World No.
1 Rory McIlroy believes the United States is 'desperate' to win back the Ryder Cup following what he also described as the 'shock' appointment of Davis Love 111 as 2016 USA Ryder Cup captain.
McIlroy is returning to competition at this week's Honda Classic and for a first time on American soil following a three-week break since capturing the Dubai Desert Classic.
The 25-year old is no stranger to success on the PGA National course given he won the $US 6.1m event in 2012 and along with Scot Russell Knox lost out in a play-off last year.
But while McIlroy will clearly be at ease on a course also located just 10 minutes from his palatial Florida abode, he clearly sees a sense of desperation within the PGA of America who rubber-stamped Love 111s appointment.
"It came as a big shock when they announced yesterday Davis was going to be the next US Captain," said McIlroy.
"It will be great to see Davis and Darren (Clarke) go head-to-head at Hazeltine and they will be formidable opponents.
"But then also I'm surprised, and I feel they're overdoing it, with the setting up of a task force and also talking about all the changes they want to bring in.
"It's been said by a few players since we won at Gleneagles that it's not rocket science why Europe have won the last three Ryder Cups and eight of the past 10.
"Davis is going to be a great captain, and it was a freak we won at Medinah in 2012 and it was not supposed to happen given they had a 10 - 6 lead and if the States had of won Davis would have been looked upon as a great captain.
"So I get the sense the States, what with their task force and everything that came out in the announcement yesterday, that they're desperate to win back the Ryder Cup.
"And I will say it again because it's not that complicated why Europe has been winning."
However Love 111 has fired the first salvo in the Hazeltine countdown by questioning Paul McGinley's selection of five Gleneagles vice-captains, and what Love 111 indicated was contrary to the 'Captains Agreement'.
McGinley employed Des Smyth, Sam Torrance, Padraig Harrington and the Spaniards Jose Maria Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez as his vice-captains.
And in a move that was applauded, McGinley appointed Smyth to remain with those Euro stars not competing on either the morning or afternoon session at Gleneagles.
"We've joked because it says in the captain's agreement that both captain's sign ahead of every Ryder Cup that there should be a maximum of only four vice-captains yet Europe always seems to have five," said Love 111.
"So I am going to take full advantage of having more inside the ropes working for the US cause and while nobody wants like 150 people in the team locker room you do want guys on the outside.
"So we have learned a lot and that's what I keep saying: 'We've learned and we've been watching'".
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