Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. HOME News Politics Royal Showbiz & TV Sport Comment Finance Travel Life & Style Football Tennis F1 Boxing UFC Cricket Rugby Golf Racing NFL NBA Other Tiger Woods ruled himself out of the running to lead the US at the Ryder Cup next year. 16: 16, Fri, Jul 12, 2024 | UPDATED: 16: 17, Fri, Jul 12, 2024
Tiger Woods snubbed the chance to captain the US (Image: Getty)
Former PGA Tour winner Smylie Kaufman believes that Keegan Bradley is likely to select Tiger Woods as his vice-captain for the US team at the Ryder Cup.
The 15-time major champion opted not to lead his nation into the competition due to his other ‘responsibilities’, though he is still expected to compete at the event nonetheless.
Bradley has therefore succeeded Zach Johnson for the US, and it remains to be seen who he selects to assist him during his debut competition as team captain. Phil Mickelson is among those who have been linked with the role, but Kaufman feels that Woods is the likeliest candidate to fulfil the role.
Speaking on ‘The Smylie Show’, the 32-year-old explained: “The vice captains is interesting because I think Phil Mickelson’s a really close friend to Keegan.
“But I have to imagine that, since Tiger turned it down, it’s hard not to see Tiger being a vice-captain. I just don’t see a world in which Tiger and Phil will be Vice captains together.”
Bradley dropped a major hint on how he will build his team for this year’s Ryder Cup whilst speaking at the NASDAQ building in New York on Tuesday, explaining that he will be hoping to bring through a ‘younger’ crop of stars to compete in the event.
Phil Mickelson could be a vice-captain candidate (Image: Getty)
He said: “They’re going to be a lot younger, closer to playing. I think that I’m going to be out there with the guys. I’m going to be playing in the same tournaments they’re going to be playing in.
“I’m going to be playing in majors with them. I’m going to be playing week-to-week, I’ll be alongside these guys in the locker room, practice rounds, dinner.”
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Keegan Bradley spoke about his team selection earlier this week (Image: Getty)
Although such comments will capture the attention of the younger PGA Tour and LIV Golf players, it remains likely that there will still be a sprinkling of older heads in the US locker room.
Woods has competed in eight biennial Ryder Cup contests previously and therefore fits the bill in that regard, though his comments when pulling himself out of the running to captain his nation may concern Bradley when weighing up his options for senior roles.
Woods said: “With my new responsibilities to the [PGA] 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. 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.”
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