John Daly backs Phil Mickelson for Ryder Cup captaincy

Istanbul: Double Major winning John Daly has brushed aside any notion of a USA Ryder Cup task force, declaring Phil Mickelson should lead the American team in 2016 at Hazeltine.

Daly, who posted an opening round of 69 on Thursday at the Turkish Airlines Open, captured the 1991 PGA Championship and 1995 British Open but remains the only American to have won a Major and not play on a USA Ryder Cup team.

However he insists that the answer to ending an American run of three successive losses does not lie with a "task force" suggested by the US PGA.

"I don`t know where they`re going with a task force, I really don`t as they should just go ahead and pick a captain," said Daly.

"My view is that Phil Mickelson should be the next captain and play at Hazeltine.

"Phil seems to thrive on Ryder Cup competition, does well when he plays. He knows everything about the Ryder Cup so maybe it should be him or Tiger Woods who should be the next captain.

"We`ve had playing captains over the years, so why not in 2016?"

And while Daly has never tasted Ryder Cup competition, he believes he could still contribute if appointed a vice-captain.

"I know I will never be a captain but it would be fun and an experience if I could be involved in some way as I could keep the guys loose and ensure they have a bit of fun," he added.

"But then if they picked Phil he will have a full team respect. He knows the workings of the PGA of America given he`s been a three-times PGA Champion, so he would be a great player.

"And it`s not rocket science why the European Team has been winning and it doesn`t need a task force to work it out."

Daly is competing on an invitation in Turkey and in his final event of the year after sharing 29th place in last week`s PGA Tour event in Jackson, Mississippi.

Next April Daly will turn 49 and three months ahead of the 20-year anniversary of his play-off victory in the 1995 British Open at St. Andrews where the 2015 championship is to be staged.

"I`m just looking forward to going back to St. Andrews so much and since they adopted this five-year rotation of playing the Old Course, it`s been great," he said.

"I just love St. Andrews so much whether I play good or bad as it`s my favourite golf course.

"And I feel is there is a Major Championship I can still win, and I am only into two Majors, it would be at St. Andrews.

"It`s the only tournament I can go into whether it`s blowing or not that I honesty feel I have the chance of doing well as it just suits my game so much."