Tiger Woods’ decision to withdraw from Ryder Cup consideration leaves Team USA facing questions about who will lead the team to next year’s Adair Manor tournament.
Woods was initially considered the favorite to replace Keegan Bradley at the Centennial Tournament in Ireland, and the former world No. 1 had been in talks with the PGA of America over the role for months before the March 27 car crash.
The 15-time champion was charged with driving under the influence and announced on March 31 that he would take a period of time away from golf to focus on his health, but the next day the PGA confirmed that Woods’ decision also ended his chances of becoming Team USA’s next captain.
The PGA of America confirmed it would share further updates regarding Ryder Cup captaincy “when appropriate,” but with Woods out, it will explore alternative options within the remaining 18 months.
Luke Donald will captain Team Europe to three consecutive Ryder Cups after leading his team to victories in Rome in 2023 and New York two years later, but who will he face? Let’s take a look at some players who could be captain candidates for Team USA…
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Luke Donald explains why he took on the Ryder Cup captaincy for a third time on the Sky Sports Golf podcast
Could the captain have come from Bradley’s backroom team?
Bradley said last month that he would welcome the opportunity to captain Team USA again, even though he was still “heartbroken” over Team USA’s 15-13 home loss in New York last September.
“I mean, certainly, I would want to[be captain again]but I don’t know if that’s in the cards,” Bradley said on The Players. “Any captain who lost in the Ryder Cup would want to do it again, but it’s not up to me.”
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Speaking after the second round of The Players, former USA Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley said he was still heartbroken by the home loss.
Webb Simpson, Brant Snedeker and Jim Furyk are Bradley’s co-captains at Bethpage Black and are potential captain candidates in 2027 as the U.S. looks to end a seven-game losing streak at the Ryder Cup on the road.
Furyk has served in behind-the-scenes roles in the past five Ryder Cups, including captaining Team USA in Europe’s 17-11 loss at Le Golf National in 2018.
He captained the U.S. national team in the last Presidents Cup, defeating the national team to extend their winning streak in the biennial tournament, and Bradley described Furyk’s performance as “the best job I’ve ever seen as a captain.”
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Highlights from the final day of the 2024 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec, Canada
Snedeker is captaining Team USA for the Presidents Cup later this year, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports from September 24-27, and much of his team in Medina will likely compete in the Ryder Cup next season as well.
Simpson was described as a “natural leader” by Davis Love III when he was named co-captain for the 2022 Presidents Cup, and he served in the co-captain role last year after making three Ryder Cup appearances with Team USA.
Need new blood after consecutive losses?
Former British Open champion Stewart Cink had previously expressed interest in the role, following Europe’s first home loss in the Ryder Cup since 2012’s “Miracle in Medina” victory for either team.
“Well, I’m interested in being a Ryder Cup captain,” Sink said in October. “On behalf of the United States and our players, I want to use the experience I’ve gained so far to hopefully turn things around.
“I feel like over the last 15 years the Ryder Cup has become like a European party and I want to change that.”
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See how Team Europe used virtual reality to prepare for the Ryder Cup
Justin Leonard, a former Ryder Cup winner, also aspires to be captain, famously making the winning putt in the 1999 contest, and Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee was among those who encouraged him.
“I know the players on TV, but I think it’s good to have some distance from today’s players,” Leonard told the Golf Channel on March 31. “Being a captain and having a little distance from them will help me in this job.”
Who else can you think of?
Steve Stricker remains the last American captain to win a Ryder Cup after leading Team USA to a record-breaking 19-9 victory at Whistling Straits in 2021, and the 59-year-old also served as co-captain on four different occasions.
Fred Couples captained Team USA from 2009 to 2013, winning three straight Presidents Cups, but he had never captained Team USA in a Ryder Cup, despite serving as co-captain three times in Europe.
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Speaking on the Sky Sports Golf podcast after the 2025 Ryder Cup, Andrew Coltart and Rich Beam analyzed Team USA’s captaincy options for the 2027 contest.
Before joining LIV Golf, Phil Mickelson made 12 consecutive appearances as a player and was tipped as a future Ryder Cup captain, but he has since ruled out any future involvement with Team USA.
The day after the 2025 loss, Mickelson posted to X: “No rumors. My involvement in the Ryder Cup is over. I’m happy to be a spectator and support Team USA.”
Kevin Kisner and Gary Woodland were Bradley’s other co-captains in the 2025 loss, and Davis Love III and Zach Johnson have both been Team USA captains for the past decade.
Bradley was not offered the Ryder Cup captaincy until June 2024 before it was announced next month, and there is currently no deadline for the PGA of America to confirm who will be captain next.
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