Tiger Woods has not played in the Ryder Cup since 2018, when he lost all four matches.
The Americans will have revenge on their minds against Bethpage in 2025 while Rory McIlroy and his team-mates have been dreaming of an unbeaten run after taking down Zach Johnson’s side in Rome. The Northern Irishman was at his best as he collected four points from a possible five to lead the Europeans to glory as the United States’ woes continued across the Atlantic.
The US team needs big changes heading into 2025, with Johnson almost certain to not retain the captaincy. Players like Brooks Koepka, Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele are likely to be in attendance, but the door remains open for other players to make claims over the next few years. One golfer who almost certainly doesn’t have a chance to compete is Woods, a 15-time Major champion. The 47-year-old has had a difficult 2023 without competing since withdrawing from the Masters.
But Paul Azinger points out that Woods will likely enter the next Ryder Cup as US captain. Bethpage is one of the golf courses synonymous with Woods’ career as he destroyed the field at the 2002 US Open on a difficult course.
It’s a place Woods knows better than anyone, and arguably no other golfer can captivate American crowds better than arguably the greatest golfer of all time. It was almost a given that Woods was named the next captain of Team USA, and he has experience in the role.
The American icon was the vice captain of the US team at the 2016 Ryder Cup when Europe was defeated 17-11. He also captained the 2019 United States Presidents Cup team, which defeated the International team 16-14 while also participating in the event.
Although the next Ryder Cup is still two years away, an announcement on the next captain is likely to be made in the coming months. Johnson was revealed as US captain in February 2022, just five months after the previous Ryder Cup ended. Nominating Woods as the next captain of Team USA would be a big signal of intent from the USPGA, showing that they have no intention of giving up after their disappointing loss in Rome. McIlroy made controversial comments during the European celebrations that almost guaranteed they would win the Ryder Cup in Bethpage.
“I’ve been saying this for probably six or seven years to anyone who will listen:
I think one of the biggest achievements in golf today is winning the Ryder Cup away from home,” McIlroy said. “And that’s what we’ll do at Bethpage.”
But Woods may be the one who can silence McIlroy and his teammates before the 45th Ryder Cup. It is inevitable that Woods will captain the US team at least once. Now it seems like the time has come for that to happen.
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