The PGA of America is expected to announce the next U.S. Ryder Cup captain on Tuesday, with Tiger Woods no longer expected to take over the role in place of Bethpage Black.
An announcement will be made at the NASDAQ building in New York, where new PGA of America chairman John Lindert will introduce the next captain and end months of speculation and uncertainty over who will succeed Zach Johnson in the role.
Woods was “in talks” with the PGA of America to lead the U.S. team next September, live on Sky Sportshaving made eight appearances as a player as well as one as vice-captain at Hazeltine in 2016.
The US team has previously tended to choose its captains at least 18 months in advance, with the delay likely due to discussions with Woods, while multiple reports now suggest the 15-time major champion has turned down the role.
Stewart Cink, the 2009 Open champion, is among the favourites for the job, while two-time Ryder Cup player Keegan Bradley is another contender.
Keegan Bradley played in the 2012 and 2014 Ryder Cups, then narrowly missed out on the 2023 Ryder Cup
Fred Couples, who like Cink was a vice-captain in last year’s loss to Europe in Rome, could also be a candidate to replace Zach Johnson. Matt Kuchar, 2021 captain Steve Stricker and Presidents Cup captain Jim Furyk are among the other options.
Woods declined to downplay rumors about his captaincy during his pre-tournament press conference at the Masters, despite being warned at the PGA Championship in May that he might not be able to commit due to other off-course responsibilities.
Tiger Woods is unlikely to be Ryder Cup captain despite initially being the favourite for the role.
“We’re still in discussions,” Woods told Valhalla. “I put so much time into what we’re doing with the PGA Tour that I don’t want to be a captain if I can’t do it.
“All of this involves representing Team USA and committing to the PGA of America, the players and the fans. I need to feel like I can give it the time it deserves.”
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Take a look at the best costumes from Ryder Cup weekend featuring dinosaurs, astronauts, hot dogs and more!
Former PGA Tour caddie John Wood was named manager of Team USA in May. He has caddied for five different players at six Ryder Cups, served as a team assistant during the 2018 loss at Le Golf National and attended the last two contests as an on-course commentator.
Donald returns to his position in the European team
The biennial competition will take place from September 26-28, where the European team will participate as defending champions and will seek to retain their place on American soil for the first time since their spectacular success at the “Miracle in Medina” in 2012.
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Luke Donald discusses his motivations after being named captain of the European Ryder Cup team for the 2025 competition
Former world number one Luke Donald will captain Team Europe for the second time, having led Europe to a 16.5-11.5 victory in Rome last September. Donald has won all four Ryder Cups he has competed in and has been vice-captain in two.
Thomas Bjorn and Edoardo Molinari return to their roles as vice-captains, having been part of Donald’s backroom team during the 2023 victory in Rome, while former Ryder Cup-winning captain Paul McGinley has been appointed as a strategic advisor.
Sky Sports will continue to be the home of The Ryder Cup, with all three days of the 2025 edition broadcast live exclusively from 26-28 September. Stream the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and more with NOW.
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