two past captains and two players with significant experience. The 11-person task force that influenced these changes has also been dissolved, replaced by a six-person committee including three PGA of America executives, the current Ryder Cup captain, as well Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.
All that's well and good -- and modeled after the European playbook -- but McIlroy, who hasn't been on the losing side in three Ryder Cup appearances, maintains there's no secret to winning.
"It's been said by a few players since we won at Gleneagles that it's not rocket science why Europe has won the last three Ryder Cups and eight of the past 10," McIlroy said.
The secret in the September 2014 win at Gleneagles was taking seven out of a possible eight points in the foursomes, or alternate shot, format. Mickelson echoed a similar "play better" sentiment on Tuesday.
However, it's clear to the world No. 1 that the Americans are throwing the kitchen sink at ending a three-match losing skid.
"I do get the sense the States, what with their task force and everything that came out in the announcement yesterday," McIlroy said, "that they're desperate to win back the Ryder Cup."
