SPRINGFIELD: US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love says his latest team will have better preparation and teamwork than past squads when it faces trophy holders Europe in two months at Hazeltine.
Europeans have won three in a row and six of the past seven over the Americans in the biennial team golf competition entering the September 30-October 2 showdown in suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Europe made a stunning last-day rally to beat a Love-guided 2012 team at Medinah and downed a 2014 US side with communication issues between players and captain Tom Watson at Gleneagles, Scotland.
That failure sparked a US task force, including injured Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, to try and solve problems and make some changes, giving Love more faith this time around.
"I think we have a completely different attitude and culture this time around," Love said.
"We started these conversations right after Scotland. Instead of sitting down and talking about who the next captain was going to be, they started talking about the future of the Ryder Cup.
"We're just a little bit more prepared. We're better organized than we were back in 2012. The 'back office' is probably a lot more organized than it was the last eight or 10 years. That makes us feel together and more prepared this time than last time."
Love spoke ahead of the PGA Championship, which offers double points for Ryder Cup qualifying this week at Baltusrol.
"The team is playing very well, really from 1 to 25," Love said. "Guys could make some big changes this week. So we're starting to think about the list a little bit more. After this week, we can solidify it a little bit better, start thinking about who might be picks.
"Right now I'm looking at pairings more than anything. Who's hot, who is putting well, who loves being on the big stage and who pairs well together.
"What's most important is we have a lot of players that can make the team and a lot of players to choose from."
Dustin Johnson, last month's US Open winner, two-time major champion Jordan Spieth and five-time major winner Phil Mickelson, who had his 11th major runner-up finish two weeks ago at the British Open, top the US points list followed by Zach Johnson and J.B. Holmes, who was third at Royal Troon.
- A long list -
Brandt Snedeker jumped to sixth this week with Bubba Watson seventh and Matt Kuchar in the final qualifying berth.
Injured Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler and Patrick Reed are next, but enough points are at stake this week to launch someone well back into the Ryder Cup mix or catch the eye as a captain's pick.
"We know who is playing well and who is not playing well," Love said.
"And we know who our team wants as their teammates or their partners. We have a longer list maybe than you would think."
Golf's inclusion at the Olympics for the first time since 1904 has altered the Ryder Cup qualifying schedule.
The top eight after the Barclays, the US PGA playoff event set to finish August 28, will qualify on points. That's two weeks later than past Cup points cutoffs.
"I like having some leeway and some time," Love said. "You don't want to miss out on a guy that's hot. A guy can get a hot putter the last two or three weeks, and you might just want to throw him in there at the last minute."
Love, 52, underwent left hip surgery three weeks ago to repair a torn labrum but doesn't think that will give European counterpart Darren Clarke an advantage.
"I'm ahead of schedule, feeling great," Love said.
Americans lead the all-time rivalry 25-13 with two drawn, but since the European team expanded from only British and Irish after 1977, Europe has a 10-7 edge with one drawn.
"Darren will say they are the underdogs, I'm sure. They always say that," Love said. "On paper, we're usually the better team. But doesn't always work out that way."
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