It has now been confirmed that Luke Donald will captain Team Europe in the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor, Ireland, next September.
The next major announcement surrounding the Ryder Cup will surely be the appointment of the 2027 US Team Captain.
It has been widely reported that Tiger Woods was offered , and expected to take the role for the 2025 Ryder Cup. However, in a surprise to many, he declined the opportunity, and Keegan Bradley stepped in.
So what about this time in the 2027 cycle?
Woods is still widely viewed as the favourite and the preferred choice of the PGA of America. He previously served as the victorious playing captain of the US team at the 2019 Presidents Cup.
But with all respect to the Presidents Cup, it is chalk and cheese.
Woods has stated that he has been approached for his thoughts. However, he has also pointed to his commitments with the PGA Tour, particularly his role on the Future Competitions Committee, which is helping to reshape the Tour over the next few years.
So when might a decision be made?
It is understood that a deadline could come around The Masters, according to various sources, both official and unofficial.
There is no greater historian of the game of golf than Tiger Woods. It would surely be very difficult for him to decline the invitation again.
There is also an ongoing conversation about whether he might play in The Masters in 2026, which is now only a few weeks away. We would all love to see him return, although that may be ambitious following surgery in October 2025.
If Woods does decide not to take the captaincy, who else could be in the running?
Could Keegan Bradley be given another opportunity following the dramatic near-comeback on the final day of singles at Bethpage?
Jim Furyk is another possibility. He is a Ryder Cup veteran who participated in nine consecutive matches and served as captain in 2018.
Steve Stricker would represent another safe pair of hands after guiding the US to a dominant victory as captain in the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.
Webb Simpson has also been mentioned in several circles. He played three times in the Ryder Cup and served as a vice-captain to Keegan Bradley last time out, perhaps a sign of future direction.
Surely Tiger will not leave the captaincy of a US Ryder Cup team off his CV.
He is still only 50 years old and is known to be a close friend of Adare Manor owner JP McManus. Could that relationship influence his thinking? Who knows what priorities he may be weighing up?
Is the focus on getting fit and playing competitive golf again, if that is achievable?
Or perhaps continuing his work on the future direction of the PGA Tour?
Yet his passion for the game, and for the Ryder Cup, is well known. The Ryder Cup is now firmly established as one of the flagship events in world sport, and that is difficult to ignore, even for Tiger.
Let’s hope he responds positively and accepts the role of US Team Captain in 2027.
The game still needs an active and visible Tiger Woods. His presence would add enormous interest to the matches and the event itself.
The announcement, expected in the coming weeks, will be fascinating to watch.
Go for it, Tiger! He will have the full support of his team, his vice-captains and the PGA of America, as well as fans across the United States.