America’s decision to pick Keegan Bradley as captain for the Ryder Cup in 2025 has shocked the golfing world.
After months of speculation, it was widely expected that Tiger Woods would be the man to take on the role at Bethpage Black next year.
However, Woods made the ‘very difficult’ decision to turn the captaincy down, as he looks to concentrate on his playing career.
Woods is currently taking part in The Open Championship at Royal Troon, as he seeks a fourth Claret Jug. However, the media were keen to get an answer to one burning Ryder Cup question on everyone’s lips – would Woods now be interested in taking on a vice-captaincy role?
Will Tiger Woods be involved in the 2025 Ryder Cup?
In all likelihood, it seems that Woods has very little chance of qualifying for the Ryder Cup as a player, given his recent form.
The 48-year-old clearly is no longer in peak physical condition and while he still can produce moments of magic, his form hardly suggests that a return to the top of the game is imminent.
Woods’ best chance of being involved in New York in 2025, therefore, looks to be as part of Bradley’s team.
But when asked if he would be open to taking on a vice-captaincy role, Woods gave a very curt response: “He hasn’t asked me.”
What has Keegan Bradley said about Tiger Woods?
Woods’s words actually seem to conflict slightly with Bradley’s own take on the situation.
Bradley has hinted he would like Woods to join his team, and the pair have spoken heavily, although he has also conceded that the vice-captaincy role is not one that they have been in communication about.
He said: “As it comes to Tiger, I have told him he can be as involved as much as he wants to be. We haven’t talked about vice-captains, I haven’t talked vice-captains really with anybody.
“So we as players, we all look up to Tiger, and his opinion means a lot to us, and being in team rooms with Tiger, the public doesn’t realize how important this is to him.
“It’s everything, he lives and breathes this event, and I think it shows you how much he cares by turning this position down because he didn’t feel like he could put in what he needed to do with all of his responsibilities with what’s going on with the tour.
“I’ve been grateful, before I accepted this job I needed to talk to Tiger and I wanted to make sure, I wanted to hear from him, and we had a great conversation and I certainly need his input.”
Ryder Cup links clear at The Open
While Woods will be concentrating on doing as best as he can at The Open, there are definitely Ryder Cup links he will see as he walks around Royal Troon.
Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay have been partnered with the former world number one, both of whom will surely be part of America’s squad for 2025.
Schauffele actually enters The Open as one of the favorites to win the event, having scooped his first major championship earlier this year at the PGA Championship.
Woods, meanwhile, is a heavy outsider for the event as he has a fairly unremarkable record at Troon, even at the peak of his powers. His best finish on the links course was in 2004, when he came in tied for ninth place.
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