Corey Pavin expects Tiger Woods to lead the USA to Ryder Cup victory next year in Wales.
The new American captain is playing in the Welsh Open this week at Celtic Manor, the course in Newport where the 2010 Ryder Cup will be held.
The world number one missed last year's competition at Valhalla, Kentucky because of knee surgery after his US Open victory. Even before that, however, there had been speculation that Woods did not place a priority on the team event when compared to his own individual game.
Pavin, an assistant to Tom Lehman at the K Club in Ireland in 2006, nonetheless feels that Woods will be an integral part of the 2010 challenge.
"Damn right I want Tiger Woods on the team," he said.
"He has won it before but he wants to win it again very badly, I've seen it in his eyes.
"He is the best player in the world and maybe the best player to ever play the game.
"It baffles me that people question Tiger's desire to win the Ryder Cup, I don't understand it.
“I walked round with him every step of the way in Ireland and the determination he has for the Ryder Cup is immense."