Find out why Tiger Woods WON’T captain Team USA in the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage

Tiger Woods has turned down the chance to captain Team USA at the 2025 Ryder Cup.

For months we have been waiting for Tiger Woods to be announced as Team USA’s Ryder Cup captain for 2025, but the 15-time Major champion has shocked the world by turning down the role.

With the captain for Team USA due to be announced on Tuesday, Woods was the odds-on favorite to be given the role. However, as the Telegraph reported on Monday, the former World No.1 has decided against leading his country’s bid to win back the famous trophy.

It is believed that Woods, who we expect to see tee it up in next week’s Open Championship, was keen to take the position but had asked for the level of commitment ahead of next year’s clash to be reduced to allow him to continue with his other responsibilities in the game, a request the PGA of America declined. Instead, Team USA looks set to appoint one of Stewart Cink, Fred Couples, or Davis Love III to the role.

Cink and Couples have never captained the side before. Love III has overseen the team on two occasions, famously losing a 10-6 lead heading into the Sunday at Medinah in 2012, before leading his side to a comfortable victory at Hazeltine in 2016. It is understood that Woods was the preferred candidate for the role due to his star power ahead of what is set to be a raucous match in front of huge crowds just a stone’s throw from Manhattan. A victory for Team USA would be their fourth consecutive success on home soil, while no away team has won the match since Jose Maria Olazabal led Europe to their famous comeback in 2012.

July 9 will be the latest Team USA has appointed a captain for the biennial clash. Team Europe confirmed that Luke Donald, who led Europe to a spectacular victory in Rome last September, would be at the helm once again last December.

Rumors that Woods may reject the role started to grow when he faced the media at the PGA Championship at Valhalla in May. The 48-year-old said then that he was “still talking” to the PGA of America about the role and “what that might look like,” citing his involvement in the PGA Tour’s talks with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and role as one of the Policy Board Player Directors as potential blockers. Woods may also tee it up in the Tour’s Signature events in 2025 having been given a special exemption.

“Also, whether or not I have the time to do it, he said of the role. “I’m dedicating so much time to what we’re doing with the PGA Tour, I don’t want to fulfill the role of the captaincy if I can’t do it.

“What that all entails and representing Team USA and the commitments to the PGA of America, the players, and the fans and as I said, all of Team USA.

“I need to feel that I can give the amount of time that it deserves.”

His absence may not cause many tears to be shed among USA fans with Woods owning a terrible record in the Ryder Cup. In his nine appearances as a player, he has won just once, back in 1999. He did, however, taste victory as a vice-captain in 2016 and led the USA’s Presidents Cup team to a narrow win over their International rivals as playing captain in 2019.

He is now the favorite to lead Team USA for the 2027 match when the Ryder Cup will be played at Adare Manor in Ireland – a venue owned by his close friend JP McManus. Woods played in McManus’ Pro-Am at the resort before The 150th Open at St Andrews in 2022.

About the Author

Rob Jerram – Digital Editor

Rob specializes in the DP World Tour, PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the Ryder Cup, spending large chunks of his days reading about, writing about, and watching the tours each month.

He’s passionate about the equipment used by professional golfers and is also a font of knowledge regarding golf balls, rangefinders, golf trolleys, and golf bags, testing thousands down the years.

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