U.S. Ryder Cup captain Love III names Woods, Furyk, Stricker as assistants

U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III isn't waiting to prepare for next October's matches in Minnesota.

On Wednesday at The RSM Classic, site of this week's PGA Tour event, Love, the tournament host, announced Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker will be three of his five assistant captains at Hazeltine National.

The three players join Minnesota native Tom Lehman as assistant captains, with Love also sharing that both the American and European sides will be allowed five assistants for the biennial matches.

Love made it clear that Woods, Furyk and Stricker, as well himself, are all eligible to and hope to make the team on points. In fact, Woods, who is recovering from a second microdiscectomy surgery on his back in September and a follow-up procedure in October, told Love that's his goal.

"Tiger wants to be a playing assistant. That's his goal," Love said.

If Love or any of his named assistant captains make the team, Love will eye someone else to take over an open spot.

"If we make the team, someone else will have to take our role," he said.

Love confirmed Phil Mickelson was considered for an assistant captain slot. However, at the Presidents Cup, Mickelson told Love, who was an assistant to U.S. captain Jay Haas, that his first goal is to find a way to play on the team.

"He walked off 18 [in South Korea]," Love said, "going, 'I'm ready for the Ryder Cup.'"