Tiger Woods wasn’t fit enough to take his place in the 20-man field for this week’s Hero World Challenge as he continues his recovery from the sixth back surgery of his career in September. However, as the host of the Albany event, he was stlll heavily involved this week.
With the tournament deep into its final round, Woods also made an appearance in the NBC Sports broadcasting booth where he discussed the 2025 Ryder Cup at New York’s Bethpage Black.
Woods had been mentioned as a potential successor to Zach Johnson as captain for next year’s match, but the role eventually went to Keegan Bradley, and the 15-time Major winner thinks the Vermont-born player is the perfect choice, particularly given his New England roots.
He said: “To where he’s from and what he’s meant to the north-east, I think it’s a natural fit. His connection – he’s not really that old. So most of the guys he’s played with and I think that he has naturally been a very emotional and very fiery, opinionated leader and I think that he’ll do really well at Bethpage.”
Woods also thinks Bradley could yet take on a playing role at the match, although he had words of caution given he did both in the 2019 Presidents Cup in Melbourne. He said: "I just did not sleep. It was quite a bit of jet lag, but there was a lot of responsibility as a player and as captain.”
Woods also explained his decision to decline the chance to captain the 2025 US Ryder Cup team, pointing out that his current responsibilities, which include his role as a player director on the PGA Tour policy board, necessitated he step away from consideration: “There was quite a bit of talk, he said. “I’ve got a few things going on with boards and things that we need to get handled.”
Woods is also enthusiastic about what the US fans will bring to the occasion, citing the atmosphere on the the two occasions Bethpage Black has hosted the US Open, including in 2002, when Woods won the title.
He said: “It’s going to be amazing. It’s going to be incredible. Our fans are going to be so exciting. We’ve had US Opens there and they’ve been electric. I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like when they turn up for a Ryder Cup. It’s going to be slightly biased.”
The US team came unstuck in the 2023 edition at Marco Simone, eventually losing by 16.5 points to 11.5 points, but Woods is optimistic that the team will be ready to go next year, particularly given the form of two of the country’s standout talents, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele
The pair also helped the US to victory at this year’s Presidents Cup and he joked: “They’ve had great years but I would like to have that in a Ryder Cup year too. From a US perspective, we do that in Presidents Cup years – we just don’t do that in Ryder Cup years!”
While the Ryder Cup is almost a year away, Woods also spoke about more pressing matters - namely, when we will see him in action again.
In recent years, he has teamed up with son Charlie at the PNC Championship, although the pair are absent from the early field. Woods hinted that they could play this year's event, which begins on 21 December, too.
He was coy in delivering his answer as to whether the pair could appear, but with a smile on his face, answered: “I know, I know. Alright. We’ll see. I hear you.”
