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The PGA of America wanted Tiger Woods to captain the United States team at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York.
But Woods, long thought to be the favorite for the job, turned them down. And now we know why.
Woods issued a statement on Tuesday explaining his decision to pass on the position despite it being offered to him.
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"… 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."
— Brentley Romine (@BrentleyGC) July 9, 2024
“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 said in a statement. “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.”
Fans Have Conspiracy Theory About Tiger Woods And Ryder Cup Captaincy
However, some fans felt Woods may have had an ulterior motive. The 15-time major champion is close friends with Irish banking billionaire JP McManus. McManus also happens to own Adare Manor, which is set to host the 2027 Ryder Cup.
These fans believe that Woods turned down the opportunity to captain in 2025 in order to secure the position in 2025.
With Woods out of the picture, the PGA of America made a hard pivot to Keegan Bradley, who was snubbed as a player from the 2023 team.
Bradley, 39, becomes the youngest captain since Arnold Palmer served as a playing captain at the age of 34 in 1963. He also told reporters that he had no idea he was a candidate for the position until he was offered the job.
“I didn’t have a single conversation about this with anyone until I was told I was captain,” Bradley said.
Bradley told reports that Woods was welcome on his staff in any capacity. He also noted that he wanted the captain’s staff to skew younger in 2025.
Will it result in success for the US? Only time will tell.