Rory McIlroy’s outspoken former agent, Andrew “Chubby” Chandler, has hinted that Tiger Woods “bottled” the chance to be this year’s Ryder Cup captain.
Woods was the first choice of the PGA of America to lead the US side at Bethpage Black later this month, but he turned down the role due to his many off-course commitments.
Keegan Bradley was appointed captain instead despite being only 38 at the time, and he has been calling on Woods as an advisor in the build up to this month’s biennial showdown against holders Europe.
Bradley had the added dilemma of finding some excellent form over the summer, and he admitted he considered naming himself as a captain’s pick when he won the Travelers Championship in June.
But the current world No 11 left himself out of the line-up to focus on his duties as captain, and Chandler believes that was a decision that makes the home team a weaker line-up.
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And it was a dilemma that could have been avoided had Woods accepted the captaincy in the first place.
“They offered it to Tiger, he didn’t want it,” Chandler told CasinoHawks. “I think he might have bottled it, I don’t know. He’d say maybe there wasn’t enough time, but that’s nonsense.
“They don’t treat it like we do though. America doesn’t treat it like it’s a big thing as Europe does, and they never have done. Patrick Reed is one of the few that treats it like we do but he’s not in.”
Chandler, who managed McIlroy, Darren Clarke and Charl Schwartzel when they all won majors in 2011, also predicted that Justin Rose will take over from Luke Donald as European captain for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.
“If Justin Rose doesn’t make the team, Justin Rose will be captain,” Chandler added. “Unless they go for a three-timer with Luke to wait for Justin to get old enough, or bad enough.
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“Because the thing with the Ryder Cup captain, you’ve got to be either old enough or bad enough, haven’t you?”
That can’t be said of Bradley, whose world ranking is higher than nine of the European players who will be at Bethpage in a couple of weeks.
“Keegan not playing probably weakens Team USA, because you forget that he’s a tough cookie in match play,” Chandler said.
“It’s no bad thing to have such a tough cookie behind the ropes, but he is a hard lad and I wouldn’t say they’ll have told him he’ll get a spot next time but that will be in his head that he can play the next one anyway.
“If he’d made himself captain this year and picked himself to play he’d have had everything to lose and nothing to gain.”
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