PGA of America not hurrying to pick Ryder Cup captain

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Will Corey Pavin succeed Paul Azinger as the United States' Ryder Cup captain? Only time will tell.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- The PGA of America holds its annual meeting this week in Arizona, where it will elect a new secretary, hand out its first "PGA Patriot Award" and have focus groups discuss the economy's effect on golf.

Missing from the agenda is selecting the next U.S. Ryder Cup captain.

Dating to 1991, the PGA of America has picked a new captain no more than two months after the Ryder Cup ended, and chief executive Joe Steranka recently said there were more candidates available than Ryder Cups.

So why the delay?

"We've taken a patient approach to making a decision about 2010," Steranka said. "All the accolades deserving of this team have been allowed to play themselves out. There's still a lot of nice things being written, awards being given and recognition of players and captains. There's not an urgency to make that decision."

Corey Pavin, who spent plenty of time in hospitality at the PGA Championship, is regarded as one of the favorites to succeed Paul Azinger. Davis Love III would be an obvious choice, but he has said he wants to play on the next team.

American players lobbied for Azinger to return as captain, but the last captain to get a second chance was Jack Nicklaus at his home course of Muirfield Village in 1987. And by ending a three-match losing streak, Azinger would have nothing to gain in 2010 at Wales.

Steranka said the PGA would start contemplating the next captain "later this year or early next year," although it likely will be January.

"There's just not an urgency," he said. "Part of that is the newness of winning the Ryder Cup. There will be time to address 2010. Right now, we're going to enjoy this one."

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VICTORY TALLY
Tiger Woods won't get an award, trophy or even a pat on the back, but he will lead the PGA TOUR in victories for the fourth straight year and 10th time in the last 12 years.

Woods won four times in 2008, one more than Kenny Perry and Vijay Singh.

It's the fewest victories by the leader in this category since David Duval won four times in 1998.

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HUNDRED FOR A MILLION
Twenty years after Curtis Strange became the first player to go over $1 million in a season, the PGA TOUR established another record with 102 players going over the $1 million mark.

Two other money matters of note:

• Jeff Overton was holding down the 125th spot at $840,809, the first time it will take at least $800,000 to keep a tour card.

• Tiger Woods averaged $962,500, which would be 105th on the money list. Woods made more money in six starts than Scott McCarron ($952,070) has earned in 21 tournaments.

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DIVOTS
The John Deere Classic raised $4.79 million for 500 regional charities this year, an increase of nearly $200,000. ... Jim Holtgrieve has been named U.S. captain for the Walker Cup in 2011 at Royal Aberdeen in Scotland. ... J.B. Holmes and Oliver Wilson are the only Ryder Cup players not already eligible for the Masters.

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STAT
Robert Karlsson won the Order of Merit on the European Tour with $3,556,000 (2,732,000 euros). That would put him 12th on the PGA TOUR money list.