In his "Hate to Be Rude" column this week, Jeff Rude has a quick hit about the search for the 2010 Ryder Cup Captain.  While it seems apparent to me that the "search" should be picking up the phone to ask Paul Azinger to come back, PGA of America CEO Joe Steranka doesn't appear to agree.

A couple of quote from Steranka seems to indicate that someone else - DL3 or Corey Pavin - would be in line to get the job next.

PGA of America CEO Joe Steranka said more than two people are on the list of candidates for 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup captain that will be announced late this year or early next year.

He said the PGA wants someone still connected to today’s PGA Tour players and who has recent Ryder Cup experience because the event has grown exponentially.

Steranka said his association is “looking two, three, four Ryder Cups down the line.”

Steranka [also] said, “We wrestle with the idea that we don’t appear to have enough Ryder Cups to take care of deserving candidates.”

I am of the mind that this is a colossal mistake to not bring Zinger back.  While it was the players that won the Ryder Cup, it was Zinger who put them in a position to win.  He set up the course to favor our players.  He created the pod system that the players seem to have really liked.  It was Zinger that had the eye to pick four Captain's Picks that got railed by a lot of people.

Yes, I understand that the next Ryder Cup is a road game, but Zinger deserves a shot to defend the Cup that, in winning, he reinvigorated.