The last time the United States aimed to break its Ryder Cup drought on European soil, Tiger Woods was at the forefront of the mission. Having just won the 2018 Tour Championship, Woods earned a captain’s selection in what we can now view as his last Ryder Cup appearance as a player. Fast forward five years, Woods’ presence remains felt in the background despite his absence from the public eye recently.
Woods will not be playing in the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone. He won’t have an official vice captain position for the away team or even be in Rome for the competition. Still, Tiger has been involved with the team, according to United States captain Zach Johnson.
“He is a great resource,” Johnson said of Woods. “He’s very invested in Team USA, very invested in how we navigate year in and year out Team USA because the guy is patriotic, he wants to win, he’s got experience and, shocker, he’s the best player in whatever decades. Thankfully, he’s an American. He is red white and blue, through and through.
“Personally speaking, I could show you the text messages he and I have had … a lot of them are so great in support and belief and faith. I got to tag along with him as a vice captain in his captainship in Australia, and the man knows what he is talking about … he’s amazing, and he will continue to be a part of Team USA going forward. He will not be in Rome, which is fine, it’s probably not wise, it was more or less his decision, but he’s great counsel.”
This will be the second straight Ryder Cup during which Woods will operate from the shadows. Sending text messages and words of encouragement to his fellow countrymen during the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, Woods became the ultimate motivator and helped the Americans to a dominant 19 to 9 victory over the Europeans from the comfort of his couch. The U.S. will need all the help it can get as it hopes to retain the Ryder Cup and raise it in Europe for the first time since 1993.