Tiger Woods is not at this year’s Ryder Cup but he has been linked with a role at the next one
Tiger Woods is in a relationship with Donald Trump Jr’s ex-wife Vanessa.(Image: Tiger Woods/Instagram )
The Ryder Cup is reaching a crescendo out in New York this Sunday, with Team Europe very much in the driving seat.
For all the bluster and trash talk, it is Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood et al who have coped the best when the pressure is on in front of a hostile crowd.
Europe, led by Luke Donald, will take a record 11.5-4.5 lead into today’s 12 singles matches, needing just three points to win on the road for the first time since 2012.
Eyes are already looking towards 2027 and the return of the most famous golf tournament in the world to European shores.
And who better to lead the US and get them back on course than arguably the greatest golfer of all time – Tiger Woods. That’s the view of three-time Ryder Cup winner Graeme McDowell, anyway.
The 49-year-old was widely tipped to skipper the all-star event at Bethpage Black this year but he turned down the opportunity.
“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 released by the PGA of America in July 2024. “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.”
McDowell took to social media to make his feelings clear, however. “Tiger captain in 2027. Book it,” he wrote.
Former major champion Paul Azinger, however, believes he would be more attracted to becoming the commissioner of the PGA Tour instead of taking on the captaincy.
“I don’t know, I think he’d more likely be the commissioner before, maybe, than the Ryder Cup captain,” he said.
“Tiger’s bigger than Ryder Cup captaincy. I said a couple of years back he should be the permanent captain, all-time captain, because who better?
“But that’s not right. Other guys deserve to be the captain, so I kind of take that back. But I think he has bigger fish to fry.
“Tiger, he’s involved with this game monetarily now, and maybe he’ll end up running it, who knows?”
Woods has been notable by his absence from Bethpage so far this week, as he recovers from surgery. Woods’ Ryder Cup record is not one to write home about whatsoever; he has appeared in eight tournaments but has won just once.
Since the death of his mother at the start of the year, he has not competed at all and his last appearance was during the 2024 Open Championship in July, where he missed the cut.
Woods’ life away from the course over the past 15 years or so has been turbulent, with serious injury and personal matters having a huge impact on his game.
He missed the Masters at Augusta earlier this year, having to undergo surgery after rupturing his left Achilles tendon. At the time the legend released a video on social media, saying: “As I began to ramp up my own training and practice at home, I felt a sharp pain in my left Achilles, which was deemed to be ruptured.
“This morning, Dr Charlton Stucken of Hospital for Special Surgery in West Palm Beach, Florida, performed a minimally-invasive Achilles tendon repair for a ruptured tendon. I am back home now and plan to focus on my recovery and rehab. Thank you for all the support.”
Viewers were concerned for Woods, with his appearance looking “puffy”, according to social media users.
Woods – who claimed the famous green jacket in 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2005 before a remarkable comeback victory in 2019 – has missed the tournament on four previous occasions. The latest absence came in 2021, when he suffered serious injuries in a car accident in which he could have lost his leg.
Woods shares two children, Sam and Charlie, with his first wife Elin Nordegren.
They divorced in 2010 after she discovered his multiple affairs. After news emerged of his infidelity, he crashed his car into a fire hydrant outside his house. He later entered a rehabilitation clinic for sex addiction.
He later embarked on relationships with skier Lindsey Vonn and Erica Herman.
Earlier this year Woods announced that he was in a relationship with Vanessa Trump, the former daughter-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
Vanessa had been married to Donald Trump Jr for 13 years. The pair, who have five children, divorced in 2018.
In March, Woods posted pictures of Vanessa and himself on social media saying: “Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together.
“At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts.”
Forbes records Woods’ net worth at an astonishing $1.3billion, with huge tie-ups with Nike and TaylorMade, among others, during his storied career. He has now parted ways with Nike and launched his own brand, Sun Day Red.
He has a number of properties but is believed to live in Jupiter Island, Florida, in a mansion spanning nearly nine acres, reportedly costing in the region of a cool $80million.
