Davis Love III can kick back, the monkey’s off his back, mission accomplished.
The Ryder Cup is back in the USA, still wet from champagne though it was dried off, dressed up and delivered to Latrobe this past week to sit in silence at Arnold Palmer’s memorial service.
The 2018 matches are a long way off, but let’s take a moment to take a shot at who might captain the next four U.S. Ryder Cup teams.
JIM FURYK: The 2018 matches move across the Atlanta to the city of Paris. Just outside the city awaits Le Golf National, a course that will be a true test for both teams. In two years Jim Furyk will be 48 years old. He was whispered to be too old to make this year’s team as a captain’s pick so he was made a vice-captain. If you want to be a future captain, you had better log time as a vice-captain to get the insider look at what goes on behind the scenes.
The fact that the U.S. team came through will make it easier for the PGA of America to take a look at the roster of vice-captains and all signs could be pointing to Furyk. Although he did not win the PGA, a feat that nearly assures one of captaincy, unless your name is Larry Nelson, Furyk looks like the guy who could be named to oversee the adventures in Paris.
STEVE STRICKER: The 2020 matches come back to the United States and Whistling Straits is the venue. The entire state of Wisconsin wants Steve Stricker to be the captain there and although he never won a major, the PGA of America may well look past that and give Wisconsin what it wants — their native son as the 2020 Ryder Cup Captain. The possible selection of Stricker would make him the first Ryder Cup captain without a major championship on his resume.
PHIL MICKELSON: By 2022, Phil Mickelson should be running on empty when it comes to playing competitively on the PGA Tour. By then, a lot of the controversies that have traveled with Mickelson will have been forgotten and he would be a logical pick. He’s also a winner of the PGA, which moves him into favorable light with the powers to be.
TIGER WOODS: The Ryder Cup moves back to the United States in 2024 and will be staged at a public golf course, a landmark move. Tiger Woods won the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black so it stands to reason that he would be a logical choice as captain for the event at Bethpage. Eight years from now, Woods will be 48 and most likely done as a player. Heck, he may be close to done now.
With the New York crowds, Tiger would be the high-profile captain the PGA of America might look for.
So there you have it — Furyk, Stricker, Mickelson and Woods.
Pretty decent lineup, eh?
2 Comments
bwgerho
Woods is a great player when earning money and titles for Woods. However with a Ryder cup record of 13-14-2, is he REALLY team captain material or are we just asking for another loss? Note his average record was compiled in years where he was miles ahead of the rest of the field. I just do not see the team spirit and motivation for a team.
Tom Edrington
Word from inside is that Woods was totally committed to help the process, helped in pairings, was good in the team room. All you have to do is look at the vice captains to see the prospective future captains…..he was also in the task force and that’s where the tour guys interacted with the brass from the PGA of America, who are the folks who actually select Ryder Cup captains.