What Tiger Woods has said about being Ryder Cup captain as calls increase for him following Keegan Bradley’s victory

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Tiger Woods is being suggested as a potential replacement for Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley.

Bradley won the Travelers Championship on Sunday – a victory that has seen him climb inside the top 12 of the U.S. Ryder Cup points list.

The question being asked now is: can the 39-year-old really serve as a playing captain at Bethpage Black later this year?

Many American golf fans don’t think that Bradley performing both duties would be a wise decision.

If he does play and steps down as the captain in the process, Woods is one name being suggested to take up his position.

It could all be a moot point, though, after Bradley hinted that he will act as a playing captain at the Ryder Cup in September, following his win at TPC River Highlands on Sunday.

He certainly seems to think he’s capable of handling it, and everything that the role will entail.

However, what if he doesn’t decide to serve as captain? Could Tiger fill in for him?

Calls increase for Tiger Woods to replace Keegan Bradley as Ryder Cup captain

Many fans are suggesting that this could now be Woods’ time to shine in the captaincy role.

As much as Bradley seems to think acting as a player captain will not be a problem, there is a reason why we haven’t seen it happen since 1963.

The biggest and most important team competition in the sport is becoming more and more of a big deal, and with the media duties increasing tenfold for both players and captains, Ryder Cup week is now an incredibly exhausting one.

When you look at the roles performed by recent successful captains on both sides, including the likes of Luke Donald and Steve Stricker, it is clear to see that playing at the same time will surely be impossible.

The Americans have undoubtedly realised this already. After all, European golf fans praying for Bradley to act as a player captain at Bethpage kind of gives it away doesn’t it!

So despite Bradley’s continual hints that he will play at the Ryder Cup AND captain the team, what will happen if he is strongly advised to step down?

Could Woods really be the man to step in and take his place?

What Tiger Woods has said about the 2025 Ryder Cup captaincy

So, what has the man himself said about the prospect of leading out Team USA in New York State last this year?

Back in 2024, Woods was asked about the possibility of becoming a stand-in captain if Bradley were to relinquish his duties.

Woods said: “With my new responsibilities to the TOUR and time commitments involved, I felt like I would not be able to commit the time to Team USA and the players required as a captain,” Woods explained in a statement released last year. “That does not mean I wouldn’t want to captain a team in the future. If and when I feel it is the right time, I will put my hat in the ring for this committee to decide.“

Could all of that change now though, if Bradley and the U.S. Ryder Cup committee ask him to fill in for the 39-year-old?

One would suggest Woods is not the sort of person to jump at an opportunity like that, and risk heading into the competition under-prepared.

It’s just not his style. The 15-time major champion is meticulous with everything that he does, and him being named as a last-minute replacement for Bradley just wouldn’t feel right.

Woods will definitely captain Team USA at the Ryder Cup at some point in the future, but if Bradley does indeed step down from his role, it surely won’t be this year at Bethpage.