Speculations about Tiger Woods as team captain, Scottie Scheffler safe from household accidents this time, fun moments from the DP World Tour and the Korda siblings. The Back Nine.
At the start of the year, some speculation is allowed. Sometimes it’s disguised as predictions, a very popular discipline in early January. The well-known US golf portal The Fried Egg made a bold claim about the upcoming golf year: The PGA of America is said to have offered Tiger Woods the role of captain for the 2027 Ryder Cup trip to Ireland, but the 50-year-old politely declined. He would rather lead the US team when playing at home. The GOAT as skipper on home turf: that would likely spark unprecedented fan hype in the US golf world.
Either way, it would be Woods’ second decline after already turning down the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. This decision led to the unfortunate appointment of Keegan Bradley, who has carried the burden of three traumas since the 2012 Medinah defeat and non-selection for Rome 2023. It is an understandable decision by Woods. Why give up the home advantage – even if statistically it hardly exists – and risk tarnishing his record in an away command role where chances are slim? The Americans last won in Europe in 1993 at The Belfry in England. Moreover, his opponent at Adare Manor could well be Luke Donald, who has twice outplayed the US skipper to great effect. This again leaves the PGA of America with a dilemma, as few others are willing to take on the captaincy. Hopefully, Keegan Bradley will not have to step in once more – Davis Love III, the 2012 Medinah loser, was famously given a second chance in 2016, but that was again on home soil. Well, a little speculation is allowed…
McIlroy and Teammate Keegan: It’s Complicated
An odd situation: Boston Common claimed their first victory in the Tomorrow’s Golf League thanks in no small part to putts from Michael Thorbjörnsen, who replaced Scottie Scheffler and Matsuyama. Yet, at the SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens last weekend, Boston Common faced not only Los Angeles but also a tense internal team situation. Rory McIlroy and teammate Keegan Bradley had to keep up appearances despite a complicated relationship since the Bethpage Ryder Cup.
Specifically, McIlroy was subjected to unpleasant treatment from US fans, whereas Bradley downplayed fan behavior as merely \”very passionate.\” Allegedly, they reconciled as McIlroy mentioned, but before Boston Common’s first appearance in the second TGL season, the issue resurfaced. McIlroy made it clear that he still holds a grudge against \”Captain Keegan\” for not addressing aggressive fans. “Of course, you have to use home advantage,” said the five-time major winner during the podcast \”The Overlap\” with British football stars Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Roy Keane. “But Keegan and others had the chance to say: ‘Let’s just stay calm. Let’s try to play this game with the right attitude.’ Some did, but Keegan did not. As captain, he could have