Tiger Woods on 2016 Ryder Cup team - as assistant

Tiger Woods was named as one of three vice-captains for the United States team for the 2016 Ryder Cup by captain Davis Love III on Wednesday. In addition to the 14-time major winner Woods, Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk will serve as vice-captains.

The trio will join Tom Lehman, who was named as an assistant earlier this year. Love still has one assistant spot remaining, which he intends to fill after watching how players perform during the spring.

The U.S. has lost eight of the past 10 Ryder Cups, including an historic collapse during singles play in 2014. That prompted the creation of a task force to help the U.S. team take a comprehensive look at how it approaches the 2016 Ryder Cup to be held from Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minnesota.

Love III made an unusual step by announcing four of his assistants before the new calendar year.

"It lets potential team members know that we're going to do whatever it takes to win in 2016," he said Wednesday. "Two things that excites me about these vice-captains is ... to a man they said 'we will do anything you ask us to do to make this Ryder Cup team successful.

"I've surrounded myself with passionate people who have a tremendous amount of match play experience. These guys can help me over the next year. They will be my eyes and years from event to event on tour. This is going to make an incredible statement to our players."

Woods, 39, is currently recovering from his third back surgery and his timeline for a return to competitive play is uncertain. However, he has been a member of seven Ryder Cup teams and made his interest in helping the 2016 team be successful well known. He was in regular communication with captain Fred Couples while watching the United States win the Presidents Cup last month, as were several members of the task force.

"I'd like to thank Davis for his confidence in me and for my selection as a Ryder Cup vice-captain," Woods said. "This is something I want to do. I will continue to do whatever I can to help win the Cup back.

"Once I'm full healthy, I'd like to do everything I can to make the team too. But either way, I'm very excited to work with Davis, the other vice-captains and the players to help the U.S. get a victory."

Woods and Furyk will be serving as coaches for the first time, while this is Stricker's second appointment.