Keegan Bradley risked being viewed as one of worst Ryder Cup captains in American history as his team were put to the sword by the Europeans over the first two days at Bethpage Black.
His decision making looked poor, rigid and uninspiring as Europe took a massive 11.5-4.5 lead into Sunday’s singles.
The task looked hopeless but Bradley rallied the troops and they almost pulled off the tournament’s most historic comeback.
Almost.
Despite the Sunday fightback, the bottom line was that Team USA suffered their second straight loss and first defeat at home since 2012.
And given that the USA hasn’t won an away Ryder Cup since 1993, the next captain has it all on to win back the trophy.
So what are the options for the Americans ahead of the showdown at Adare Manor in Ireland in 2027?
Tiger Woods
You sense the Americans need an icon to turn their miserable away record around and they don’t come bigger than Tiger Woods.
The 15-time major champion has already captained a winning Presidents Cup team on foreign soil, Tiger also playing in that 16-14 win in Royal Melbourne in 2019.
He’s also been a Ryder Cup vice-captain so the next step seems obvious.
And adding to the feeling that all roads lead to Tiger, Adare Manor is owned by Woods’ good friend JP McManus.
Keegan Bradley
Bradley has his critics and admitted his mistakes at Bethpage – but why not let him take some of the lessons from that defeat and give the 2025 skipper another go?
Luke Donald showed the advantages of being given a second shot and the way his team played for him on Sunday suggested Bradley still had his team very much onside.
Brandt Snedeker
Snedeker is still an active PGA Tour player and was one of Bradley’s vice-captains at Bethpage.
And he’ll get ideal prep for Adare Manor having been installed as US captain for next year’s Presidents Cup at Medinah.
A popular figure in the locker room, Snedeker won four points from six matches across his two Ryder Cups so knows what it takes.
Steve Stricker
Why not turn to the man who last delivered a Ryder Cup triumph for the United States?
And that was no ordinary win. Stricker’s 2021 team thrashed the Europeans 19-9 at Whistling Straits.
He was also skipper for the 19-11 win over the Internationals in the 2017 Presidents Cup at Liberty National in New Jersey so has a proven track record.
Webb Simpson
Simpson was one of Bradley’s five vice-captains at Bethpage Black.
A studious sort, Simpson will have made keen observations on what went on with both sides and how he could make it better.
He also played on a winning Walker Cup team at Royal County Down so has some good memories of Irish soil.
Jim Furyk
Furyk played in nine Ryder Cups and also skippered the USA at the 2018 edition in France.
That didn’t go well, Europe winning 17.5-11.5, but Furyk remains a hugely respected figure in American golf.
It’s also worth noting that the last time the USA decided to give a losing captain another shot, Davis Love overcame the dramatic defeat at Medinah in 2012 by leading his country to victory at Hazeltine four years later.
Phil Mickelson
Right now, this doesn’t look possible given Mickelson’s defection to LIV and outspoken comments.
But maybe the landscape changes and if Tiger doesn’t do it, could the PGA America turn to another absolute legend of the game?
Sure, it would be left field but perhaps something wild is needed to break the sequence of American defeats on European turf.
Who will be Team USA’s next Ryder Cup captain?
Tiger Woods is the clear favourite but maybe he’s smart enough to realise that it could be better for his legacy to be a US captain on home soil where the Americans have a far stronger chance of winning.
If Tiger does swerve it, the door is wide open but maybe Sunday’s singles at Bethpage have planted a seed that could see Bradley given the opportunity for revenge.
