If you expect Tiger Woods to return to the Ryder Cup next year, you will be disappointed. Despite rumors to the contrary that he would be the Ryder Cup captain, Woods turned down the gig, according to reports.
On Monday, Keegan Bradley was unveiled as Team USA’s 2025 Ryder Cup captain. Bradley is a six-time Tour champion and was not on the team last year when the Europeans embarrassed the Americans in the 45th edition of the biennial competition at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York.
“I am incredibly honored to accept this opportunity to Captain the United States Team at the 2025 Ryder Cup,” 2011 PGA Championship victor Bradley said in a statement to the PGA of America, who decided the captaincy, on Monday.
“My passion and appreciation for golf’s greatest team event have never been stronger. The Ryder Cup is unlike any other competition in our sport, and this edition will undoubtedly be particularly special given the rich history and enthusiastic spectators at this iconic course. I look forward to beginning preparations for 2025.”
PGA of America President John Lindert seems to be pleased with the pick.
“I am proud and excited to name Keegan Bradley as Captain of the 2025 United States Ryder Cup Team,” said Lindert.
“Keegan’s past Ryder Cup experience, strong relationships and unwavering passion for this event will prove invaluable as he guides the U.S. Team over the next year and a half. We are confident that with Keegan at the helm, the 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup Team will compete at Bethpage with the same confidence and determination that has defined his career.”
It would have been a huge feather in the American’s cap had Woods been announced captain since he is, of course, a 15-time majors champ and helped lead the Americans to the 2019 Ryder Cup victory. However, reports say that Woods turned down the gig because of his busy schedule and trying to help in negotiations between LIV Golf and the PGA.
Woods has even said that he was “dedicating so much time” to his involvement in peace talks between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, adding: “I don’t want to fulfill the role of the captaincy if I can’t do it.”
Besides that, Woods just announced his new venture with Justin Timberlake, where he and the pop star will be opening a sports bar near St. Andrews Golf course, home to several British Open Championships.
He also has a new golf venture with Rory McIlroy, which will officially kick off in January of 2025, so Woods has a lot on his plate. But, interestingly, the American team would go this route instead of picking another veteran to head the team like Phil Mickelson.
Yes, Mickelson plays a heavy role in LIV Golf. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to have an experienced guy like him on the team, and it would have shown that the Americans are willing to put politics aside to win.
But it is quite apparent that the hard feelings between the two tours remain, so don’t expect this to change until the merger between them happens.
{CNN}
About Stacey Mickles
Stacey is a 1995 graduate of the University of Alabama who has previously worked for other publications such as Sportskeeda and Saturday Down South.