But don't expect him to be camped out in front of the TV.
"I hate watching golf. I've got to be honest with you," he said. "I hate the announcers."
This brought more laughter, including a request from Azinger.
"If anyone writes that, can you please say, 'He busted out laughing?"' he said, still doing just that.
Trying to gauge who might catch his attention is about as easy predicting what John Daly will do next. Azinger once jokingly tossed out the idea of taking Bubba Watson and J.B. Holmes, handing them a driver and telling them to hit it on every hole except the par 3s. He also loves Boo Weekley and the carefree attitude he brings to a team room.
But it starts with performance. More than anything, Azinger wants whomever is playing well.
And that could be anyone.
"Experience is not going to play as much of a factor," he said. "I want guys that are red shot. Even after the PGA Championship, we have eight guys that have qualified, we have five weeks until the Ryder Cup. I think I'm going to get three tournaments to watch before I have to pick - at least two, anyway. Who knows? Some guy could have played horrible all year and win back-to-back. I'll pick him.
"It's likely that whoever wins the last event before the matches start might be an automatic bid. I don't know."
Azinger is known for his sharp opinions, no matter who might be offended. Even when the PGA Tour announced a schedule change to create a week off in the FedEx Cup playoffs before the Ryder Cup, he said, "It's a shame they didn't think of this before. They wouldn't have had to go through the headache of getting it right."
He also was among the most vocal over the tour's new cut policy, which kept 17 players who made the cut from competing on the weekend at the Sony Open. Someone posted a sheet of paper in the locker room asking who wanted the new policy changed.
Azinger was among four names who signed under "Yes."
"I think the tour should change the rule immediately," he said. "I think it's awful."
But he watches what he says as the Ryder Cup captain. He declined every request last year for a one-on-one interview, and said media training taught him to stay on the subject so he won't get trapped.
"I just think I've got to be a little more guarded because I'm not just representing myself anymore," he said. "It's one thing to put your foot in your mouth and you look bad, but you now represent the 28,000 men and women of the PGA of America. So they want to make sure that you take the high road if you can."
And how has that been?
"So far, so good," he said with a smile.
