The excitement surrounding The Open is mounting as Tiger Woods recently announced his decision to decline the opportunity to lead the United States’ Ryder Cup team. This choice was influenced by extensive negotiations between PGA and LIV Golf, which had a direct impact on his availability.
Despite being considered a top candidate for the position, Keegan Bradley has been officially appointed as the captain for the 2025 match at Bethpage Black, Long Island, New York. This decision was reached following prolonged discussions with former PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh, who was directly involved in negotiations with Woods.
The 15-time major winner cited his busy schedule and commitments to the tour as reasons for being unable to take on additional responsibilities. He specifically noted his involvement with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), owners of LIV Golf, and the development of Tomorrow’s Golf League, which demand a significant amount of his time.
Woods was part of a delegation that engaged in discussions with PIF in New York the previous month, following the fund’s agreement to establish a new for-profit entity with the PGA over a year ago. This collaboration aimed to reintegrate the sport after LIV Golf’s breakaway in 2022, preventing top golfers from competing against each other regularly.
In explaining his decision, Woods expressed, “The decision was very difficult for me to make. My time has been so loaded with the tour and everything and what we’re trying to accomplish. I’m on so many different subcommittees that it just takes so much time in the day, and I’m always on calls.”
He further elaborated, “I just didn’t feel like I would be doing the captaincy or the players in Team USA justice if I was the captain with everything that I have to do.”
Looking ahead, Woods is likely to consider captaining the Ryder Cup in 2027 when the competition is hosted at Adare Manor, in County Limerick. However, he remained non-committal about his future prospects, stating, “As I said, I’ll put my hat in the ring again when I have more time and I feel like I can devote myself to a Ryder Cup.”
Woods acknowledged the multitude of responsibilities he is currently managing in the golfing world, emphasising the importance of not compromising any aspect of his commitments. This revelation has sparked curiosity about his potential involvement in future Ryder Cup events, igniting discussions among golf enthusiasts and industry insiders.