Tiger Woods will enter further talks over the US Ryder Cup captaincy in the coming weeks, with the body responsible for hiring Zach Johnson’s successor pledging to give the 15-time major champion more time to make his decision.
Woods cast doubt over his willingness to accept the role earlier this week, citing his involvement in golf’s slow-burning merger negotiations as a barrier to being able to commit to next year’s clash with Europe in New York.
With Luke Donald reappointed in November, the Americans already appear to be losing ground on their rivals, but PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh insisted Woods will not be rushed into making a call.
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Waugh said: ‘We have had conversations for months. We have also had conversations at the Ryder Cup committee, multiple conversations about potential captains and a list of potential captains. You know, Tiger, has been pretty clear.
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‘I think we all know that he can be pretty focused, and that’s one of his many superpowers – that ability to tunnel and decide. And he doesn’t do anything that he’s not fully committed to, and we totally respect that. And he’s got a lot on his plate right now. He’s very active, obviously, on the PGA Tour side of things (in their negotiations with the Saudi Arabian backers of the LIV circuit).
‘We want to give him and the committee space to decide how it plays out. You know, everybody sort of has a timeline for this, and I realise it’s a news day and you guys want news, but we have picked captains later than this. We’ve picked captains earlier than this.
‘Luke Donald was named a year out a year ago (ahead of Europe’s crushing victory in Rome in 2023) and they had a pretty good performance, for instance.
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‘We think there’s plenty of time, and putting an artificial date on it is not something we need to do. We have continued the conversations. Obviously want to respect that he’s playing in a major (at the US PGA Championship this week), and we’ll re-engage next week or so.’
Highlighting the ”damage” that has been caused by the hostilities between LIV and the PGA Tour, Waugh said: ‘I’m a very optimistic type and I’m sort of hoping it’s darkest before dawn, if you will, but I think the best thing for the game is a deal. And we’ve been very consistent on that front.
‘I don’t think the game is big enough for two tours like that and I think we are diluting the game in a way that is not healthy. We’ve said that, really, from the beginning. I hope there’s a deal.
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‘I think both sides are not only committed to trying to find a deal but really need a deal, and in my history of deal making, when both sides kind of need something to happen, it generally does.
‘I don’t know the timing. I don’t have any insider information that you all don’t have. But I’m hopeful that there will be a deal over time. And what I would say, I hope there’s urgency because I do think it’s doing damage to the Tour, to the game.
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‘I hope it’s short-term damage, as opposed to permanent damage, and so I hope there’s some urgency in the timing around it because I just don’t think it’s a healthy situation right now.’
