Europe’s Ryder Cup captain for 2027 has been confirmed, and now we wait with eager anticipation for USA’s response.
There’s one name on everyone’s lips. Will Tiger Woods, the greatest of all time to many, be the man to oppose Luke Donald at Adare Manor? It’s certainly on the board.
Woods confirmed at the Genesis Invitational that he’s been offered the role and is taking time to consider the decision. He’d enter the event as an underdog, taking on the powerhouse European outfit on away soil, so this isn’t a slam dunk decision.
We also don’t have much evidence that Woods would make a good captain. He has a poor Ryder Cup record as a player, and the only example we have of Woods in this role is at the 2019 Presidents Cup.
But how he handled Patrick Reed, who was described as a ‘problem’ for Team USA at the event, gives Rex Hoggard some optimism that Woods can handle this role.
Why Tiger Woods impressed Rex Hoggard as Presidents Cup captain
America has never lost the Presidents Cup. But under Woods’ leadership, they came close in 2019. They entered Sunday singles in Australia trailing, but with Woods as playing captain, they pulled through on the final day.
It was not a convincing performance from Woods’ side, but Hoggard was impressed by Woods nonetheless. That’s because of how he handled Patrick Reed in the locker room, who by all accounts was a problem for Team USA.
Hoggard said on the Golf Channel podcast with Rex and Lav: “I think a win is a win. And if you look back on that, I mean, if we do a deep dive, and I don’t want to do that, I’ll leave it to Shane Ryan to do the deep dive on the team room at the President’s Cup in Australia. But there were some problems in that team room.
“And the problem’s name was Patrick Reed. And it was an issue. Like it’s easy to say now, but I’ve heard from enough players, enough caddies, enough people that were in the room that he was an issue that week.
“And it was something that Tiger Woods had to deal with. Tiger Woods was also a playing captain. He wouldn’t do that this time around. He could put his entire focus into being a captain. So there is at least a modicum that would suggest on his resume that yes, he has the tools to pull this off, but it’s an entirely different animal.”
Judging by Reed’s recent performances, he would likely be a problem that Team USA would face again in 2027.
Why Patrick Reed was a problem for Team USA at the 2019 Presidents Cup
Patrick Reed was less an asset and more a distraction for Team USA during the 2019 Presidents Cup. His presence created a PR nightmare for Woods and arguably compromised the team’s focus.
The problem can be boiled down to three main issues: a cheating scandal, his antagonistic behaviour toward the fans, and a physical altercation involving his caddie.
Just days before the event, Reed was caught on camera twice brushing away sand with practice swings at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas. This clearly improved his lie, resulting in a two-stroke penalty.
Most of the golf world, including International team member Cameron Smith, openly labeled him a cheat. So instead of focusing on the matches, Woods and the rest of Team USA spent their press conferences answering questions about Reed’s integrity.
And instead of keeping his head down, Reed leaned into the villain role, which backfired on the scoreboard. After being relentlessly heckled by the Australian crowd, who asked him if his caddie was carrying a shovel for the bunkers, Reed responded by mimicking a shoveling motion with his putter after sinking a putt.
The antics didn’t translate to points. Reed lost his first three matches alongside Webb Simpson, leaving Team USA in a deep hole early in the tournament.
Reed’s situation reached a breaking point on Saturday when Reed’s caddie, Kessler Karain, got into a physical altercation with a spectator. According to Karain, a fan had yelled “you f—–g suck” right in Reed’s face.
Karain shoved the fan, leading to a physical confrontation. The PGA Tour banned Karain for the final day of the competition, so Reed had to use a substitute caddie for his singles match, further adding to the chaotic environment surrounding the team.
Despite the circus, Reed did manage to win his Sunday singles match against C.T. Pan, and Team USA eventually won the cup. But Reed still overshadowed Team USA’s victory with his antics all week.