After breaking away and joining LIV Golf, both Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood racked up hefty fines with the DP World Tour.

That infringement dates back to June 2022, when they first played a LIV Golf event, with every DP World Tour event they missed from then on through to 2023, when they resigned from the circuit, adding to their punishment.

Throughout that period, both Poulter and Westwood vehemently refused to pay the fines, deeming them unfair.

In recent weeks, however, the news of LIV Golf's future has left its players in limbo and, consequently, it appears that Poulter and Westwood are ready to make amends.

First reported by Golfweek, a spokesperson from the DP World Tour confirmed that both players had "settled the fines imposed on them".

It is thought Poulter's fines amounted to roughly $1.1 million, with Westwood's figure expected to be in the same region.

In the past, Poulter refused to let PIF pay his fines, stating: "If I personally wouldn't pay the fines myself, why would I certainly put my business partner in that position?"

Westwood had added: "I'm not paying them because I disagree with the way they've been handed out."

The pair even brought the case before the Sport Resolutions body in the UK, but it was determined the fines were fair.

There are many in the game who would like to see LIV Golfers start at the bottom if they return to the PGA Tour if the league folds; whatever the route back into the game for Poulter and Westwood, it looks like they've at least opened the door to the DP World Tour once more.

They will have to serve suspensions, which are thought to add up to around 10 weeks, but after that they should be free to rejoin the circuit.

There is one thing they will likely never get back, though, and that is the chance to become Ryder Cup captains.

A rule established by the DP World Tour in 2017 dictated that any player who abandons their membership for any reason can no longer be eligible for a leadership position in the Ryder Cup.

This was reiterated by the DP World Tour spokesperson, who added: "Under our current regulations, even if they were to rejoin as members, neither can serve as a Captain or Vice Captain in the Ryder Cup."

On his second go at being Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk is leaving no stone unturned, as he looks to take a leaf out of Luke Donald's playbook and lean on statistical analysis.

Furyk suffered a heavy loss in Paris in 2018, but in his first act to improve his chances of redemption he's ditched the USA's regular stats partners and brought in popular stats journalist Justin Ray and player-turned-stats guru Hunter Stewart.

Donald has heaped praise on former Ryder Cup player Molinari, who has turned into a stats guru and helped players like US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, for his role in winning the last two battles with the USA.

Molinari helps use data to come up with pairings, course strategy and even training programs, while he's also involved in devising the qualifying process to help get the right profile of golfers into the team.

Now Furyk believes he has found a statistical dream team to help level the playing field.

Scouts Consulting Group, led by Furyk's friend Jason Aquino, helped with his own 2024 Presidents Cup win along with the 2022 victory and also the 2016 Ryder Cup success.

But Furyk told Golfweek that he felt a change was needed, and believes his two new stats guys can help Team USA in their quest to end what will be a 34-year wait for an away win by the time Adare Manor rolls around.

“That conversation was difficult in some respects but ultimately I felt like we had an opportunity and I had to make the best decision for the United States team," explained Furyk.

Ray is a hugely popular social media guy with golf stats after working with the likes of ESPN, Golf Channel and currently The Athletic, but he was also part of data analytics company Twenty First Group who helped with Europe's emphatic 2018 Ryder Cup victory - against Furyk no less.

Ray also worked for Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis in the back-to-back competitions in 2023 and 2024 - experience which is said was attractive to Furyk.

Stewart hoping to emulate Molinari role

Furyk describes Ray as "our big picture guy” while presumably Stewart will work more closely with the individual players - as he currently does for the likes of Maverick McNealy, JT Poston and European Ryder Cup player Ludvig Aberg.

Stewart will work with Brandt Snedeker's Presidents Cup team later this year to get familiar with the role and have something of a practice run ahead of the 2027 Ryder Cup.

Stewart operates in a similar fashion to Molinari - using stats to analyse players' games and form not only individual training plans but also formulate tactics for taking on different courses every week.

That seemed to be a huge shortfall of Keegan Bradley's captaincy - as vice-captain Kevin Kisner revealed when talking about being caught out by Europe having specific gameplans for Bethpage.

Former captain Paul Azinger recently said he was "mortified" watching the Kisner video, which showed how much better prepared Europe were - even playing away from home.

Furyk seems to agree, and showed he's ready to really shake things up this time as this unorthodox move is aimed at trying to level things up and make sure if Team USA don't win in Ireland it won't be down to a lack of thorough preparation.

Jim Furyk may have been an underwhelming choice as Team USA Ryder Cup captain but he sounded like he meant business in his latest media address.

Furyk says that it's "pretty glaring" where the main USA deficiencies have been in recent Ryder Cups and vowed to toughen up his side to try and fix the issue.

Furyk will be Ryder Cup captain for a second time when he leads Team USA into battle at Adare Manor in 2027 against Luke Donald's all-conquering European side.

The 55-year-old suffered a damaging defeat in his previous stint in Paris and now faces Donald going for a hat-trick while trying to earn the USA's first win in Europe since 1993.

And as he spoke to the media at the PGA Championship at Aronimink, Furyk said to finally win on European soil Team USA would have to fix their glaring issues playing in the foursomes format of the Ryder Cup.

"It's no secret that foursomes has been a glaring problem," said Furyk. "I mean, just look at the record - I had it in my mind when I came here. We're like 6-20 in foursomes the last three matches.

"I'll go back to the Presidents Cup where we had pretty much a blowout win by seven points, and we lost the foursome matches by three points. I mean, it's pretty glaring that we're not prepared for that format.

"Right now, that's first and foremost on my mind. We cannot continue to dig the holes we are on Friday and Saturday.

"I don't think we're preparing for that session very well. We've tried, and we almost overcame that at Bethpage, but it's hard to overcome those holes."

Furyk sets out Ryder Cup blueprint

Furyk, who has been involved in every Ryder Cup since 1997 as a player, captain or vice-captain, admitted "we could have put Keegan in a much better position last year" when Bradley was a surprise pick as captain pretty late on.

And Furyk says that he hopes to create a long-term blueprint to produce future captains which involves more cohesion with the Presidents Cup.

"We need to create more continuity for our players and for our future captains," said Furyk.

"And we really need to start making the Ryder Cup more of a priority each and every year, year in and year out, and focus on growing and evolving into the future.

"We go from the Presidents Cup to the Ryder Cup each and every year, and what I started noticing is we were maybe losing a little continuity from year to year.

"So I just think we could be better at this is a 12-month process each and every year. It's not something the Ryder Cup is over.

"The idea of more continuity, more continuity for future captains, more continuity for the players year in and year out, and that includes Presidents Cup in my mind as well."

Furyk will pick fighters as Ryder Cup wildcards

Furyk insists the USA do use analytics but warned that number crunching alone is not a solution.

"I guess there's a number of different ways to look at analytics," he said. "A number of different ways you apply them."

And he also rubbished any accusations that Europe's team spirit was stronger than the USA.

"To say that our team doesn't bond or that we don't get along or it's just not the same, I'm just not buying in," insisted Furyk.

"I think it's a low-hanging fruit. It's an easy way to describe why a talented team didn't get the W. I've said it, and I'm going to continue to say it, I don't buy it."

Furyk is "prepared and willing and will make those tough decisions" in terms of wildcards, and while he'll look for who will suit Adare Manor he also wants to ensure he takes some fighters.

"We're going to put the best group. The pairings need to match. We need to fit the golf course, and I need some guys in good form as well.

"But I also get six picks, and I'm going to pick the toughest, the grittiest, the ones that I know will thrive in an away match."

Furyk may well be known as 'Gentleman Jim' by many in the golfing world, but for the 2027 Ryder Cup there'll be no more Mr Nice Guy as he looks to toughen up his side and bring back the Ryder Cup.

They may not have seen eye-to-eye on the topic, but Rory McIlroy is glad Jon Rahm finally got his deal sorted with the DP World Tour.

McIlroy is especially happy Rahm has secured his Ryder Cup eligibility for next year, to ensure he'll be available for Luke Donald's European side at Adare Manor.

Europe's two Ryder Cup big guns had opposing views on the DP World Tour deal Rahm refused to accept while eight LIV players, including Tyrrell Hatton, signed up.

McIlroy thought it was a "pretty generous" deal though and warned Europe could win the Ryder Cup without the Spaniard.

The news of LIV Golf's impending loss of Saudi PIF funding led to Rahm and the DP World Tour striking a deal.

And that's a relief for McIlroy who hopes they can now put the matter to bed.

“I think it's good that we have it all behind us,” McIlroy said on Golf Channel ahead of the Truist Championship.

“I think as a European Ryder Cup player, we all know that having Jon on the team is better than not having him on the team.

“So look, I'm glad that they came to an agreement. It took him a little longer to get there than some of the other guys, but he got there in the end, thankfully.

“It's good that we can put that behind us and move forward.”

Although the two had kept things pretty cordial, the disagreement could have led to some awkwardness if the matter dragged on any longer.

Having Rahm back in the fold well over a year before the Ryder Cup heads to Ireland will also be a relief for captain Donald.

Europe's success has always been built on the bond between the players, and as Donald bids for a historic hat-trick of wins he will need his big dogs to be on the same page.

Jim Furyk will captain the USA Ryder Cup team for the second time, as the Americans traverse the Atlantic for the 2027 edition at Adare Manor.

The 55-year-old last took charge in 2018 at Le Golf National in Paris, where the USA slumped to a 17.5-10.5 defeat on the road.

As a player, Furyk competed in a staggering nine Ryder Cups, stretching from 1997 in Valderrama to Gleneagles in 2014.

For eight of those appearances, he qualified automatically on points, exemplifying his prolonged spell as one of the top Americans in the game, even if in the periphery of Tiger Woods' prime.

However, Furyk was on just two winning sides, Brookline in 1999 and Valhalla in 2008, amassing 12 points in the process.

Jim Furyk's Playing Record At The Ryder Cup

On only one occasion did Furyk boast a winning record at a Ryder Cup, that being Valhalla, where he finished 2-1-1 in the USA's victory.

Furyk had 15 different partners across his Ryder Cup career in foursomes and fourball. The one he played with the most was Tiger Woods, whom he was paired up with on four occasions, returning a 2-2 record.

In terms of opponents, Sergio Garcia was Furyk's most common enemy during Ryder Cups, with the two facing off ten times. Furyk got the better of Garcia in their first matchup in Sunday singles when the latter was 19-years-old at Brookline in 1999.

However, in their next nine matches, the Spaniard won eight of them, twice in singles. In fairness, Garcia does have the most total career points on the European side with 28.5 in ten appearances.

The 2003 US Open winner's most favourable competitor was Padraig Harrington, whom he beat four times in five matches, all of which were in the team element of the contest.

For all his longevity, Furyk's overall record is lacklustre amid a torrid spell for the USA teams in the early 2000s.

2018 Ryder Cup Captaincy At Le Golf National

The USA side went into 2018 off the back of a comprehensive victory on home soil at Hazeltine in 2016. Their team was stacked with a perfect amalgamation of youth, experience and power, ready to take on the Europeans captained by Thomas Bjorn.

Furyk had selected Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Tony Finau with his Captain's picks. The eight who qualified on points were: Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Webb Simpson.

The affair got off to a dream start from an American perspective, with Furyk's side winning three of the four morning fourball matches to take a three-to-one lead.

However, Europe completed their first clean sweep in Ryder Cup history in the afternoon's foursomes, meaning the home side led five-three after the first day.

Saturday did not go much better for Team USA, with Europe answering back in the fourball by taking the session three to one. And with a split session in the afternoon foursomes, Bjorn's men had a ten-to-six advantage going into Sunday singles.

In classic Ryder Cup fashion, it got interesting for a period on Sunday, with the USA clinching three and a half points from the first five matches to get within one. However, the chances of a miracle comeback were short-lived, as Europe won the next four matches to regain the Ryder Cup, the final score being 17.5-10.5.

Despite the undisputable talent within the team, the US were undone by the course setup at Le Golf National, which required meticulous accuracy off the tee, with thick rough or water encroaching the narrow fairways.

The home advantage is always a factor at the Ryder Cup, which doesn't make Furyk's second attempt at captaincy any easier. But will the veteran learn from his past mistakes and ensure his team is up for the challenge?

After being part of every single US Ryder Cup team for the last 30 years as a player, Vice-captain and Captain, there is ostensibly no one more experienced than Jim Furyk to lead his nation into battle at Adare Manor.

He will be keen to atone for his paltry playing record, as well as the 2018 debacle in Paris. But with the last USA win on European soil coming back in 1993, Furyk will have his work cut out for him if he is to pioneer an end to that torrid streak in Ireland next year.

The first batch of Ryder Cup 2027 tickets took under an hour to sell out during an exclusive first sale just for Irish residents.

Adare Manor will host the 100th anniversary Ryder Cup and there was plenty of negative press when organisers revealed that Ryder Cup tickets for the three matchdays would cost €499 ($585).

A huge 91% increase on 2023 prices in Rome led to people such as Ian Poulter and Justin Rose's caddie Mark Fulcher to brand the cost as extortionate.

But it seems as though home interest in Ireland has not been dented by the prices, with tickets snapped up within an hour and around 60,000 fans queueing online.

The first window for 2027 Ryder Cup ticket sales opened up at 11am local time on Friday - but only for Irish residents, of which there were 150,000 who had registered for this early access.

The limited number of those controversial €499 matchday tickets were gone inside an hour, while the practice day and weekly tickets also on sale exclusively in Ireland were sold in four hours, according to the organisers.

Richard Atkinson, the European Tour Group’s Chief Ryder Cup Officer, said: “The demand from fans across the island of Ireland has been unprecedented.

"We know that Irish golf fans are amongst the most enthusiastic in the world and this is yet another reminder of that.

"We also look forward to the start of June when, in addition to Irish residents getting a second chance, fans from around the world will get their opportunity to be part of this great sporting occasion.”

Ryder Cup ticket prices & how to get them

Some frustrated fans experienced problems trying to access the ticketing website or were stuck in that queue.

A spokesperson for Ryder Cup Europe said: "We are aware of a handful of individual user issues but there are no widespread technical problems with today's sale.

"Indeed, tickets have been selling at anticipated levels given Irish fans' renowned enthusiasm for golf and the Ryder Cup."

The 100th Ryder Cup will take place from Friday September 17 to Sunday September 19 in what will be just the tournament's second visit to Ireland.

Fans still wanting tickets need a registered Ryder Cup ticket account for when the public ballot goes live on Wednesday June 3 for general sale tickets.

Practice day tickets will cost €89 ($105) for Tuesday and Wednesday, with Thursday's final practice day ticket costing €179 ($210) - which includes the Opening Ceremony.

Tickets will cost between €20-€30 for under-16s on the practice days.

Luke Donald is aiming for a historic third Ryder Cup victory in a row as European captain, with reports suggesting Jim Furyk will be leading Team USA as they chase a first away win in the competition since 1993.

Jim Furyk has been named USA Ryder Cup captain for a second time and will lead the team for 2027 in Ireland.

The AP's Doug Ferguson first broke then news that the US Ryder Cup committee has turned to 55-year-old Furyk after Tiger Woods ruled himself out of contention.

Furyk will be the fourth man to return as US captain to take on Europe in the Ryder Cup, after he was in charge for the ill-fated 2018 contest in Paris - which Thomas Bjorn's Europe emphatically won 17.5-10.5.

Almost a decade after that debacle in France, Furyk will return for an even tougher assignment at Adare Manor - trying to stop Luke Donald from winning three Ryder Cups in a row.

“The opportunity to captain the US Ryder Cup Team for a second time is a tremendous honor," said Furyk. "I am committed to putting our players in the best position to succeed as we work to reclaim the cup on European soil.”

Woods was always the first choice for the PGA of America but his latest DUI arrest and subsequent stepping away from golf saw him also take himself out of the running.

With the 15-time Major champion out of the picture, the vastly experienced Furyk is the man selected for the almighty task of stopping Donald's European juggernaut from claiming a third straight Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.

And as the USA are acutely aware, they are without an away Ryder Cup in over 30 years, with the last victory on European soil being at The Belfry in 1993.

One of those defeats was an emphatic one for Furyk at Le Golf National, with one of many criticisms of his tenure being his captain's picks going 2-10-0.

Furyk has since won the Presidents Cup as captain in 2024 though, and not many players have as much experience of team golf as the 2003 US Open champion.

Remarkably, Furyk has been involved in every Ryder Cup since making his playing debut way back in 1997 - he played in nine straight events with one appearance as captain (2018) and four others as a vice-captain (2016, 2021, 2023, 2025).

Furyk joins Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Davis Love III as returning USA captains since Europe joined the event in 1979.

Love infamously was on the wrong end of the Miracle of Medinah in 2012, but made amends when given the chance four years later at Hazeltine when his USA side ran out commanding six-point winners.

Watson was captain for America's last away win in 1993, but he could not replicate that when he returned over two decades later to lead another disappointing defeat at Glenagles in 2014.

Nickalus also suffered a home Ryder Cup defeat in his first captaincy in 1983, but avenged that loss when he returned in 1987 on his own Muirfield Village Golf Course.

Ryder Cup Europe has announced details of how fans can get their hands on tickets for next year's match at Adare Manor...and the cost will both raise eyebrows and disappoint some who may feel priced out.

The public ballot goes live on Wednesday June 3rd for general sale tickets, with Irish residents able to purchase early access tickets from Friday April 24th.

Tickets will cost €499 ($585) for the three match days (Friday September 17 - Sunday September 19), compared to €260 for the 2023 match in Rome.

While that's a 91% increase on the last time Europe hosted the match, it is lower than the controversial $750 tickets for the 2025 Ryder Cup at New York's Bethpage Black.

Practice day tickets will cost €89 ($105) for Tuesday and Wednesday, with Thursday's final practice day ticket costing €179 ($210) - which includes the Opening Ceremony. Tickets will cost between €20-€30 for under-16s on the practice days.

Only fans with a registered Ryder Cup ticket account will be able to purchase early access tickets or enter the ballot.

Richard Atkinson, the European Tour Group’s Chief Ryder Cup Officer, said: “There is already tremendous excitement and anticipation about the Ryder Cup heading back to Ireland and to Adare Manor next year. We are therefore delighted to announce these details today of how fans both from the island of Ireland and from around the world, can attend the 100^th anniversary edition of golf’s greatest team competition.

“We have extensive plans in place to enhance the onsite experience for fans attending the 2027 Ryder Cup, including a record 20,000 grandstand seats and an increased number of giant screens. For the first time, there will also be an Official Ryder Cup campsite with entertainment, full details of which will be announced in due course.

“We also wanted to ensure that as wide a demographic as possible can be part of, and enjoy, this major global sporting event. Therefore, in addition to a range of different price points for fans, we are grateful to Musgrave, whose support means families from across the island of Ireland will have access to tickets as part of the SuperValu Community Day on the Tuesday of Ryder Cup week.”

An additional benefit for island of Ireland residents will be that thousands of tickets will be available for Tuesday’s practice day as part of the ‘SuperValu Community Day’ courtesy of Musgrave, Ireland’s leading food retail, wholesale, and foodservice business.

The tickets will be made available as part of a customer promotion run by Musgrave, who have been named as an Official Supporter of the 2027 Ryder Cup. Full details of this initiative and how to apply for tickets will be announced later this year, Ryder Cup Europe says.

Europe will seek a third consecutive Ryder Cup victory next year, and third under Luke Donald who is bidding to become the first Captain in the history of the Ryder Cup on either side to win three times in a row.

Butch Harmon was supposed to be involved in the TV coverage of the 2025 Ryder Cup, but he changed his mind during the course of the event.

Given it's the most exciting team golf event in the world, you'd think legends of the game would be queuing up to be involved in any way possible.

The 2025 tournament saw a devastating defeat for Team USA at Bethpage Black with Europe and Luke Donald retaining the trophy on foreign soil.

However, the behaviour of American fans during the event overshadowed the more positive side of proceedings.

Rory McIlroy and his wife were targeted with offensive chants. Meanwhile, rowdy supporters failed to adhere to traditional golf spectatorship rules, including booing the European players and making noises at inappropriate times. There was even one instance of a drink being thrown at Erica McIlroy from the crowd.

It led to many criticizing the antics of the American fans, with Gary Player saying he was "disgusted" by what he saw at Bethpage.

Now, Butch Harmon has spoken out to condemn what happened in New York, and revealed it even stopped him joining the Sky Sports commentary team despite initial plans to be involved.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Harmon said: "I thought the Ryder Cup was disgusting. It was embarrassing being an American. I love the Ryder Cup, it’s my favorite one to broadcast and being from New York, I had planned to work with the Sky [Sports] team.

"But I decided to pull out for that main reason. I felt we would spend more time talking about what’s going on in the gallery with the fans being unruly than we would the golf and I just didn’t feel I wanted to be part of it."

For Harmon, the Ryder Cup doesn't come close to The Masters in terms of atmosphere. Looking ahead to the latest edition of the prestigious Major, Harmon was full of praise for how things operate at Augusta National.

"This is the beauty of Augusta. These are the best behaved patrons in all of golf," he said.

"I love the Open Championship because all the gallery people understand golf and they understand how to cheer. But this place, it’s like a holy grail of golf in the US, and it’s difficult to get a ticket to come. It’s probably the hardest event to get a ticket to."

Harmon added: "The patrons there are very well behaved, because they’re the same people that come back year after year. I hated the way things were going at the Ryder Cup. I thought it was a terrible embarrassment for the United States, and let’s hope it never happens again."

Interestingly, Harmon will be at Augusta this week working with Sky Sports to cover The Masters. Whether he will be involved with the Ryder Cup next year, or upon its return to the States in 2029, is another matter.

It was always likely, but Tiger Woods has officially declined the chance to be 2027 Team USA Ryder Cup captain.

The 15-time Major champion has announced he will step away from golf to "seek treatment and focus on my health" following his latest high-profile car crash in Florida last week.

Woods has been given permission by a judge to seek treatment outside of the USA.

Being charged with a DUI likely put an end to his chances of being Ryder Cup captain next year at Adare Manor, but that has now been made official with Woods himself making the call.

"We commend Tiger for prioritizing his long-term health and deeply respect the courage it takes to make such a personal decision," the PGA of America said.

"Tiger has shared with us that he will not serve as captain of the 2027 US Ryder Cup team and we support his decision.

"The PGA of America will share further updates regarding the Ryder Cup captaincy when appropriate.”

The PGA of America added that it "stands in full spport of Tiger Woods as he steps away to focus on his health and well-being" but it leaves them with a Ryder Cup captain to find as Woods tries to deal with his obvious issues.

The latest problems stem from Woods rolling his car on Friday, March 27 during a failed overtaking manoeuvre on South Beach Road in Jupiter Island, Florida - near his home.

Martin County police officers stated that Woods was "sweating profusely" while acting "lethargic and slow" and that his eyes were "bloodshot and glassy" leading to his arrest on DUI charges.

Woods blew 0.00 on a breathalyzer test at the time before later refusing a urine analysis, as he was also charged with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.

The 50-year-old has entered a plea of not guilty and requested a jury trial but in the immediate future he's focusing on getting treatment.

Who will be next US Ryder Cup captain?

For the PGA of America it's a huge blow as it looks like Woods was the preferred choice to tackle Luke Donald in Ireland.

With time ticking away there's no clear favorite for the challenging role of stopping Donald from winning three in a row and winning on European soil for the first time since 1993.

Keegan Bradley has said he'd love another crack at things and did get a positive response from his players in their fine Sunday fightback at Bethpage.

Steve Stricker masterminded an emphatic home win for the USA in 2021 and the likes of Stewart Cink, Brandt Snedeker and Webb Simpson have all been mentioned.

The PGA of America needs to make a decision soon though - Bradley was only named in July 2024 and if it's to be a new face then they will need as much time as possible with the added problems of an away fixture to deal with.

'Inside The Ropes' is the chance for Golf Monthly's expert team to share its honest thoughts on the biggest subjects in the game. This week, it's all about Team USA's next Ryder Cup captain.

For the second Ryder Cup in a row, the countdown to the biggest team event in golf has ticked past '18 months to go' and Team USA remains without a captain.

Keegan Bradley was only officially unveiled in July 2024 before an error-strewn week at Bethpage Black in September 2025 was almost saved by a remarkable near-comeback in the Sunday Singles.

Whether it was a relative lack of preparation time or simply the PGA of America picking the wrong man at the wrong time, Team USA cannot afford another calamity this time.

At this stage, it's far from a sporting disaster, but every week that passes by without a leader potentially increases Team Europe's chances of retaining the trophy for another two years.

After all, blue-and-gold chief Luke Donald is already preparing for a third-straight crack at maintaining his 100% Ryder Cup record and he must be feeling quietly confident of doing so given the current situation.

Under growing pressure, the PGA of America is acutely aware it must fill the position of Team USA captain sooner rather than later.

However, the governing body's task has probably just been made that little bit tougher by the likely withdrawal of Tiger Woods from the running due to his latest round of personal problems.

But if not Woods, then who should be Team USA's Ryder Cup captain at Adare Manor in 2027? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below. In the meantime, here is who some of the Golf Monthly team would choose.

STEVE STRICKER

If I'm on the PGA of America board, there's only one name I'm realistically interested in proposing at this stage - Steve Stricker.

Team USA has been beaten up too many times now in recent iterations and they just need someone who is going to win the Cup back rather than planning for the future with a younger name.

Who better than the man who orchestrated an absolute hammering of Team Europe in 2021? OK, there were a few key caveats involved, but Stricker's no-nonsense approach and previous experience would at least give the visiting team a fighting chance, I feel.

He would believe in them and fill them with confidence but tell each player what they needed to hear if necessary as well.

It will be a tough task to dislodge the trophy from European hands away from the States, but with a truly dedicated captain who knows how to get the job done, Team USA would head over to Ireland fully prepared.

BRANDT SNEDEKER

I think Stewart Cink will get the call as captain, due to his popularity, his status as an international Major winner and his experience in the Ryder Cup. He was a vice captain on away soil in 2023 and again at the Presidents Cup in 2024.

The 2009 Open champion made five appearances for Team USA in the Ryder Cup and four in the Presidents Cup. He is a well-respected, experienced head who looks to be the obvious choice.

However, in saying that, I believe Brandt Snedeker should be the leader in Ireland. Snedeker is the 2026 Presidents Cup captain and I simply believe a sensible change in strategy for the US would be to keep the same skipper for both the Presidents and Ryder Cup.

It would allow for continuity, team building and the chance for the Presidents Cup to become somewhat of an official 'test run'.

STEVE STRICKER

Personally, I think Team USA will opt for someone who has held the captaincy role previously and, given his success in 2021 (albeit in front of a partisan US crowd due to Covid-19 travel restrictions), I suspect that Steve Stricker might get the call up for 2027.

An historic performance at Whistling Straits showed that he is capable and, given his playing time is on the PGA Tour Champions circuit, he would have more time to take on the captaincy, given that Keegan Bradley will be playing on the PGA Tour.

USA did go for youth with Bradley in New York, and I could see that being a potential option again, but given that Brandt Snedeker is on captain duties for the Presidents Cup and Bradley is still a regular on the PGA Tour, I think Stricker will take the role on, based on past success and playing time.

WEBB SIMPSON

I don't see any stand-out candidates to be the USA's next Ryder Cup captain. There's no way it'll be Tiger Woods given his recent statement, so that leaves Keegan Bradley – he deserves some credit for America's battling performance on the final day at Bethpage Black – and his vice-captains from last year as the most viable options.

It's far too big an ask for Gary Woodland given what's he's going through, and I'm not sure Kevin Kisner is captaincy material.

Jim Furyk had a terrible Ryder Cup record as a player and he lost convincingly in France in 2018 when he was captain, so that leaves Brandt Snedeker and Webb Simpson.

Both are well-liked individuals who still play on the PGA Tour and competed in multiple Ryder Cups, but I'd be tempted to lean towards Simpson.

He had a reasonable record as a player and he's a player director on the PGA Tour's policy board, so I'd give him the nod.

Jon Rahm has dropped his appeal against the fines imposed on him by the DP World Tour for playing in LIV Golf - but it's just thrown his Ryder Cup future into even more doubt.

While eight LIV Golf players signed deals with the DP World Tour for reinstatement, paying their fines and agreeing to play in six to eight extra tournaments, Rahm refused.

While the fines are mounting up, Rahm did say he would "sign tonight" if the DP World Tour offered him the same deal but with the usual four minimum events to retain his membership and not six.

Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton had appealed the original fines 18 months ago, in order to remain eligible for the 2025 Ryder Cup in New York, but the DP World Tour has confirmed to Golf Monthly that Rahm has now dropped that appeal.

As first reported by GOLF.com Rahm has withdrawn his appeal - an appeal which not only meant he could play the Ryder Cup but also allowed him to compete in DP World Tour events.

So although proceedings have been dropped, it's far from a resolution of the saga as now Rahm will be unable to play DP World Tour events unless he pays his fines - which he's previously shown no appetite to do.

Aside from the money, it was the addition of being told to play DP World Tour events he'd never usually play that was a big sticking point for Rahm - who was happy enough to play his minimum of four, and pay his fines off, if that deal was offered.

"Now, I did tell them, funny enough, lower that to four events, like the minimum says, and I'll sign tonight," Rahm said explaining his decision to turn down the previous DP World Tour deal.

"They haven't agreed to that. I just refuse to play six events. I don't want to, and that's not what the rules say."

Rahm shows no signs of backing down

Rahm has always insisted he wanted to remain a DP World Tour member, but finds it hard to come to terms with having to play in more events than the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood to keep his card.

And he also feels the DP World Tour is having its cake and eating it by wanting LIV Golf players to take part in certain tournaments yet punishing them at the same time.

He said: "I don't know what game they're trying to play right now, but it just seems like in a way they're using us to - they're using our impact in tournaments and fining us and trying to benefit both ways from what we have to offer.

"And it's just in a way they're extorting players like myself and young players that have nothing to do with the politics of the game. So I don't like the situation and I'm not going to agree to that."

Rahm was also growing frustrated that the appeal, which he insists he was asked to put in to enable a solution to be found, was dragging on for so long without an outcome.

Rahm continued: "Given also the fact that two years ago I was asked to appeal the fines so they could figure this out and sort it out, and I did, and we're running into more problems right now."

The next move seems up to Rahm himself, but it seems he's grown tired of waiting for the appeal to materialize into something solid - whether he goes back to the negotiating table or agrees to pay his growing fines, believed to be over $3m, remains to be seen.

The Ryder Cup looks like it's heading back to England in 2035 for the first time since The Belfry staged the event way back in 2002.

The news of an impending bid from Hulton Park in Bolton, near Manchester, sparked the debate and it seems the only other contenders also come from England.

The Belfry was a regular home for the Ryder Cup, staging the battle between Europe and America four times between 1985 and 2002, but the showpiece event hasn't been back in England since.

In the United Kingdom it's been to Wales at Celtic Manor and Scotland at Gleneagles and next year's event will be at Adare Manor in Ireland, while on the continent Paris and Rome have played host and Spain will do the honors in 2031.

England seems primed to be next up, and the early noises so far suggest there are just three contenders to host what is now a huge global sporting event.

The country boasts some iconic courses, and there is an argument to say that one of England's Open courses would be a better choice to host the Ryder Cup such as Royal Birkdale or Royal Liverpool.

There's also the likes of Wentworth that you could consider and a plethora of others already established with long histories that would be wonderful Ryder Cup hosts.

But it seems that so far at least the contenders are a proposed new build in Bolton, a redevelopment project in Luton and a DP World Tour host venue just outside London.

So here's a closer look at the contenders to stage the 2035 Ryder Cup.

Hulton Park

Hulton Park has not yet officially launched its bid, but it's all the rage in the news thanks to Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham revealing a £240 million ($320 million) funding package for the project.

World No.3 Tommy Fleetwood has already given his backing to Hulton Park's impending bid, with the proximity to big cities Manchester and Liverpool a big plus for the proposed venue.

“Whenever it’s on the Ryder Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world, and bringing that to the North West of England would be something very special that we’d remember forever," said Fleetwood.

The bonus with a new build of course, as with the 2010 course at Celtic Manor, is that the design can have a matchplay flavor to it. And along with all the infrastructure in the area, on paper it has everything needed for a successful Ryder Cup.

Luton Hoo

A stage ahead of Bolton, ground has already been broken on the redevelopment of Luton Hoo Hotel & Golf Club in Bedfordshire with owners targeting a bid to stage the 2035 Ryder Cup.

The £170m ($226m) redevelopment of the current course there will take up to two-and-a-half years, with seven-time Ryder Cup player Justin Rose helping to design the new championship calibre course alongside golfing icon Gary Player.

Owners the Arora Group say it will become "the Augusta of Europe" and have employed Atlantic Golf Construction, which built next year's host Adare Manor.

European Golf Design is also involved - the company responsible for recent Ryder Cup venues Celtic Manor, Le Golf National and Marco Simone - so with those major players and the owner's ambition to "bring thre Ryder Cup home" this contender has a lot going for it.

The London Club

This one has the edge on the other two in terms of having experience at hosting tournaments, staging DP World Tour events including the European Open and World Matchplay.

The London Club website has stated it's ambition to stage the Ryder Cup with 'The London Project' being an expansion including a new hotel and spa that would make it a viable Ryder Cup option.

"We have tried and tested it with DP World Tour events, but there are global events – Ryder Cups, Solheim Cups – that we should be looking at and aspiring to host," it states on the website.

The Jack Nicklaus design is situated just outside the M25 so has an ease of access and a proximity to London that would make it endlessly marketable to visitors from across Europe and the USA.

Future Ryder Cup venues

• 2027 - Adare Manor (County Limerick, Republic of Ireland)
• 2029 - Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minnesota)
• 2031 - Camaril Golf & Wellness (Girona, Spain)
• 2033 - The Olympic Club (San Francisco, California)
• 2035 - Unconfirmed (Europe)
• 2037 - Congressional Country Club (Bethesda, Maryland)

World No.3 Tommy Fleetwood is among those to back Hulton Park's impending bid to host the 2035 Ryder Cup.

The unbuilt golf course in Bolton, England is aiming to be the first from its nation to welcome the biennial contest since The Belfry staged Team Europe's 15.5 - 12.5 victory in 2002.

Two other English layouts are already in the running - The London Club in Sevenoaks, Kent and Luton Hoo in Bedfordshire, with the latter closing for more than two years in order to redevelop the site and transform it into "the Augusta of Europe."

Hulton Park has not yet officially launched its bid, but Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham revealed a funding package worth around £240 million ($320 million) had been set out in order to support the plans while also improving the wider area's infrastructure.

The land on which a prospective new golf course would sit makes up part of an estate which belonged to the Hulton family for more than 700 years. However, it was largely neglected after the turn of the century and was later purchased by developers, Peel Retail & Leisure in 2010.

Speaking to the BBC, Burnham stated the bid was "not pie in the sky" and revealed there had been "promising conversations" with organizers about "bringing the tournament to a bespoke, world-class course at Hulton Park."

Burnham said: "We're deadly serious about it. We believe we can land [the Ryder Cup] and now it's a case of putting in a firm bid next month and hopefully a decision soon."

One of the bid's key supporters is three-time Ryder Cup winner Fleetwood, who hails from the seaside town of Southport which is located around 40 miles from Hulton Park.

In a press release which unveiled the plans, Fleetwood shared his excitement over the idea and said it was be a historic moment for the area if given the go-ahead.

He said: "As a golfer, a Ryder Cup being in England, first and foremost, would be something special. On top of that, to do it in the North West of England, where I’m from, would be amazing.

"We have so much to offer, the people have a lot to offer, the infrastructure has a lot to offer, and I think it would be something that would be incredible. I’m totally in favour of it and would be happy to support as much as I can!

“Whenever it’s on the Ryder Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world, and bringing that to the North West of England would be something very special that we’d remember forever.”

The location of future Ryder Cups has been decided in the United States until 2037, with Hazeltine, The Olympic Club and Congressional all lined up to host.

However, only Adare Manor in Ireland (2027) and the recently-announced Camiral in Spain (2031) have been listed to stage the world-famous event on European soil at this stage.

It is not known when a decision will be made on the 2035 host, with a bid from Hulton Park expected to arrive at some point in April.

Rory McIlroy says it's a shame Jon Rahm refused to accept the "pretty generous" deal offered to him by the DP World Tour, but insists the Ryder Cup is "bigger than any one person".

Eight players including Rahm's LIV Golf teammates Tyrrell Hatton and Tom McKibbin signed the deal to restore DP World Tour membership - which included paying all fines, dropping their appeals and playing extra events specified by the Tour.

Rahm though refused to sign and accused the DP World Tour of "extorting" the players - saying his refusal was mainly down to being told to play six events rather than the usual minimum four needed for membership.

McIlroy doesn't agree though, and says compared to Brooks Koepka's return to the PGA Tour the deal for the European players offered by the DP World Tour is a good one.

"In my opinion, it's a really generous deal," said McIlroy ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

"It's a much softer deal than what Brooks took to come back and play on the PGA Tour. The European Tour can only do so much to accommodate these guys.

"Look, there's a reason eight of the nine guys took that deal, right. I think it's a really good deal. Obviously Jon doesn't think so, and he's obviously well within his rights to think that way.

"If you asked any DP World Tour member about the deal that they have cut with the LIV guys I think they would all say that it was pretty generous. So, and again, there's a reason that eight of the nine took it, because they probably think the same thing, and one guy thinks a little differently, and that's a shame.

"But I just don't see what more the European Tour can do to accommodate these guys to retain their membership."

Rahm should just play six events

Rahm said he would "sign tonight" if he only had to play four DP World Tour events and not six - and being told which two extra ones to play was the main sticking point with the Spaniard.

McIlroy argues playing two extra events "isn't a heavy lift" for Rahm, even if the Tour does have a say in what those two events are - likening it to being contracted to play all 14 events under his LIV Golf deal.

"But I mean, I'm sure Jon doesn't want to go to South Africa (for LIV Golf) next week, but he's going there," McIlroy added.

"He signed a contract for LIV and he plays 14 events and the whole thing. Like I get all that. But the DP World Tour is well within its rights to protect itself as a members organization and as a business."

Ryder Cup bigger than one player

As for perhaps the biggest ramification of the whole saga - the Ryder Cup - returning European captain Luke Donald would be loathed to be without Rahm for Adare Manor next year.

McIlroy and Rahm have traded opinion on this subject, with the Northern Irishman saying LIV golfers should be willing to do what it takes to get on the team - including paying their fines to resume DP World Tour membership.

Rahm's continued case put his eligibility in doubt as Donald looks for a third straight win as captain, but McIlroy insists the Ryder Cup is bigger than any one player.

"Look, the Ryder Cup is bigger than any one person," said McIlroy. "It's bigger than all of us. We come and go. Players are - we pass through the system. Like, it's the platform that's the big thing.

"I think we should all be grateful that we have a platform like the Ryder Cup that we can play on and that we can showcase our skills and be a part of something that's obviously way bigger than ourselves.

"So at the end of the day it's about the team and no one player is bigger than the team."

Luke Donald will be back to captain Team Europe for a third time when they head to Ireland next year for the Ryder Cup.

After leading Europe to two thrilling wins in a row, Donald will be looking to make it a hattrick at Adare Manor in 2027 to become the first captain to win three consecutive Ryder Cups.

Beyond addressing the obvious in his latest press conference, including his reasons for taking on the role once more, Donald also faced questions about Jon Rahm's current status ahead of the next Ryder Cup.

Over the past few days, Rahm has rejected the DP World Tour's deal to put an end to his fines and insists he is not willing to play the six events they are demanding of him.

That decision could harm Rahm's chances of playing in the Ryder Cup. Someone is going to have to give in, but for Donald, it's not an issue he's tackling just yet.

Speaking to the press after confirming he will retain his captaincy, Donald was asked whether he has spoken to Rahm about the issue.

He replied: "Well, first day on the job, so I haven't talked to him yet but obviously I will talk to Jon. We have a great relationship, and he's been a tremendous teammate and player for me the last two Ryder Cups.

"It's great to see the clarity amongst the other players that have signed the conditional releases and understand that they are available.

"Obviously, I haven't talked to Jon so I don't really want to comment on that yet. I know he has his own reasons. But I look forward to catching up with him and really hope that he's available.

"There's plenty of time... There's always challenges to overcome. So it's never a smooth road. There's always bumps in the road. Obviously my plan and my hope is that Jon is available for that team."

When quizzed further as to whether this matter had impacted his decision-making regarding the role, Donald played this down.

"That wasn't a factor in my decision. My decision was having the backing of players and the backing of my family, and the opportunity," he added.

Explaining why he agreed to the opportunity, Donald was clear about the motivations and how positive his experience has been with Team Europe.

He said: "The last two Ryder Cups have been an amazing focus and purpose for me and given me something to really get my teeth around.

"I've really enjoyed the experience of being captain. To have the opportunity to go a third time was something I couldn't say no to."

Donald also hinted that Edoardo Molinari will be by his side again for the match in Ireland next year, stating a "few conversations" have been had already but that nothing official is ready to be confirmed at this stage.

However, there is one thing Donald hopes is different next time around, and that's the way the crowd behaves. After last year's heated atmosphere at Bethpage, Donald expects a slightly more calm environment at Adare Manor.

"I'm fully expecting it to be very respectful. Passionate fans getting behind Team Europe. I've spent a lot of time playing Irish Opens… obviously The K Club at the Ryder Cup in 2006. Just electric atmospheres where it's a really feel-good crowd," he said.

"They love their golf. They love the hospitality. They are very hospitable in terms of welcoming people, and I expect the matches to be played in a very respectful and classy way. That will certainly be my messaging to them."

Team Europe will be led by Luke Donald for the third time in a row at next year's Ryder Cup, it has been confirmed.

The popular Englishman has already steered Europe to wins in both Rome and New York during his time at the helm, and - following victory at Bethpage Black in 2025 - joined Tony Jacklin as the only captains ever to claim consecutive Ryder Cups.

But following the news Donald will be given a third term as chief of Team Europe, the former World No.1 could become the first man ever to lead the blue and gold side to a hat-trick of Ryder Cup wins in a row.

The 48-year-old was the universal first choice among European players, officials and fans to lead the side at Adare Manor, with the likes of Rory McIlroy immediately expressing their support for Donald in New York last September.

However, such is the magnitude of the Ryder Cup captaincy - especially on home soil - Donald allowed himself a period of reflection before officially committing to 18 months of hard work outside of his own game.

In a statement announcing the news, Donald said: "The last two Ryder Cups have meant a lot to me and my family. I didn’t imagine this third time would come.

"Celebrating on that Sunday night in New York after a pressure packed week in a tough environment, I thought maybe my job was done. But maybe there is a little more story to tell.

“This Ryder Cup Captaincy journey has given me so much focus, so much purpose and it is something I don’t take for granted. It’s a real privilege and I am certainly looking forward to another home Ryder Cup.

“History is obviously important to me. As a team, as Ryder Cup Europe, we all play for history. We talk about it a lot, about the guys who paved the way for us and the responsibility we have to inspire next generations.

"But I don’t think I have ever thought about history through a personal lens. I just try to enjoy the journey and the day-to-day work to create an environment that gives the players the opportunity for success. That is what I focus on.”

Meanwhile, the European Tour Group's CEO Guy Kinnings said: “Luke was an outstanding captain in Rome and New York, leading the team to victory both times, and it is fantastic he is coming back to do it a third time.

"Those victories were remarkable, but almost even more impressive was how he led the team and how he conducted himself. He has faced a lot of challenges as captain throughout his two terms, and he has handled all of them with his usual calm, poise and authority and above all with respect.

“He is meticulous in everything he does when it comes to planning and preparation, but Luke would be the first to acknowledge that as good as job as he has done, this is a new challenge for him and the team. He will be as motivated and as committed as ever to help them achieve more success.”

Next September, Donald - who has won all seven Ryder Cups he has been a part of as either player or captain - will become just the fourth person to captain Europe in three or more consecutive Ryder Cups, after Dai Rees (1955, 1957, 1959, 1961, 1967), Tony Jacklin (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989) and Bernard Gallacher (1991, 1993, 1995).

In contrast, as news of Donald continuing further deepens the level of continuity and stability for Team Europe, the PGA of America is apparently no closer to firming up who will lead them over at Adare Manor.

Tiger Woods is the hot favorite to take on Donald and co. in the 100th anniversary of the Ryder Cup, but the 15-time Major winner appears to be in a similar position to 2024 when he last turned down the position.

Back then, Woods noted time constraints as the primary reason behind passing the opportunity over to someone else - later proving to be Keegan Bradley - but very little seems to have changed in the two years since.

Speaking ahead of the Genesis Invitational last month, Woods admitted he is still to make a decision on the Ryder Cup captaincy but suggested his primary concern right now is improving the PGA Tour - of which he remains deeply involved with as chair of the Future Competitions Committee.

Woods said: “I’m trying to figure out what we’re trying to do with our tour. That’s been driving me hours upon hours every day, and trying to figure out if I can actually do our Team USA and our players and everyone that’s going to be involved in the Ryder Cup, justice with my time.

"Serving on two boards, and what I’m doing for the PGA Tour, I’m trying to figure out if I can actually do this and serve the people that are involved and serve them at an honourable level.”

The Ryder Cup is due to take place at Adare Manor in Limerick, Ireland between September 17-19, 2027.

Jon Rahm has had plenty to say about the situation regarding his return, or lack thereof, to the DP World Tour, including a response to Rory McIlroy's thoughts on the matter.

When Rahm left the PGA Tour to join the LIV Golf League, he shocked the world of golf. He has since incurred some pretty hefty fines with the DP World Tour and put his Ryder Cup career at risk.

As things stand, Rahm currently has an appeal over fines and sanctions with the DP World Tour. Eight LIV players agreed a deal with the circuit last month, on the proviso they pay their own fines.

However, Rahm refuses to agree to the DP World Tour deal, and is standing firm on that front.

If he maintains that position, there is even a chance that Rahm will not be allowed to join Team Europe for the Ryder Cup next year. Tyrrell Hatton was also in a similar situation, but having paid his fine, it's now just Rahm who is opposing the agreement.

For context, back in Jauary, Rory McIlroy quite openly suggested Rahm and Hatton should pay their fines, especially in light of the way European golfers criticized their American counterparts for demanding payment to play in last year's Ryder Cup.

McIlroy said: "We went really hard on the Americans about being paid to play. We also said that we would pay to play in Ryder Cups. There's two guys that can prove it."

When asked about those comments in his latest press conference, Rahm replied: "I think I responded to that a few weeks ago and I said, that statement would make a lot more sense if all 12 of us were being asked to pay, not only just the two of us.

"There's more intricacy that goes into this whole situation, right. While I understand why he's saying that, we all do it for the love of the game, it's a different situation than what we usually see.

"I'll gladly pay my way to go on the Ryder Cup, not have to pay to still be a member of the DP World Tour and fulfill a commitment that I'm fully willing to commit."

Rahm has insisted he is happy to commit to playing four DP World Tour events, but is not willing to add the six events to his schedule the circuit is now trying to demand of him.

So, it seems the reported $3m fine is not the issue, but more the parameters of the agreement.

This is not the first time we've heard the Spaniard calling out what he deems unfair circumstances. Rahm was previously critical of LIV Golf's OWGR points and suggested golfers on the breakaway tour should be rewarded better for their success.

Clearly, though, no one can question his commitment to playing in the Ryder Cup. For Team Europe's sake, hopefully this whole situation can be resolved before the golfers head to Ireland to defend their crown.

It's a question of when Tiger Woods will be Ryder Cup captain, and not if, but even that's still up for some debate.

Adare Manor in Ireland hosts the next Ryder Cup in 2027 and the PGA of America needs a solid plan in place as Team USA needs a major bounce-back after what went down at Bethpage Black.

Being able to call on many people's golfing GOAT would be a huge boost to the United States' hopes of ending the humiliating away run that has seen the Stars and Stripes without a win on European soil since 1993.

So, with Europe being so strong at home, and Luke Donald possibly going for a three-peat, should Woods take up the challenge of being Ryder Cup captain this time around?

Our Golf Monthly readers have had their say....

What has Tiger said about Ryder Cup captaincy?

While usually it's the PGA of America having to make a choice, clearly Woods can be captain whenever he wants, and he's already said the ball is very much in his court.

He's also said though that with much of his time taken up by his role shaping the future of the PGA Tour, he fears he may not be able to do the captaincy role justice.

"Yeah, they have asked me for my input on it, and I haven't made my decision yet," Woods said at the Genesis Invitational.

"I'm trying to figure out what we're trying to do with our Tour.

"That's been driving me hours upon hours every day and trying to figure out if I can actually do our team, our Team USA and our players and everyone that's going to be involved in the Ryder Cup, if I can do it justice with my time.

"Serving on two boards and what I'm doing for the PGA Tour, I'm trying to figure out if I can actually do this and serve the people that are involved and serve them at an honorable level."

Your views on Tiger Woods being Ryder Cup captain

A vote on our Golf Monthly social channels was pretty conclusive with just over 63% of voters saying Woods should take up the captaincy.

As is usual with Tiger Woods, everybody's got an opinion, and plenty of you flooded the Golf Monthly Facebook page with your thoughts on the subject.

Many people agree with what one reader Steve Sumpter said, with the American players likely to go all-out to play for their hero.

"I think it’d be a great pic. He has all the credentials. I think the players would also react to him. They all want to impress him."

Chas Howson added: "He’s the first call I’d make. I’d offer it to him first every time until he’s dead."

Not everyone thought Woods would be the right choice though, with Steve Stricker's name mentioned and even a vote for the beaten leader at Bethpage.

Harry Sheridan said: "The USA should learn from Europe and use Keegan Bradley and most of the team members again!! Winning Formula especially when you are not the host country."

Some readers, perhaps European fans, believe Woods being captain would give the hosts an advantage, and were quick to point out his less than stellar Ryder Cup record.

Patrick Arellano: "Ummmmm what does he know about winning in the Ryder cup in his career."

And some have rightly raised the two big questions of whether Woods has enough time on his hands to devote himself to the role, and whether he'd actually rather lead USA on home soil.

There's even some who still fancy he could make the team as a player!

The best reader replies

Here's a pick of the best of your replies on Tiger Woods being Ryder Cup captain, and remember you can still comment on the post on Facebook or leave your thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of the article.

Michael Dwyer: "No, wait til home. Not beating them there."

Al Young: "He should get it every year until he’s 80"

Alex Blyth: "I don’t really think he wants to do it. If he needs to be convinced then he’s not the guy."

Darren Wood: "I'd rather see him healthy enough to play more. Maybe the next one at home is TW's turn."

Bany Moises Orozco: "Why not , his body is messed up not his brain... plus who doesn't want Tiger advice on any golf situation."

Stephen Agar: "Yes and yes, he would be a great captain, hope he would also be a playing captain, this would not be good for the Euro team, my money would be on the USA, but I will be batting for Euro."

Johnny Reverb: "I hate to be a naysayer, but I think he would not be a good choice. I love Tiger, but his RC stats are not stellar. Overall a very losing record. And I just dont think he could commit the necessary time required. Let him be a vice-captain, his vibe is always powerful."

Simon Castillo: "Not yet. Next one. Want to see him concentrate on staying healthy and competing in majors this year."

Dale Smith: "Yes...first of all he's absolutely earned it. Second, he has an enormous amount of respect on the PGA Tour with the players. It's a perfect pick."

PGA of America president Don Rea's role has seemingly been reduced to a more behind the scenes one while he's also no longer a sitting board member on the PGA Tour.

Rea was elected as president in 2024 so his two-year term will end in November this year, and it seems he'll serve out the remainder of it in a smaller, less visible role performing what the PGA of America says are "member-first activities".

Not much has been heard or seen of Rea since the Ryder Cup, when he came in for severe criticism for his handling of the fan abuse Team Europe suffered at Bethpage Black.

He also came under fire for his awkward trophy presentation to Luke Donald's team and went viral for his karaoke performance on the Saturday night after Team USA had been well beaten for two days.

Rea did reach out to Rory McIlroy and Europe's players to apologize, but nothing more has been heard from him since.

And it seems we won't be hearing much more from him either in the final year of his tenure with some of his more high-profile duties being reassigned.

That includes being replaced on the boards of both PGA Tour Inc. and PGA Tour Enterprises by his vice-president Nathan Charnes, as first reported by The Quadrilateral’s Geoff Shackelford.

The PGA Tour have confirmed the move to Golfweek, but have not disclosed who it was who put the wheels in motion for what's a pretty big move.

Rea has not been quoted on PGA of America press releases or been at major announcements, with Charnes picking up most of those duties.

It's already been a tricky year for the PGA of America, with Terry Clark set to take up the role of CEO after former boss Derek Sprague unexpectedly resigned in January.

And it all comes in the fallout of a damaging Ryder Cup for the assocation due to the reaction, or what was seen as lack of a reaction to the behavior of the spectators.

That includes Rea, who will now remain out of the spotlight for the rest of his term, as the PGA explained in an email to Golfweek.

"As has been observed, PGA of America President Don Rea’s responsibilities are now aligned to member-first priorities for the remainder of his term," the PGA told Golfweek.

"He will focus on board leadership, governance, section engagement and initiatives that directly support PGA of America golf professionals and reinforce the grassroots foundation of the Association."

Rea will now be in the background as the PGA look to find a more solid footing going forward after all their troubles at the Ryder Cup.

The Sunday singles session of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black was memorable for several reasons.

One was the stunning comeback mounted by the US team, which threatened to pull off victory despite starting the day facing a seven-point deficit, before eventually missing out by 15 points to 13.

Another was that, for just the third time in the history of the match, the “envelope rule” was implemented.

The rule sees both captains place the name of one of their players in an envelope ahead of the Sunday singles in the event that a player is unable to compete because of injury or illness.

If that happens, a player from the opposing team whose name is in the envelope also sits out the action, with each team gaining half a point and 11 singles matches being played, rather than 12.

The possibility of the envelope rule being used for the first time since 1993 came to the fore on Saturday afternoon, when Europe’s Viktor Hovland couldn’t play in the four-ball session because of a recurrence of a neck injury he had sustained earlier in the season.

At the time, it was hoped he would be fit for Sunday, but it wasn’t to be, meaning the envelope rule came into play.

As a result of Hovland’s absence, Harris English was the unfortunate fall guy for the US team, meaning he played no part in the session despite being fully fit.

Now, the five-time PGA Tour winner has opened up on the situation in an interview given to Golf on CBS’s In Between Shots YouTube channel.

The 36-year-old described the moment he was given the disappointing news, explaining that he quickly had to put it behind him and focus all his energies on supporting the team.

He said: “Yeah, it was tough. It was tough. I was in the locker room warming up, getting ready to play. I knew Viktor wasn't feeling well from the day before and yeah, it was tough to get that news.

“But I kind of had to get over it as quickly as I can and change like, ‘OK, I'm not I'm not playing golf today. I'm going to be the best teammate I can and go cheer on my team and watch them play,’ and almost had an unbelievable comeback.

“I mean, every single guy was playing some really good golf, and we almost had an all-time epic comeback.”

Previously, the only two victims of the envelope rule, which was introduced in 1979, had been Englishman David Gilford in 1991 after the US’s Steve Pate had been injured in a car accident, and Lanny Wadkins in 1993, who put his name forward for the envelope after Europe's Sam Torrance picked up a foot injury.

Despite the rarity of its use, it remains controversial, and once English became the third fully fit player to miss out thanks to it, there were calls to change the rule.

However, even though English was denied his chance to play in one of the most dramatic sessions in Ryder Cup history, he’s not sure how the rule could be altered.

“I know it’s been in play for a long time,” he said. “Viktor was hurt, I know that. He came up to me.

“I know he couldn’t play, but it hurts my ability to play for my team on Sunday and it’s something I’ll never get back and I know that I might not ever play a Ryder Cup again so it definitely hurts the other player who is able to play and loses that opportunity to play.

“I don’t know how they should change it. I mean, I get you don’t want to have an alternate up there the whole week. But it’s tough.

“I know that rule’s been in play for a long time and they’ve only had to use it a couple of times, and it just sucks that it happened this year.”

The PGA of America hopes to settle on a 2027 Ryder Cup captain early next year, yet Tiger Woods insists he's not been contacted about the role.

Woods is the favorite to captain the Americans for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in Ireland, yet he's apparently not even involved in conversations as yet.

Many feel that any time Woods wants to captain Team USA he'll be afforded that honor, so it's likely just a question of timing for the 15-time Major champion to lead his country into battle.

The PGA of America told Golf Channel: “It’s our hope to identify the 2027 US Ryder Cup captain by the first quarter of next year.”

However, speaking ahead of the Hero World Challenge, Woods insisted "No one's asked me" about becoming Ryder Cup captain.

If the PGA of America did have an eye on Woods, it would be odd not to have already spoken to him about it, considering they hope to have their man picked out in around three months.

Woods was in consideration to lead America at Bethpage Black this year, but decided against it due to the increasing amount of time he spends sorting out the PGA Tour's future.

Now coming off yet another back surgery, and leading the Future Competition Committee that will decide on the new PGA Tour format, it would seem Woods has even more on his hands than last time.

So could that open the door for Keegan Bradley to try and avenge that stinging loss at Bethpage?

“Of course, I would love to do it again,” said Bradley of reprising his role in Ireland. “I would love to avenge that loss, but that’s not up to me.”

As Bradley still thinks the Ryder Cup captaincy is Tiger's if and when he wants it.

"I think if Tiger wants to do this, he's going to do it," Bradley said. "Tiger is not only a hero to all of us that would be on his team, but he's also an incredible leader and a person that everyone would love to play for.

"But I'm pretty sure when he wants to do this, he's going to get to be able to do it."

Bradley was named as the surprise Ryder Cup captain in July 2024 and the PGA of America sound like they want to have their man in place even earlier this time around, in a bid to grab a long-awaited victory on European soil.

Players from this year's team have largely been full of praise for Bradley, and the manner of that epic Sunday fightback gives him some credit in the bank.

Other potential candidates include previous captains Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker and inexperienced pair Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker.

As with 2025 though, and in fact seemingly any other tournament year, the Ryder Cup captaincy looks like it's Woods' - if he wants it.

Justin Thomas has attempted to clarify comments he made about Ryder Cup green speeds earlier this week after a reported Bethpage Black staffer responded angrily less than 24 hours later.

More than two months after Team Europe's 15-13 success over Team USA at Bethpage Black, Thomas appeared on the No Laying Up podcast to discuss a range of topics - from the Ryder Cup to his injury and his past year on tour.

In amongst a fascinating chat was the two-time Major winner's comments about the pace of the putting surfaces at Bethpage Black and how they were apparently not what had been requested by the Americans ahead of time.

This, according to Thomas, caused an argument between members of Team USA and an external party and Team Europe took advantage of the conditions and more efficient preparation to put themselves in a commanding position through two days.

The home side fought back valiantly in the Sunday singles, led in part by Thomas' 1up win over Tommy Fleetwood, but it was too little, too late as Luke Donald's men clung on to victory.

Asked on No Laying Up if the greens were as slow as broadcasters had claimed on the coverage, Thomas said: "Yeah, I don't really understand that. I don't know why they weren't at all what Keegan had asked for.

"I mean, he had been pretty clear of asking for a certain speed and wanting it fast enough. I watched them argue with us that they were 13s [on the stimp].

"And it's like, 'guys, we play golf every week, like, look on TV at how many guys are leaving putts short. Nobody is getting... You can't have a putt, roll, three feet, four feet past the hole. Like these greens are slow, speed them up.'

"And it was just bizarre because that's not something you would expect at a home Ryder Cup."

Shortly after Thomas' thoughts went online, Rick Golfs (@Top100Rick) posted on X to say that he had received a text from an anonymous member of the greens crew at Bethpage.

Said staffer was extremely unhappy at the 32-year-old's take on the situation and spared no feelings in his riposte, saying: "They can argue with numbers all they want but these are concrete, collected numbers that cannot be argued with. Data is data, not an opinion. Player perception is an opinion.

“There was ZERO conversation between captains and the grounds crew during tournament week, and that is at the fault of Keegan.

"We would have welcomed him with open arms any day or time (we were there 24/7) and only spoke with him directly ONCE - weeks before the event.

"If there was a problem, it should have come from him in practice rounds (that they failed to play) when they would have realized they didn't like the speed.

“They still lost, and they still can't accept it. Two months later and the excuses keep rolling.

"The grounds crew wanted to win more than any player on that American team. Quite frankly, it meant more to the Bethpage staff and the state of New York than anyone else.

"Learn to practice and compete as a team, or JT will continue to scrap together excuses in 2026.”

Having seen the Bethpage staffer's comments, Thomas then went on the PGA Tour's Sirius XM radio to try and set the record straight - even going so far as to say he agreed with the anonymous staffer's feelings on a certain aspect.

Thomas said: "It's unfortunate things get lost in translation or the context is not there. I don't feel that I ever said anything about this being the greens crew's fault.

"This is all obviously to my knowledge, the captain doesn't have communication with, say, the superintendent or the greens crew.

"Obviously [the captain] knows them, but Keegan is not going to the superintendent at Bethpage asking what he's done because - I would assume - for certain reasons that could probably get out of hand a little bit.

"And the PGA of America is still setting up the golf course and doing things, so they need to know what's going on.

"It was more so with whoever the communication [was] with Keegan. And, honestly, I think the point that the greens crew made [in the text] is exactly my point.

"I know for a fact that Keegan was asking for a certain thing or a certain speed and the fact that never got relayed to them kind of proves the point I was trying to make."

Keegan Bradley says he has been going through the 'darkest time of my life' following the USA's Ryder Cup defeat at Bethpage Black.

The American captain honorably took the blame after his team's loss in New York, where Luke Donald's Europeans won 15-13 despite an intense final day comeback from the home team.

Bradley, speaking ahead of the Hero World Challenge after his big win in The Skins Game on Black Friday, also responded to Justin Thomas' claim that the Bethpage Black greens were not at the desired speed.

"I mean, the darkest time of my life probably. I mean, I don't know how else to describe it. Certainly, definitely of my career," Bradley said on how the Ryder Cup defeat has affected him.

"There's always this letdown after a Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup regardless of the outcome because the emotions are so extreme. It's Ryder Cup hangover and you're just exhausted and you're down, you know. That takes a toll on you.

"But there's just, it just was, it just was a tough time. Still is.

"But to be honest with you, the last couple weeks I've felt more like myself. Getting back, getting ready to play tournaments, playing the Skins game, getting ready to come play here.

"Really, it's been tough for all of us; not just me, the players as well.

"I feel like every time I see a player on the team here I want to just go give him a hug and sit down and chat. But I'm grateful for everybody.

"I'm in a unique position where I could make another team, which has never been done. I would love to do that."

Justin Thomas made headlines on Monday when he admitted members of Team USA had been questioning staff at Bethpage over the speed of the greens.

The two-time Major winner said Bradley wanted them at 13 on the stimpmeter but Thomas was adamant they were slower.

When asked by media, Bradley seemed to agree the putting surfaces were not as fast as he hoped but was not putting any blame on the course - having previously stated he wished he had set it up differently.

"Well, I do know that once the tournament starts on - the Sunday before the Ryder Cup, we lose control of the golf course, the home team," Bradley said.

"They were given specifications of where to keep the greens and they felt that they had done that. They did a great job.

"It's so difficult to figure out. There's so much going on and you want the greens at a certain speed and they're telling you that they are. You've got to take their word for it.

"But the greens are so flat that it's difficult I think to get the pace that we were looking for. But the course was in great shape.

"You know, the Europeans, they just played so great. I wish that we could blame somebody, but we can't.

"Blame me, I blame myself for that lost. It would be nice to blame that but we can't."

Bradley is among the star names in a stacked Hero World Challenge field this week in the Bahamas.

More than two months after Team USA's 15-13 defeat to Team Europe at the Ryder Cup, the fallout is continuing with details from the American camp regarding an unfavorable course set-up at Bethpage Black.

Justin Thomas shared with the No Laying Up podcast this week that Team USA were left unhappy with the speed of the putting surfaces at the Farmingdale, New York layout despite specific instructions from captain Keegan Bradley ahead of time to make them around 13 on the stimpmeter.

Traditionally, green speeds on the PGA Tour are a little faster than those on the DP World Tour. And although many of Luke Donald's side regularly appear on US soil, the hosts still felt they could gain an advantage by having slicker greens.

However, the target areas were apparently significantly slower than players had expected and one of the USA's potential advantages was taken away as Europe raced into an almost unassailable lead through the first two days.

And, according to Thomas, this situation led to arguments between Team USA and the Bethpage Black greenkeepers during the event itself.

Asked whether the greens were as slow as analysts and commentators had suggested at the time, Thomas said: "Yeah, I don't really understand that.

"I don't know why they weren't at all what Keegan had asked for. I mean, he had been pretty clear of asking for a certain speed and wanting it fast enough. I watched them argue with us that they were 13s [on the stimp].

"And it's like, 'guys, we play golf every week, like, look on TV at how many guys are leaving putts short. Nobody is getting... You can't have a putt, roll, three feet, four feet past the hole. Like these greens are slow, speed them up.'

"And it was just bizarre because that's not something you would expect at a home Ryder Cup."

Thomas, who secured two points from four matches at Bethpage courtesy of a thumping four-ball win alongside Cam Young on Friday and a gutsy singles victory over Tommy Fleetwood, was quick to admit that Team Europe were the better of the two teams.

The American did, however, share his mild frustration over losing a potential edge out of the gate due to conditions not being as requested.

He continued: "And again, that's not an excuse, they [Team Europe] had to adjust to them just as much as we did.

"But that's kind of a fun advantage you generally have is like being able to do that a little bit, and it was just so frustrating that we were being fought with and argued with on the speed of the greens that we asked for. So, that was bizarre."

In the meantime, Thomas is continuing his rehabilitation after undergoing microdiscectomy surgery last month, a procedure his good friend Tiger Woods has experienced several times over the years.

Also on the No Laying Up podcast, Thomas explained he is likely to miss "a couple of events" next year and shared an update on the current state of his health.

Thomas said: "I’ll probably miss a couple of events in ’26. It’s so weird. I walk completely fine. I feel like I could go walk as much as I possibly want right now, but I can’t do anything.

“So the weirdest part is not doing anything because I’m not supposed to, not because I physically can’t.”

Golfing legend Gary Player has had some strong words on the crowd behavior at the Ryder Cup - saying he was "disgusted" with what happened at Bethpage Black.

Fellow icon of the sport Tom Watson said he was "ashamed" of how the New York crowd behaved during the Ryder Cup, and Player is in full agreement.

The South African was typically forthright in his opinion on the Ryder Cup when speaking to the Palm Beach Post about the fallout from Bethpage, labelling it as "the worst event in the world."

Player had stern words for the crowd, the organisers and even under-fire MC Heather McMahan for her infamous chanting expletives at Rory McIlroy on the first tee.

"I was disgusted," Player told the Palm Beach Post. "So to me, the Ryder Cup is a shambles."

"I look at it and I'm in a state of shock. I think, what would Ben Hogan have said, you know? What would Byron Nelson have said? What would Arnold Palmer...If Arnold Palmer saw that today."

Player referenced comedian and podcaster McMahan joining in a chant at McIlroy on the first tee, which saw her leave her role as MC. McMahan has apologized for her part in it.

PGA of America president Don Rea also got a mention from Player for his Saturday interview where he played down the abuse hurled at McIlroy and Shane Lowry. Rea has also since apologized.

"The Ryder Cup to me is the worst event in the world," said Player.

"And to see a (PGA of America) hire a lady to stand on the tee - if you want to call her a lady - and saying 'F you, Rory. F this European team.' Are we crazy? And then the head of the (PGA of America) says, what was so serious about it?"

PGA CEO Derek Sprague immediately apologized right after the Ryder Cup, especially to Lowry, McIlroy and McIlroy's wife Erica after they bore the brunt of things on Saturday.

Lowry and McIlroy responded on occasions to the prolonged abuse with expletives of their own back at the crowd - with the hole spectacle becoming an unsavory one for Player.

"Golf has never been that," added the 89-year-old. "Golf has been a gentleman's sport. So, and to see that, and to see the players using this 'F' word, I mean, the whole lot."

McIlroy himself said he feared the Ryder Cup would be remembered for the off-course controversy rather than Europe's victory, and it's seemingly the case among more traditional golfing circles.

There looks to be a desire to bring the Ryder Cup back to England for the first time since 2002, but would two proposed new venues really be the way to go?

Ground has been broken on the redevelopment of Luton Hoo Hotel & Golf Club in Bedfordshire with owners targeting a bid to stage the 2035 Ryder Cup - while Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has revealed a £240 million ($320 million) funding package for a completely new development near Bolton.

The Ryder Cup has been to Wales, Scotland, France and Italy, and will be held in Ireland in 2027 and Spain in 2031 - so England could very well be on the agenda for 2035.

And with European Golf Design, involved in the layouts at Celtic Manor, Le Golf National and Marco Simone, helping build Luton Hoo it seems a serious Ryder Cup contender - but with so many iconic courses in the country shouldn't one of those be chosen?

Yes, a purpose built facility can get constructed to exact specifications needed to stage such a huge event and exactly to what Ryder Cup Europe want, and it's such a great spectacle that what happens on the course is far more important overall than what course it is happening on.

And there are problems associated with some of the more iconic old courses in England, but staging the Ryder Cup at some of the following would add an extra layer of mystique to the event.

Royal Birkdale

A regular Open Championship host, Royal Birkdale staged the Ryder Cup twice in 1965 and 1969 - the second being the scene for one of those iconic Ryder Cup moments.

'The Concession' saw Jack Nicklaus give Tony Jacklin a generous half as the Ryder Cup had its first ever tied outcome in a 16-16 draw.

So the history and tradition is all there, and so crucially is the experience of staging such a huge event and the infrastructure - it's a sizeable property and more than capable of handling the influx of golf fans in both transport and accommodation.

The venue has it all.

Wentworth

As with Royal Birkdale, Wentworth should have no real problems with handling the event - and as the host of the DP World Tour's flagship tournament wouldn't it be fitting to stage the European battle with the USA?

There's also already been a Ryder Cup at Wentworth, back in 1953, which just adds to the tradition about the place.

Transport links are good and again there should be plenty of room - and for Europe this one would be personal as they defend their HQ.

The Belfry

No venue in recent Ryder Cup history is more synonymous with the event than four-time host The Belfry, with Europe going 2-1-1 in those tournaments.

The event is a lot bigger than it was when it was last at the Midlands venue back in 2002, but there should be enough room to expand from hosting events like the British Masters.

We all love looking back at Ryder Cup history and the Brabazon has plenty of that around every corner that we could look back on in the build-up - and as it stands it's the venue of America's last away win so even the visitors would relish a return.

Royal Liverpool

Another pick of the English venues that stage The Open, with a big property and in a more open and accessible area than the perhaps slightly more remote Sandwich.

With a big city in Liverpool just across the water with plenty of good travel and accommodation available, it'd make for some iconic build-up images.

The there's the course itself at Hoylake, which has staged The Open 13 times and three times since 2006 after receiving rave reviews from the players. It'd be a stunning setting for a Ryder Cup clash.

London Golf Club

Our fifth and final option is a genuine contender and less about heritage and more about accessibility and tournament readiness - and that's London Golf Club situated just outside the M25.

The Jack Nicklaus design has staged DP World Tour events including the European Open and also the World Matchplay - and the club has actively been involved in the bidding process for both the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup.

It's not got the history of the others in our list, but is at least an established course, has held tournament before and there's something about holding the Ryder Cup at London Golf Club that would be endlessly marketable.

Future Ryder Cup venues

• 2027 - Adare Manor (County Limerick, Republic of Ireland)
• 2029 - Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minnesota)
• 2031 - Camaril Golf & Wellness (Girona, Spain)
• 2033 - The Olympic Club (San Francisco, California)
• 2035 - Unconfirmed (Europe)
• 2037 - Congressional Country Club (Bethesda, Maryland)

Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf and Spa has closed to begin a huge redevelopment in the hope of creating an "Augusta of Europe" and landing the honor of staging the 2035 Ryder Cup.

The £170m ($226m) redevelopment of the Bedfordshire golf course will take up to two-and-a-half years with the hope that it will be able to stage the 2035 Ryder Cup - and with the companies involved it certainly stands a huge chance.

When plans were first released, the aim was for either the 2031 or 2035 events, but Camiral in Spain has since been announced as the 2031 host.

The Ryder Cup has not been held in England since 2002 at The Belfry so a return is due, but Luton Hoo seems to be facing competition from another new build - the abitious £240m project at Hulton Park near Bolton.

And as with England Golf's hopes to bring the Solheim Cup to the country, the bid would need UK government backing.

Plans are going ahead at Luton Hoo though and with the companies involved in the project it certainly points to it being a future Ryder Cup site.

Seven-time Ryder Cup player Justin Rose is helping to design the new championship calibre course alongside golfing icon Gary Player.

Layout work is being carried out by European Golf Design - a company partly owned by the DP World Tour which has been responsible for recent Ryder Cup venues Celtic Manor, Le Golf National and Marco Simone.

That means they'll have the inside track on just what Ryder Cup Europe is looking for in selecting a venue for the biennial showpiece - which has grown into one of the biggest sporting spectacles in the world.

Luton Hoo owners the Arora Group employing Atlantic Golf Construction to carry out the works is also a big hint that they fancy their chances - as that company built the next Ryder Cup venue, Adare Manor in Ireland.

"If you want the best you have to bring the best team on board," chairman of the owner group Surinder Arora is quoted as saying by the BBC.

"We are very excited about the whole project. It was always my dream to create the Augusta of Europe.

"Work has started and we have chosen contractors Atlantic Golf Construction, external from Ireland and they also built Adare Manor which is where the next Ryder Cup is so we are not skimping anywhere.

"It is more than about time we bring it [Ryder Cup] home."

Gary Johnson, a designer with European Golf Design, told the BBC that his company "know exactly what is needed for a championship golf course".

And when calling the area around Luton Hoo as "a truly special landscape" he said the new resort would have everything needed to host the Ryder Cup in the next decade.

"This site has the space and the access and everything else you would need," he said.

Ryder Cup Future Venues

• 2027 - Adare Manor (County Limerick, Republic of Ireland)
• 2029 - Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minnesota)
• 2031 - Camaril Golf & Wellness (Girona, Spain)
• 2033 - The Olympic Club (San Francisco, California)
• 2035 - Unconfirmed (Europe)
• 2037 - Congressional Country Club (Bethesda, Maryland)

The Ryder Cup fallout continues for embattled PGA of America president Don Rea after video emerged on social media of his now infamous karaoke routine at Bethpage Black.

Rea hasn't come out of the Ryder Cup crowd behavior saga too well, stemming from his interview on Saturday after the worst of the abuse was dished out to Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry.

He was also described as "bitter" by Matt Fitzpatrick for his performance at the trophy presentation for congratulating Europe for regaining the Ryder Cup when in fact they claimed a conclusive 15-13 victory.

Among more bizarre reports around the event were those first reported in The Times that Rea opted to spend Saturday night on the karaoke machine behind the scenes in the American team room - belting out Lose Yourself by Eminem.

It was a brave choice - not only in the song he elected to sing but the timing - coming just after Europe had all-but sealed victory after a punishing two days for Team USA.

The footage has now cropped up, as so often happens, on social media, with Rea attracting a host of comments from fans, media and golfers from around the world.

Most of it was not too positive, although a few have mentioned that after the show Rea put on the American team did go out and dominate the Sunday singles and almost claim an incredible victory.

You can see for yourself whether Rea's rapping could have inspired the USA to their comeback from the video below, obtained by The Shotgun Start...

It's just the latest in some slightly bizarre antics by the PGA of America president - who when questioned about his Saturday interview, where he played down the fan trouble, later posted on LinkedIn saying he was "not bothered" about taking criticism.

Video footage then came out of a drink being spilled on McIlroy's wife Erica, while Shane Lowry talked about the abuse she had suffered in particular in Europe's winning press conference.

PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague then publicly apologized to Rory and Erica McIlroy and the entire European team, saying "there’s no place for that in the Ryder Cup or the game of golf".

Only later has it been reported that Rea has followed his CEO in apologizing, although this has come in the form of an email to the PGA of America members and not in the public domain.

Rea does say in his letter though that he'll apologize personally to McIlroy, and also said sorry for his Saturday interview with the BBC that caused such a stir.

“I would also like to apologize personally to them (the McIlroys) and all of you for not representing our association in the best light with some of my comments in the media during the event," Rea said to PGA of America members.

Rea remains as president but seemingly has some work to do on his standing within the PGA but also with his wider public image, which has not come out well from the Ryder Cup.

But what do you think? Has Rea been harshly treated in the Ryder Cup fallout or is this karaoke video the latest PR problem for the president? Have you say by joining the conversation using the comment box below...

Team USA's Collin Morikawa has defended comments he made regarding fan behavior in the build-up to last month's Ryder Cup, stating his words were taken "a little out of context."

Morikawa was quoted in his pre-Ryder Cup press conference as saying he felt the crowd during practice days at Bethpage Black was "kind of tame" and he hoped "Friday is just absolute chaos."

The 28-year-old later went on to remark that he wanted fans to "go crazy" during tournament days so that Team USA could use the home crowd's energy to their advantage in trying to win back the Ryder Cup.

He said: "Yeah, Whistling Straits, there was still a little bit of Covid. We had a crowd but it wasn’t as big as what they say it’s going to be here.

"I’ll be honest, I think it’s kind of tame so far, Tuesday and Wednesday. I know tomorrow is going to be pretty bad but I hope Friday is just absolute chaos. I’m all for it. I think it feeds into who we are and the American players and the American Team. We want it. Like we want to use that to our advantage.

"I think every sport uses their home crowd to their advantage, and just because we don’t play in a setting like this doesn’t mean the craziness of New York and the rest of the country that people are traveling in from, it doesn’t mean that we can’t use that to our advantage.

"I think we really have to tap into that. I hope they come strong. Watching all these kids, I know they want autographs, but come Friday, I hope they go crazy."

However, most people - including Morikawa - agreed that the actions of certain sections watching on in New York significantly crossed the line in terms of what is acceptable.

Rory McIlroy, in particular, was subjected to a torrent of abuse throughout the week while he and his wife, Erica, even had beer thrown over them at one point.

There were also several instances of shouting while players were stood over the ball and unsavoury comments directed at a number of other European golfers, leading McIlroy to criticize the overall standard of behavior post-event.

Speaking ahead of this week's Baycurrent Classic on the PGA Tour, which is being held in Japan, Morikawa was asked by one reporter whether he felt fan behavior "crossed the line" at Bethpage Black and whether he felt any responsibility for what occurred.

Issuing a defence of his comments, Morikawa insisted his pre-Ryder Cup words were not meant to inspire rudeness or aggression but instead encourage passionate patriotism from the stands.

He said: "I think we’ve taken what I said a little out of context. I think Ryder Cups are meant to have a lot of energy, right?

"And I think me saying the word “chaos,” I didn’t mean for them to be rude, right? So, like, that’s not on me, I believe, for me to take credit for people being rude.

"I think what I meant was like I wanted energy, right? You wanted people to be proud of the country, the countries they’re rooting for.

"So I don’t think me saying one word, everyone listened and then -- I don’t think I have the power to do that amongst people.

"I think fans can do and say what they want sometimes. It probably crossed a line out there. It wasn’t in my groups but definitely what people were hearing [crossed a line]."

Morikawa is aiming to move past Team USA's 15-13 defeat to Team Europe last month with a strong performance at Yokohama Country Club this week.

The six-time PGA Tour winner tees off alongside Chris Gotterup and Hideki Matsuyama in round one, which has been moved forward by two hours to protect against the "projected impacts" of Typhoon Halong.

It's fair to say that Rasmus Hojgaard's 2025 Ryder Cup experience was a fairly mixed one.

The Danish twin began his time at Bethpage Black practically bursting with excitement - and probably a few nerves as well - before having his bubble well and truly burst with the sharp spike of reality when he and Ludvig Aberg ran into the New York express train that was Cameron Young on day one.

Young and playing partner, Justin Thomas ploughed through the Scandinavian pair 6&5 on Friday afternoon to remind Hojgaard just how brutal this event can be.

As if to evidence the fact, the 24-year-old did not feature at all on Saturday and was sent out three matches before the end of the Sunday singles.

His performance against Ben Griffin once again failed to showcase the kind of quality Hojgaard possesses as the Dane shot two-over to lose 1dn.

It wasn't all bad, though, as Rasmus was able to celebrate a Ryder Cup victory with Team Europe - just as his twin brother Nicolai had done in Rome two years earlier.

Nevertheless, Hojgaard would undoubtedly have been slightly frustrated with and disappointed in his own display ahead of a meaningful return to individual action on the PGA Tour last week.

Alongside his twin brother in the field for the Sanderson Farms Championship at The Country Club of Jackson, Rasmus knew his PGA Tour future was under mild threat at the end of his full debut campaign on US soil.

A couple of top-25s to open the season were quickly left in the rear-view mirror as missed cuts and underwhelming weekends populated Hojgaard's PGA Tour results column prior to Major season beginning.

Days after finishing T32nd at The Masters, the Hojgaard brothers clinched solo second at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans to give both a much-needed boost in the FedEx Cup standings.

But, after managing a season's best ranking of 69th following a T23rd at the Truist Championship in May, Hojgaard's PGA Tour results started to suffer and his position in the standings began to slide.

His T16th finish at The Open Championship arrested the backwards momentum somewhat, but Hojgaard still began tournament week at the Sanderson Farms Championship 87th in the FedEx Cup Fall and looking over his shoulder.

If there was pressure on the five-time DP World Tour winner's shoulders, you would hardly have known thanks to 22 birdies throughout the week and just three bogeys. His 19-under total secured Hojgaard T3rd and pushed him up to 75th in the FedEx Cup Fall.

But, even with his PGA Tour future now all-but secured, Hojgaard insisted he would continue to try and push for a breakthrough success in America.

Asked how his latest result affects his planning for the remainder of the season, Hojgaard said: "I don't think it changes much because you are still trying to show up to the events you're going to play and do your best.

"It's definitely a boost this week after last week, so, yeah, I'm going to sit down with my team and discuss how much we're going to play."

As he attempts to keep climbing the rankings, both Hojgaard twins are heading over to Japan for this week's Baycurrent Classic in Japan - a favorite country of the Dane's.

He continued: "Every time you play good golf it's a big confidence boost. Yeah, I'm looking forward to Japan. It's one of my favorite spots to go to, so hopefully I can take some of this with me."

The Baycurrent Classic is offering an $8 million field this week, with the limited-field featuring plenty of big names such as Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark at Yokohama Country Club.

The MC who was caught on video singing 'F*** you Rory' has spoken about the incident at length for the first time - with Heather McMahan apologizing again while offering her version of events.

The now infamous Saturday started with thousands of USA fans engaging in the chant before McIlroy was abut to start his morning match.

Tensions boiled over throughout the day - with McIlroy seen telling fans to "Shut the **** up" before hitting a shot and plenty of instances of vile abuse and chanting that really let the Ryder Cup and Team USA down.

McMahan apologized at the time and stepped down from her role as MC at Bethpage Black, and now speaking on her own podcast has explained the wider context of the incident.

"The Ryder Cup is feral, the crowd was feral, it was a brutal environment," said McMahan as she explained she regretted saying the chant once in an antmosphere she admits got out of control quickly.

“I would just like to say that I immediately did not like the energy and the vibe from when that started to happen. I will take full responsibility, and sincerely apologize to Rory [McIlroy], team Europe for saying that,” she continued. “It was so foolish of me.

“I did not start the chant, I would just like that narrative to get out there. I did not start it, but any way that I participated in that, even just saying it once, was so foolish and so silly of me.”

Expanding on the atmosphere on that first tee box, McMahan said that even so early in the morning, it quickly turned from fun to feral and toxic in a hurry.

“It went from us trying to be fun and funny and like get it going, to immediately just was negative and felt really toxic,” she said.

“As soon as I said that I was like, 'I don’t want any part of this. This was just getting weird and I don’t know how to control this crowd of 4,000 dudes at five o’clock in the morning, shouting crazy s***.'

“As soon as that happened, I immediately turned to my producer and said ‘let’s just get the DJ to play music. I don’t know what to do with this audience right now, so I’m not going to participate.’”

'I can not control what 40,000 drunk men at a golf tournament do'

And after insisting she shut down the chant as soon as she realized her mistake, McMahan then was keen to point out that any reports that she helped to inspire the afternoon's vile abuse of players were way off the mark.

"The stuff that was said in the afternoon was just embarrassing for the New York crowd, tasteless, stupid, low brow," said McMahan.

"And when I saw headlines I was to blame for that, for thousands of drunk man to go out after that and make ass hats out of themselves - that would never be my intention and I would never participate in that.

"I can not control what 40,000 drunk men at a golf tournament do, much less could I control them that morning, 4,000 of them, it was very overwhelming."

Dustin Johnson watched all the drama of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage unfold from the comfort of his couch – but he’d like to be front and centre back as part of Team USA for the next one at Adare Manor in 2027.

Johnson has played in five Ryder Cups, winning 12 points from 21 matches including his perfect five wins from five in his last appearance at Whistling Straits in 2021.

Moving to LIV Golf has seen Johnson now miss out on the last two Ryder Cups, and perhaps Keegan Bradley could’ve done with his experience during the first two days at Bethpage.

That lack of Official World Golf Ranking points available to LIV Golf means Johnson is reliant on playing well in the Majors and events on the DP World Tour and Asian Tour to get points.

He’s starring at one of those this week after a superb 64 in the opening round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship - which continued his recent return to form.

And although many have questioned what ambitions the 41-year-old still holds, he insisted returning to the Ryder Cup for the trip to Ireland in 2027 was very much one of his aims.

“I’d love to,” said Johnson about a Ryder Cup return. “I wanted to be there (Bethpage). I just need to play a bit better and I can be there for Adare.

“I finally feel like I have my game coming back into form. I’ve got a lot more confidence in it and I am starting to swing it well again.

“I went through about a year where I just wasn’t swinging at it very well. But I feel I am now starting to hit a lot of nice shots and feel a lot more consistent. The last few months have been nice.”

Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton showed that it’s possible to play in LIV Golf and qualify for the Ryder Cup - while Jon Rahm was an obvious pick for Luke Donald and responded with another strong performance.

Johnson’s Ryder Cup record would make him an interesting option for whoever captain’s the USA in 2027, but he’d need to display a lot more form in LIV Golf and his Major appearances.

He could also benefit from appearing in more DP World Tour events if he decides to go down a route similar to Brooks Koepka, who is appearing in his fourth in a row at the Dunhill.

Given how poor the USA played in the team aspects of the Ryder Cup, a player with Johnson’s experience and decent record of winning exactly 50% of his foursomes and fourballs matches in the competition would certainly be a tempting pick.

Johnson needs to continue this uptick in form though if he is to swap his couch for the fairways of Adare Manor next time around.

PGA of America president Don Rea has finally apologized for his much-criticized comments made about the crowd behavior at the Ryder Cup.

It was not a public apology though, as Rea sent an email to the PGA of America’s membership to condemn the behavior of the Bethpage fans and also say sorry for his own comments during the event.

Rea attracted some negative press after he appeared to play down the abuse hurled at Europe’s players at Bethpage Black, even likening it to how the home crowds behaved in Rome in the last reverse fixture.

In the face of this criticism, the 58-year-old then even doubled down as he took to LinkedIn to defend himself, saying he was “not bothered” by those questioning his position.

However, there’s been a change of heart and Rea has now apologized not only for the fans at Bethpage but for his own comments to the media on the subject.

“While the competition was spirited - especially with the US team’s rally on Sunday afternoon - some fan behavior clearly crossed the line,” Rea wrote in the email published by the Associated Press’ Doug Ferguson.

“It was disrespectful, inappropriate, and not representative of who we are as the PGA or as PGA of America golf professionals. We condemn that behavior unequivocally.”

Rea says he will join PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague in sending his apologies to Rory McIlroy and wife Erica, who attracted most of the more serious abuse.

And finally there was an apology for his comments playing down the crowd abuse, mainly made in a BBC interview, and the negative attention they brought on the PGA.

Matt Fitzpatrick hit back at Rea likening the Bethpage crowd to the European one in Rome, and also thought he acted "bitter" in the presentation ceremony, when he congratulated Luke Donald's side for retaining the Ryder Cup when in fact they won it outright 15-13.

“What makes our sport great is that we own our bogeys,” Rea added. “We certainly own this one. Our CEO Derek Sprague has apologized on our behalf to Erica and Rory McIlroy and to everyone with Ryder Cup Europe.

“I would also like to apologize personally to them and all of you for not representing our association in the best light with some of my comments in the media during the event.

“While it wasn’t my intention, some of my comments were seen in a negative light which reflects poorly on not only myself but also on the PGA of America and for that I truly apologize.”

Time will tell if Rea will make the apology public, or indeed whether his position as PGA of America president comes under threat as the fallout from such an explosive Ryder Cup rumbles on.

Under fire PGA of America president Don Rea says he is "not bothered" by criticizm he's attracted following his comments on the crowd and his demeanour during the trophy presentation at the Ryder Cup.

Rea gave a rather controversial interview to the BBC on that infamous Saturday at Bethpage Black, playing down the crowd abuse Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry received.

Along with comparing the New York crowd to the European fans in Rome, Rea also received some push back from members of Luke Donald's side for how he handled the presentation ceremony.

All-in-all, Rea has not come away from Bethpage with too much credit left in the bank, and in a rather unusual move he's taken to networking site LinkedIn to defend himself.

"Couple thoughts. This is my profile not the PGA’s," Rea wrote. "That being said, thank you to all that have reached out to me as a friend and golf industry leader.

"I’m personally taking some criticism right now and that comes with the role and just like when I was an umpire I expect it.

"However, to the students and PGA members that follow me, know this, I am not bothered. I know who I ultimately serve.

"When I wrote this sermon 3 years ago I meant it and today I am living it. The truth is still the truth. New level. New devil."

That last sentence was in reference to a sermon he gave in church back in 2022.

Rea's initial refusel to condemn the crowd drew plenty of critics both from the press and on social media.

"You know, it happens when we're over in Rome on the other side, and Rory understands," Rea told the BBC.

His suggestion it was similar to the European crowd in Rome brought a direct response from both Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick.

"I saw the interview with the PGA guy discussing about it was the same in Rome," said Fitzpatrick. "It's pretty offensive to European fans the fact that he said that, really.

There was also the trophy presentation, where Fitzpatrick felt Rea acted "bitter" when he voiced his congratulations for Europe retianing the trophy, when their 15-13 victory was clear.

Rea sounds defiant with his LinkedIn post, but it's clear the 58-year-old who was eelcted PGA president last November, will have questions to answer as the fallout from the Ryder Cup continues.

Former Team USA Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger has accused Rory McIlroy of hypocrisy over his comments about the home fans at Bethpage Black.

McIlroy was public enemy number one to the New York fans, with the abuse he and Shane Lowry suffered on Saturday afternoon among the worst ever witnessed in the Ryder Cup.

The Northern Irishman's wife Erica even suffered some abuse, and also had a drink spilled over her, with McIlroy saying after winning the Ryder Cup that the actions of the crowd were unacceptable.

"Look, I don't think we should ever accept that in golf," McIlroy said. "I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week."

It's those comments that Azinger took exception to though, accusing McIlroy of hypocrisy given how he responded with expletives of his own directed at the crowd.

Both McIlroy and Lowry reacted angrily on a number of occasions, and Azinger believes that the Grand Slam winner can't shout such things at the crowd while also criticizing their behavior as bad for golf.

“In the press conference after it’s over, he’s saying, ‘I think golf should be held to a higher standard of decorum’,” Azinger told Golf’s Subpar podcast.

“But in the meantime, he says, ‘F*** you, F*** you, F*** you’ in full voice for the world to see. He turns around and says to the guy, ‘Shut the f*** up’.

“The guy in the media asked him today, ‘How did that feel, Rory, to tell the guy to shut the f*** up and then hit it two feet?’ And he said, ‘It felt pretty f*****g good’, and I’m like, which is it, Rory? Is it that golf is held to a higher standard? Or are you just going to say ‘F*** you’ to the fans and act like that’s OK?

“I love Rory, you know that, but you can’t say that. You can’t say the fans need to behave better and then in the meantime, lay them to waste.

"You've got to be one or the other, you can't do both."

PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague apologized to McIlroy and team Europe for the crowd's behavior at Bethpage, and considering the personal nature of the insults and those aimed at his family, many understand why McIlroy reacted on occasions.

Matt Fitzpatrick backed his teammate, considering the level and consistency of the abuse McIlroy faced over all five sessions.

"I know obviously things have been said about what players have replied to to the crowd," said Fitzpatrick. "Which in my opinion is warranted given what they gave in the first place."

Along with draping the European flag over Bryson DeChambeau's name during their celebrations, there will be those, though, that feel McIlroy also acted in a way that didn't reflect golf's traditional values.

What do you think? Remember you can have your say by joining the conversation in the comments section below...

Both Keegan Bradley and PGA of America president Don Rea appeared to suggest that the Ryder Cup abuse at Bethpage Black was similar to what Team USA experienced in Rome in 2023.

That suggestion has been immediately rebuffed by two of Europe's Ryder Cup stars who played in both tournaments - and said comparisons between the two were "pretty offensive to European fans".

Saturday afternoon in particular will go down as one of the most controversial in Ryder Cup history - with Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry being subjected to huge amounts of personal abuse at Bethpage Black.

But an interview Rea gave to the BBC on Saturday night, saying "you know, it happens when we're over in Rome on the other side" did not go down too well with the visitors.

PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague has since apologized for the abuse Europe suffered - and will personally write to McIlroy and his wife Erica in particular as she was also the subject of abuse - and even had a drink thrown on her on Saturday.

But captain Bradley was another to equate what happened at Bethpage to how the European crowd behaved in Rome - even though he didn't play in that Ryder Cup.

"I wasn't at Rome, but I heard a lot of stories that Rome was pretty violent as well," said Bradley at Bethpage. "But the fans of New York from what I have seen have been pretty good."

“You're always going to have a few people that cross the line, and that's unfortunate."

The comparison has been flatly rejected by both Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick, who played in both events and said they do not come close.

"I saw those comments about the - I saw the interview with the PGA guy discussing about it was the same in Rome," said Fitzpatrick.

"It's pretty offensive to European fans the fact that he said that, really."

Hatton feels the same, adding: "Personally, I don't think they were close at all.

"I certainly, with what I heard last week, I don't think Rome comes anywhere near that.

"To be honest, personally, I don't agree with what they both said there. I don't know what else to add to that. I think they are quite far apart to be honest."

How will Ryder Cup crowd react in Ireland?

There is a slight worry the European crowd at Adare Manor in 2027 might seek revenge and give Team USA similar treatment, but most believe they will react in the right way.

And for the most part, the European crowds have been more about backing their own side than trying to intimidate the Americans - with humor usually at the core.

"If it was my choice, and obviously what I say isn't really going to affect how people behave, but I don't really think that the insults is the way forward," said Hatton.

"I don't think it (Ireland in 2027) will be as hostile as maybe as it was last week. I'd like to think that it will be very respectful."

And Fitzpatrick has no concerns at all, adding that Rea was well wide of the mark with his comments on Rome.

"I don't have any worries about European fans.," said Fitzpatrick. "What the The PGA of America guy said about it was the same in Rome, he clearly wasn't there.

"I guess he wasn't there or he must have been listening to something else because it was just never the case that it was anything like that. It's always been playful and just banter, really."

Matt Fitzpatrick says he noticed "a little bit of bitterness" from PGA of America president Don Rea during the Ryder Cup trophy presentation on Sunday.

After making a quick turnaround for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews, Fitzpatrick reflected on a memorable Ryder Cup victory in New York.

Top of the list, of course, was the behavior of the crowd in New York, which PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague plans on apologizing personally for.

That's a different tone than president of the PGA of America Don Rea struck at Bethpage when playing it down somewhat after that hectic Saturday - but it was his demeanour on Sunday that Fiztpatrick noted.

"You know, I don't want to speak on behalf of everyone but we did feel there was a little bit of bitterness when we got to the - when they presented the trophy there and shook their hands," Fitzpatrick said at the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

The Sheffield man says that fellow Englishman Justin Rose also noted a hint of bitterness from Rea at the presentation - especially when he congratulated Europe for 'retaining' the Ryder Cup when in fact they won it outright 15-13.

"Me and Rosey both looked at each other as if to say, that wasn't a very heartfelt congratulations, I know that," said Fitzpatrick of Rea's attitude at the ceremony.

"And he said we only retained it but actually we won it, so...."

Although Rea hasn't seemed too concerned about the fan behavior, Sprague was much more disappointed, saying it had "no place in the Ryder Cup".

Fitzpatrick and most of the European side dealt with it superbly after being well prepared by captain Luke Donald, although most did not get the levels of abuse saved for Rory McIlroy.

"For me personally, people were giving me abuse about my braces. They were giving me abuse about my Skechers. Like that was kind of the extent that I heard," Fitzpatrick explained.

"Obviously Rory, Shane, in particular, got a lot on that Saturday afternoon, a lot worse, I guess. And obviously you see clips of various things being shouted out. Obviously it wasn't great, and like Rory said, it wasn't acceptable."

And although he understands why the PGA of America would want to apologize, Fitzpatrick accepts it was a minority of fans who got out of control.

"They can't control what comes out of everyone's mouth, there's no doubt about it," he added.

"I wouldn't say we were looking for an apology but I would say it's understandable that they would apologise. I've had a number of friends who are American send messages, texts, all sorts, apologizing for the fans and saying really sorry that you had to deal with that stuff.

"But we knew what we were going to deal with going in. Luke and the team did such an amazing job with that; you over prepare so that actually when you get there, we expected this, anyway. So it wasn't an issue."

PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague will apologize to Rory McIlroy and the entire European team for the abuse they took at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.

While PGA of America president Don Rea has largely played down the abuse that Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry in particular suffered, CEO Sprague was keen to apologize and say "we take responsibility for the fan behavior."

Everyone was expecting a fierce New York crowd, but some overstepped the mark, repeatedly disturbing players while trying to hit shots and shouting obscene and personal jibes that went way beyond the line.

The abuse was even directed at players' families and wives, with Erica McIlroy in particular being targeted - she even had a drink spilled on her during that infamous Saturday.

"I was out there for two days with Erica McIlroy, and the amount of abuse that she received was astonishing and the way she was out there supporting her husband and supporting her team was unbelievable," said Shane Lowry in the aftermath of Sunday's epic win.

In an interview with the Golf Channel's Rex Hoggard, Sprague acknowledged that the fan behavior was unacceptable and says he plans to apologize to team Europe - and in particular McIlroy and his wife.

"I talked a little to Paul McGinley last night. I haven’t spoken to Rory or Erica, I do plan on sending them an e-mail with my heartfelt apologies because of what occurred," Sprague told Hoggard.

"There’s no place for that in the Ryder Cup or the game of golf. I heard Rory say it, we’re better than that in golf.

"That’s one thing our game has always portrayed when you compare us to other sports is that golf is a great game and people enjoy the game because of the values that golf has.

"I can’t wait to reach out to Rory and Erica, and really the entire European team. Rory might have been a target because of how good he is, but the entire European team should not have been subjected to that.

"I feel badly and I plan on apologizing to them."

Sprague said the PGA had been "planning for a number of years" for the Ryder Cup and the unique challenge of the New York fans, and insisted that they dealt with crowd problems as swiftly as possible.

"We reacted to fan behavior, including removing a number of fans from the event or moving them away from players they were abusing," Sprague said.

"We dealt with it swiftly and efficiently as it was made known to us."

Sprague said he would use lessons learned from Bethpage on Ryder Cups going forward, but was ultimately left disappointed by the upset the behavior of a minority of fans caused.

"Certainly, it’s not the values of the PGA of America or our 30,000 PGA golf professionals who work every day in this game to bring joy and laughter and fun to golf," he admitted.

"Certainly, we did not witness that, there’s no place for that at the Ryder Cup, no place for it in the game of golf and we are not happy with what happened last week."

The inquest into the US failings at the 2025 Ryder Cup is underway, with the identity of the next captain inevitably at the forefront of the conversation.

Tiger Woods is the favorite to take over from Keegan Bradley as captain for the 2027 edition at Adare Manor, but is he the answer?

Following the US’s defeat at Bethpage Black on Sunday, Normal Sports' Kyle Porter isn’t so sure.

He wrote on X: “If the question being posed is, ‘Man, Europe's excellence seems to emanate from a trust that is built by establishing relational equity and world class communication at every turn. Who can we get to build our version of that?’ I don't think 'Tiger Woods' is the answer."

One player who knows a thing or two about the match, having played in it 12 times between 1995 and 2018, is LIV Golfer Phil Mickelson, and he isn’t convinced the next captain should even come from within the game.

He responded: “Here is why looking outside of golf to a coach K or Lou Holtz is worth exploring. Golf is an individual sport that doesn’t have team work, support system, partnership, team analytics, personality traits, and more.”

The names Mickelson cited, Mike Krzyzewski (coach K) and Holtz, both had huge success with the teams they coached.

Krzyzewski was Duke University’s men’s basketball coach for over four decades, winning five NCAA national championships along the way. Meanwhile, Holtz coached several college football teams to success between the late 1960s and 2004.

Unlike Team Europe, which has had Luke Donald in place for the last two editions, both of which resulted in victory, no US captain has remained in the hotseat for more than one Ryder Cup in succession since Ben Hogan, who led the team in 1947 and 1949.

Mickelson also wondered whether a coach in the mold of Krzyzewski or Holtz could encourage more long-term thinking.

He added: “The Europeans have a template that teaches and prepares their captains for these skills. US has a new template every 2 years with little continuity.

“If a coach K or Lou Holtz or someone similar took over, would it be built upon or would it be scrapped and start over again afterwards? If that’s the case, it would be a waste of time and effort and not worth doing to begin with.”

Later, Mickelson clarified that he wasn’t suggesting either Krzyzewski or Holtz is the man to take on the role. One account mentioned Holtz will be 90 by the next Ryder Cup, prompting Mickelson to reply: “Lou Holtz type coach.”

Another user wrote: “Phil you are the answer,” to which he responded: “Flattered, but I am not.”

That is the second time in recent days that Mickelson has ruled out a Ryder Cup role.

After day two of the Bethpage Black match, he responded to a question put to him from Lee Westwood on X, suggesting he could be the 2027 US captain, writing: “No rumors. My Ryder Cup involvement is over. I’m happy being a spectator and rooting for Team USA.”

The latest US defeat looked like being one of its most emphatic, where the Europeans held a seven-point lead ahead of the Sunday singles. Donald’s men may only have edged home 15-13, but it still bucked a recent trend of the home team winning.

Since the turn of the century, the Europeans have now won the Ryder Cup nine times, with just three titles going to the US.

Following the win, members of Team Europe chanted: “Two more years,” indicating their desire to see Donald stay on for a third edition at Adare Manor.

Ever since Keegan Bradley was appointed the US Ryder Cup captain, it seemed like a risk, not least because, as well as lacking experience, his playing career was still thriving.

He wasn’t even the PGA of America’s top target for the role, with the organization courting Tiger Woods long after it had been confirmed that Luke Donald would retain his position for the Europeans.

Still, you could hardly blame Bradley for accepting the position. This was a man who had laid his emotions bare in the second season of Full Swing, which showed him taking the call from 2023 captain Zach Johnson to tell him his services would not be required at Marco Simone.

Of course, someone who so coveted a third Ryder Cup appearance as a player must have been thrilled to get the chance to lead the team at Bethpage Black.

The fact that he took on the biggest role of his life and came up short means that even the most fervent Team Europe fan could feel some sympathy for him in the aftermath of defeat.

While Bradley's team rallied from a forlorn position on Saturday evening to add respectability to the score, a loss is still a loss.

However, a 15-13 defeat, while devastating for Bradley, at least holds up reasonably among the other ten Team USA has endured in the last 30 years.

Regardless, it seems unlikely to save Bradley’s job, but I don’t think he was a bad US captain.

In fact, I saw enough positives to suggest that, maybe in a decade or so, he could be ready for another crack at it. And don't forget that Luke Donald's European side will go down as one of the greatest Ryder Cup times of all time.

The inquest into the US’s latest defeat has already started, but I saw a maturity from Bradley that suggests he was just a few tweaks away from a very different outcome.

Perhaps a couple of different pairings and a Scottie Scheffler, who went 1-4-0, firing on all cylinders would have swung it the USA's way.

How many leaders fail to recognize their own shortcomings, finding excuses or pointing the finger at others? Not Bradley.

Take his frank admission that he didn’t get the course set-up right.

He touched on the issues his team faced with the course after Saturday’s four-ball session, but note how he refused to blame those who prepared it.

“I think it's been difficult, but the course is in incredible shape,” he said. "The people here at Bethpage have done such a great job. What an incredible venue Bethpage Black is.

"It's really such a grand stage and a place that we all really look forward to playing. I hope we come back here for more Ryder Cups, more Majors, more playoff events, whatever it is.”

The next day, he was more open about his role in the set-up, saying: “We tried to set the course up to help our team.

“Obviously, it wasn't the right decision. I think anytime you're the leader of a team or the captain or the coach, or whatever, we talked about this last night, you're going to get the accolades and you need to take the blame for when things don't go well.

“I definitely made a mistake on the course set-up. I should have listened a little bit more to my intuition.

“For whatever reason, that wasn't the right way to set the course up. The greens were as soft as I've ever seen greens without it raining. Especially here, it can get pretty firm, and they never firmed up.”

Holding your hands up to a mistake like that is not a sign of weakness, but evidence of having the maturity to be honest with yourself.

So what about the US camp? Isn’t one regular accusation that Team Europe seems united, while the Americans rarely are?

Two years ago, at Marco Simone, that certainly could have been an argument, but not under Bradley.

He laid the groundwork early as part of the Presidents Cup team a year ago.

Previously seen as something of an outsider, he was an integral part of the team, bonding with the others on the way to taking two points from his three matches, as well as holing the winning putt.

While the US struggled badly in the opening two days at Bethpage, it never felt like a divided camp, simply one beaten by the better team.

Bradley appeared to have the respect of the locker room, too, with Scottie Scheffler saying afterwards: “Keegan and our vice captains put us in a position to succeed. They did everything that was asked of them.

“I had extreme confidence in what this team could do, and that's due to our captain. I think they did an amazing job. Keegan did an amazing job.”

You can’t escape the fact that at this stage of his career, Bradley shouldn’t have been considered for the role, but that’s not his fault, and of course, he backed himself as the man to deliver success.

Yes, there were mistakes, not just in the course set-up but elsewhere, such as his decision to send Collin Morikawa and Harris English out twice when it was clear to many after the Friday morning foursomes that the pairing didn’t work.

But maybe mistakes were inevitable when he had to combine his Ryder Cup preparation with a full-time playing career on the PGA Tour.

Bradley was honest again in the team’s press conference following the defeat, admitting that “I had to learn a lot on the fly.”

Somewhere down the line, when the timing is better, I wouldn’t be surprised if the powers-that-be look back at the things Bradley got right at Bethpage Black and offer him the chance to try again.

For two days of the 2025 Ryder Cup, Europe dominated the Americans but, on Sunday, they almost saw their seven point advantage disappear, as a spirited fightback from the home team came up just short.

Claiming 8.5 points from the 12 singles matches, USA fought back to a 15-13 result in the Europeans favor, with Luke Donald becoming the first captain since Tony Jacklin to claim back-to-back Ryder Cups.

Calls of "two more years" echoed around Bethpage Black after the event had finished, with Donald not giving an affirmative answer on whether he will be captain for 2027.

Amazingly, things could have turned out so differently...

Going back to March 2022, former Major winner Henrik Stenson was announced as the European captain for 2023, with the side looking to avenge their 19-9 pummeling defeat at Whistling Straits.

Beating Donald to the position, The Iceman was now at the helm; however, just four months later, Stenson was stripped of the captaincy after joining the controversial start-up LIV Golf circuit.

He wasn't the only one affected. Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and other European legends had all-but been a shoe-in to captain a Ryder Cup in their lifetime, but a move to LIV Golf meant their chances of that occurring had faded.

Speaking at the time, Stenson stated in a lengthy social media post: "After much consideration I have decided to join several of my fellow professionals and play in the LIV invitational series.

"Unfortunately my decision to play in LIV events [means] it is not possible for me to continue in my role as Ryder Cup captain. This is despite me making specific arrangements with LIV golf, to ensure I could fulfil the obligations of the captaincy.

"While I disagree with this decision, for now it is a decision that I accept."

With just over 12 months to go to the biggest golf event on the planet, Team Europe didn't have a captain after a record defeat last time.

Many wondered what was going to occur now that Stenson wasn't in the picture.

Step forward four-time Ryder Cupper Donald, who was announced as captain on August 1st 2022.

Retaining Thomas Bjorn and Edoardo Molinari as vice captains, Donald then named Nicolas Colsaerts, José María Olazábal and Francesco Molinari as his remaining vices, putting a plan of action into place to take back the Ryder Cup.

The rest they say, is history... Not only did Donald's men dominate in Rome, claiming the event 16.5-11.5, but the performance was so good that the Englishman was asked to remain as captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and it's not possible to say what would have occurred if Stenson had carried on as captain going into Rome.

What we do know, is that Stenson's move to LIV Golf helped pave the way for Donald to take over, with the Englishman becoming arguably the best Ryder Cup captain of all time.

In fact, US captain Keegan Bradley even stated: "In my eyes, I think he's the best European Ryder Cup captain ever," such is the mark made by Donald as Europe secured an away win for just the fifth time in their history.

The European Team are known for their use of analytical data to decide on pairings, but it's the thoughts and little touches from Donald that have led to back-to-back victories.

For example, such was Donald's attention to detail, he changed the bedding at the hotel where his team were staying, even changing the shampoo to one that "had a better smell."

"There's so many things that Luke has done outstandingly professionally, so perfect, that it's hard to say one," Jon Rahm said of Donald.

"Without getting too much into it, the level of professionalism he's shown us the last four years, his attention to detail in his post and his knowledge of Ryder Cup and the game and what we do on the golf course day in can day out is what made these last two Ryder Cups possible.

"He is the captain of this ship, and he's led us better than I can see anybody leading us. He set the bar extremely high for the future captains."

It's clear as to why Donald is yet to lose a Ryder Cup as a player and captain and, although it's unclear as to whether he will lead the Europeans out at Adare Manor in 2027, no-one would begrudge the Englishman attempting to make it a hat-trick as the man in charge.

From the moment Shane Lowry holed the putt at Bethpage Black that ensured the Ryder Cup was staying in European hands, captain Luke Donald must have been anticipating what followed.

It came later on while sitting alongside his team in the post Ryder Cup press conference - a chant that had become familiar at Marco Simone in 2023 rang out again: “Two more years! Two more years!”

Donald impressed with his leadership in Italy, bringing class and dignity befitting of the role, while it was well documented that he left no stone unturned in his preparations.

The result was clear for all to see – a 16.5-11.5 win that, if anything, didn’t quite do justice to the extent to which the hosts had largely dominated proceedings from the first morning.

The score may have been closer two years later, with Team Europe scrambling to a 15-13 victory after a frenetic Sunday singles session, but if anything, it was an even more impressive victory.

Neither team had won away since the Europeans last managed it in 2012 thanks to a comeback for the ages that became known as the Miracle of Medinah.

To do it in New York amid crowd behaviour that frequently strayed beyond the pale was nothing short of historic.

While the players will long be remembered for their brilliance over the first two days to put Europe into a commanding position, the success was once again heavily dependent on Donald’s remarkable captaincy.

Like two years ago, the team arrived early at the venue to prepare, while the smaller details that can make a big difference were all accounted for, from better-smelling shampoo to covering the cracks of the hotel room doors to block out the light.

Is there any wonder that the team was unanimous that Donald is the man to lead them for the third straight edition at Adare Manor in 2027?

Even though Donald refused to indicate whether he would stay on, when asked about the chances, he had a smile on his face: “My answer is I'm going to enjoy tonight,” he said.

He was more open about the all-consuming nature of the role, describing how it led to the former World No.1 taking his eye off his own playing career in pursuit of perfection.

He explained: “Yeah, I really have committed myself to this job because I feel I owe it to the players and I owe it to the Ryder Cup, which has been so special to me. I've had so many incredible experiences.

“So yeah, I've had to kind of put my own game a little bit to the side, and every day I'm trying to think about things that could help us, come up with different things that might just give us a little edge.”

That alone is surely worth considering before committing to another two years as European captain.

Keep in mind that, at 47, Donald is only two years older than team veteran Justin Rose. With three years until he is even eligible for the senior tour, you would not begrudge him the chance to walk away on a high and redirect his energies to his playing career.

But I think there is another, potentially larger, consideration at stake: it’s one thing to lead the team in another home edition of the Ryder Cup, but what happens then?

Does Donald stay on, only to walk away in 2027, leaving someone new to face the harsh reality of preparing for an away match? It would hardly be ideal.

That brings us to another issue. Arguably, the most obvious candidate to eventually succeed Donald is Rose, who appears cut from a very similar cloth and capable of building on his good work.

There will be other names in the frame too, including both of the Molinari brothers, but let's say Rose does emerge as the top choice to take on the role next. Who is to say that, after 2027, he won’t still be good enough to play?

It would not be advisable for the DP World Tour to find itself in the same position as the PGA of America with Keegan Bradley, choosing a candidate who spends much of his time in the lead-up deliberating over whether he will or won’t be a player-captain.

I think if Donald does commit to "two more years," not only will it curtail any remaining ambitions he has for his playing career, but he could easily find himself in demand for the next four.

That's a probability unlikely to be lost on him as he weighs up his options in the coming weeks.

No sooner had the 2025 Ryder Cup wrapped up, golf fans, players and pundits alike began turning their attention to the next edition of this monumental event.

People wanted to know the answer to questions like 'where is the next Ryder Cup?' and expressed their opinions on subjects like 'whether the envelope rule need to be changed.'

Another of the biggest topics of conversation in the immediate aftermath has related to who might lead the two teams at Adare Manor in Ireland.

The calls for Luke Donald to stay on resumed almost as soon as the final putt dropped, but should he take up the role again he will likely have to return in 2029 as well with the Europeans preferring to have as much continuity in their set up as possible.

Meanwhile, Keegan Bradley admitted he didn't know whether he would ever have the opportunity to carry out the honor but said he had loved every minute of captaining Team USA at Bethpage Black.

While it remains possible that the two could face off again in two years' time, a whole host of names have been tipped to head up the American side in Ireland, with the likes of Tiger Woods, Brandt Snedeker and Webb Simpson all credible candidates.

Four Golf Monthly writers have had their say on the matter and selected who they think will be the captain of both Team USA and Team Europe at the 2027 Ryder Cup.

I think the next US captain will be Tiger Woods and I think that would be the right choice as it is finally his time. He will be 51 by the time Adare Manor rolls around and it is a fitting venue for him, considering he is close friends with JP McManus who owns the incredible Irish resort.

Woods was always going to be a US Ryder Cup captain and 2027 is the perfect occasion. He was a great player-captain in Melbourne at the 2019 Presidents Cup and his appointment would ensure a very united team room. Who is not going to want to play their heart out for Tiger Woods?

On the European side, I think it could well be Luke Donald again. He has a very difficult decision to make as he would likely be offered it again in 2029 if Europe are successful in Ireland, as you hardly want to blood his successor away from home given the legacy he has created.

I am sure he will be very tempted to say no to finally relax and enjoy his life, but deep down he will find it hard saying no to his players and Ryder Cup Europe who absolutely adore him. If it isn’t Luke Donald then I don’t know who it could be. I truly feel 2027 is too early for Justin Rose so Edoardo Molinari may be second-favorite.

Given the job he has done, it would be no surprise to see Donald back at the helm for 2027 as, quite frankly, he deserves it. Obviously, it will come down to whether he wants to do it but, as of now, I wouldn't be surprised if he does a third term, even with the possibility of several names that could replace him.

For the USA, that task of captain selection will be tough. Does the PGA of America choose someone experienced, or opt for a player still competing? The obvious name that people are throwing about is Tiger Woods, but I can't see him captaining until maybe 2029 at a home Ryder Cup, so who comes in to replace Bradley?

The Americans need to re-build their Ryder Cup structure and, to do that, they will need a level-headed player.

It's worth noting that Brandt Snedeker is also the 2026 US Presidents Cup captain and, although it's rare to make the jump to Ryder Cup leader so soon after, the PGA of America may want to bring some consistency in to help with the re-build.

Although it's unclear who will be US captain, I wouldn't be surprised to see Snedeker lead the US out in 2027.

As it relates to Team Europe, the answer is an easy one if the question is who 'should' be captain? Luke Donald. Whether he will or not depends on, firstly, whether he has the energy and determination to endure a third term (and likely a fourth after that).

And secondly, what do his family think? Hopefully he has been able to generate a healthy work-life balance over the past Ryder Cup cycle, but if Donald feels he has missed too many key moments in his family's life due to this role, he should rightly walk away.

Should that happen, I would entrust either one of the Molinari brothers with the task to ensure as much continuity as possible. But if the Donald family agrees, Team Europe is going to be extremely well set for a possible period of blue dominance.

From an American perspective, I know the obvious answer is Tiger Woods, but I'm not sure if one of the greatest golfers of all time will necessarily make the best Ryder Cup captain. You see it in various sports all the time - the great player just isn't able to transfer his greatness onto those he is coaching. I do wonder if it will be the same for Woods.

This might be more popular among European golf fans than US ones, but it could be worth giving Keegan Bradley another crack at it next time out.

He did a lot of things right at Bethpage, despite making a couple of critical errors, and his relationship with the event means he will give everything to finally enjoy a first win with much less pressure on his shoulders.

Bethpage mistakes aside, Bradley proved he had the respect and admiration of those around him in New York. With those learned lessons in his back pocket, he might be able to steer this stacked US team to a shock away win at long last.

There will no doubt be clamor for Luke Donald to stay on for a third stint, but the issue is three turns effectively means four with the European desire for continuity ahead of an away Ryder Cup.

Even if Donald is up for it – which I suspect he wouldn't be – I'm not sure someone should have stewardship over the captaincy for that long.

To me, the obvious choice from a European standpoint is Justin Rose. The problem is he shows no signs of slowing down at the age of 45, and if he's appointed, would it create a problem similar to what the Americans just experienced with Keegan Bradley if he continues to play well?

I think it's probably the right call, though, as I can see him being a great captain away from home as well as on European soil – much like Donald, he's respected, methodical and passionate.

From a US perspective, I'm not sure any names really jump off the page. If Tiger Woods wants to be the captain, and I'm not entirely convinced he does, then I think he'd prefer to do it on home soil.

I'd be tempted to stick with Bradley, but if not, Webb Simpson is probably who I'd go with. He's likeable and popular and had experience as a vice-captain at Bethpage.

The 2025 Ryder Cup will go down in history with Europe winning away for the first time since Medinah 13 years ago.

Luke Donald's men were stoic at Bethpage to get 15 points in a hostile atmosphere, even with winning just one singles match on the final day as the Americans mounted a remarkable fightback.

The Ryder Cup is the biggest golf tournament in the world and there's always implications that change the course of what comes next - so what could be some of the consequences of Bethpage Black 2025?

Future Ryder Cup fan behavior

Golf is a sport that prides itself on respect and teaching people values, etiquette and rules, as Rory McIlroy put it so well in the winning press conference when addressing the fan abuse.

Yet the scenes at Bethpage were truly ugly at times. We all knew it would be a very passionate crowd but I'm not sure anyone expected the levels that some spectators went to towards the likes of Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry.

Tom Watson said he was "ashamed" by the scenes and offered an apology to the Europeans "for the rude and mean-spirited behavior from our American crowd at Bethpage."

The minority sometimes ruin it for the majority, and the fans took away from the Ryder Cup. The nastiness actually made it a less enjoyable spectacle and caused a distraction.

The atmosphere was nasty on Saturday afternoon, which is simply not how a golf crowd should be.

There will surely be implications from it going forward. Prohibiting alcohol sales seems out of the question but there needs to be ways to enforce respect among the crowd.

"We will be making sure to say to our fans in Ireland in 2027 that what happened here this week is not acceptable," Rory McIlroy said.

The fans make the Ryder Cup what it is but there is no place in the game for distracting players and making the story about the abuse outside of the ropes instead of the incredible play inside of it.

The culture of the Ryder Cup needs to improve.

We can only hope that things are much more friendly, fun and jovial in Ireland. It surely will be.

McIlroy to go more global?

I do wonder what Rory McIlroy's relationship with US fans is going to look like going forward.

The abuse he and his wife, Erica, received was disgusting at Bethpage - which came just months after he won The Masters on US soil to huge fanfare and just days after he said America is the greatest country in the world.

He has absolutely loved his time back on the DP World Tour this past month, where he has been treated like the superstar and legend that he is from fans at the K Club and Wentworth.

He has four starts remaining this year, and all four of them are on the DP World Tour in India, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Australia. This comes after a fairly long spell of him calling for the elite game to go more global.

McIlroy has also relocated to England, which is where I would imagine he will base himself and travel out from after the US Open in June all the way until the end of January when the PGA Tour season really starts to ramp up.

Whether he plays less on the PGA Tour seems unlikely, but he may start to drop even more US events in favor of the DP World Tour.

Saying that, he will almost certainly go back to being adored by the US crowds again when he tees it up on the PGA Tour, which just doesn't seem right after the scenes in New York.

Four more years?

Luke Donald almost looked resigned to the fact that he might have to captain Europe again as his team chanted 'Two more years' at the winner's press conference.

Donald will almost certainly be offered the job again for Adare Manor 2027 and it is going to be near-impossible for him to turn it down.

It is an honor of a lifetime to be a Ryder Cup captain, so what's another two years of stress, hard work and dedication?

...except it actually could turn into four years.

If Donald does take the job, which seems the most likely outcome without a huge list of potential replacements, then what happens if he continues his success and wins again in Ireland?

Donald will undoubtedly then become the best captain in Ryder Cup history, so you can't exactly blood a new face away from home. That would be a very hard act to follow.

The Englishman captaining at Adare Manor in 2027 and then Hazeltine in 2029 could be a real possibility.

Nobody has ever done four in a row, but nobody has ever been as good as Donald.

The envelope

The envelope was needed after Viktor Hovland withdrew from the singles with a neck injury, and Keegan Bradley thinks the rule should be changed ahead of Adare Manor.

We've already debated whether the envelope ruled needs amending for next time and there are a number of different tweaks that can be made.

Do they change the rules so a withdrawal means a forfeited match? Do they bring in a 13th player to act as a reserve? Or do they just keep things as they are?

Keegan Bradley signed the captain's agreement so was clearly fine with the rule prior to the Ryder Cup, but was then keen to call for change after it potentially negatively affected his team.

Luke Donald gave a very stern response to the matter that both captains knew what they signed up for, that the rule had been in place for years and that he was filled with faith that Viktor Hovland would have delivered a full point had he been able to play.

We'll never know what would have happened in that 12th match, and the likelihood is that this story blows over and the envelope rule gets forgotten about...until it is needed again.

Tom Watson has condemned the crowd behavior at the Ryder Cup that saw several flashpoints and the need for increased security.

The 76-year-old, who captained the US team in 1993 and 2014, sent a message of congratulations to Team Europe on X, where he also said he was “ashamed” of the crowd behavior.

He wrote: “I’d like to congratulate @RyderCupEurope on their victory. Your team play the first few days was sensational.

“More importantly, I’d like to apologize for the rude and mean-spirited behavior from our American crowd at Bethpage. As a former player, Captain and as an American, I am ashamed of what happened.”

Saturday's two sessions in particular were marred by poor crowd behavior, with Rory McIlroy singled out for abuse. That started even before he began his Saturday morning foursomes match.

At the first tee, he was subjected to chants of “**** you, Rory,” while at the 16^th, he’d finally had enough, telling the crowd to “shut the **** up” before the even more devastating response of hitting his approach to two feet.

In McIlroy’s afternoon four-ball session, partner Shane Lowry reacted to the crowd, taking steps towards it before being held back by caddie Darren Reynolds.

Before the end of play, it was confirmed that security had been stepped up, including the presence of State Police at the four-ball matches, to try and prevent further issues.

Later, a shocking clip emerged of beer being thrown at McIlroy and his wife Erica during the four-ball session.

Following Europe’s 15-13 win, McIlroy opened up on the abuse, saying: “Look, I don't think we should ever accept that in golf.

"I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week.

"Golf has the ability to unite people. Golf teaches you very good life lessons. It teaches you etiquette. It teaches you how to play by the rules. It teaches you how to respect people.

"Sometimes this week we didn't see that. So no, this should not be what is acceptable in the Ryder Cup.”

He also praised Erica McIlroy’s handling of the situation, adding: "Erica is fine. She's a very, very strong woman. You know, she handled everything this week with class and poise and dignity like she always has.”

It’s not just eight-time Major winner Watson who has criticized the fan behavior. After Saturday’s play, European Ryder Cup legend Ian Poulter wrote on Instagram: "NY was always going to be a load intense battle.

"My hope would have been for this have been played out without some altercations and just pure passion from the crowd.

"It's over spilled and now become ugly and is not a good look for golf. This unfortunately was always going to happen.

"Team Europe have held their cool so well under such conditions. This is a blood bath.

"The Game of golf lost today. The consolation is that Europe won on the day."

In the end, the Europeans had the last laugh, winning the title in the US for the first time since 2012 at Medinah.

Nevertheless, there is the sense that, even though we will look back on an exhilarating encounter at Bethpage Black, it will also be remembered for the crowd behavior that marred the action.

With one of American golf's legends, Watson, adding his voice to the disapproval, it will surely be something high on the PGA of America’s agenda to address before the Ryder Cup comes to Hazeltine in four years.

When Viktor Hovland was forced to withdraw from the singles session at the 2025 Ryder Cup, it brought to light a rule that has so rarely been implemented over the course of the past 50 years that plenty of people had forgotten it existed.

The 'Envelope Rule' sees both captains place the name of one of their own team into a sealed piece of paper within an hour of the second day's play concluding, and that golfer is withdrawn from the singles matches on the final day should a member of the opposition be unable to go.

However, if everyone is fine to play, the note is destroyed and no one ever has to find out who was inside. Since being introduced in 1979, all but three envelopes have been destroyed.

One was in 1991 after America's Steve Pate was injured in a car accident days before the event began while the other - strangely - occurred two years later after Sam Torrance sustained a foot injury.

Fast forward 32 more years and Viktor Hovland's neck issue caused the envelope rule to be instigated for just the third time, with Harris English the unlucky party to have his Ryder Cup cut short.

Plenty of people asked whether the envelope rule should be changed due to possibly short-changing the event and robbing the opposition player of his opportunity due to external circumstances.

After initially calling the rule "strange" but accepting it for what it was before play began on Sunday, Bradley demanded in his post-event press conference that the rule must be altered before Adare Manor in 2027.

He said: “I have a few ideas [on how it could be changed], but I'm not going to tell you right now.

"I mean, the rule has to change. I think it's obvious to everybody in the sports world, in this room. Nothing against Viktor. But that rule needs to change by the next Ryder Cup.”

Does the envelope rule have to change or could it remain as it is? Should it be tweaked, what would that look like? A handful of our writers have had their say...

I do think the envelope rule should be changed. Generally in individual sport, it's simply considered bad luck if an injury gets in the way and I think the person who withdraws should lose the point.

In a tennis final, the title isn't shared if one of the players goes down injured. However, golfers dream their whole lives of competing in a Ryder Cup and may only participate in one during their career.

It seems grossly unfair for the chance to contest the singles and potentially put in a career-defining performance to be taken away. To that end, I'd be in favour of each team having a reserve player. I think it's the most sensible solution.

To begin with, I feel that the US side arguing about the envelope rule is just an excuse to cover up their performances. It's something that has been in place for over 50 years. Both captains agreed with it pre-Ryder Cup and teams have used it before, so to argue it needs changing is slightly childish in my eyes.

Admittedly, there maybe other ways to sort out the issue of a player withdrawing but, as of now, I believe there isn't any reason to change the envelope rule, as it's the fairest way of sorting out the issue of players being unable to play.

Okay, you could argue that there could be a 13th man, which could have been Alex Noren or Nicolai Hojgaard for the Europeans, who could have stepped in if needed.

However, if that 13th man wins against a player who is one of the 12, this would no doubt cause more arguments, with the captain simply going 'well, he shouldn't be here, he's not part of the 12.'

Whatever method is in place will cause arguments, but you like to think a player isn't going to lie to get out of playing. Golfers want to feature in a Ryder Cup, they're not going to feign injury to miss it...

I don’t think changing the envelope rule would be a cause of too much concern, and it could well be amended before the next Ryder Cup in Ireland. Keegan Bradley, who it has to be said signed the captain’s agreement prior to Bethpage, clearly wants it amended.

I do not think it should be changed to forfeit the match and award the point to the side who does not have an injury, as that is not fair. For example, the USA should not have been awarded a full point for Viktor Hovland’s withdrawal, and I can’t believe this is how it operates in the Solheim Cup.

I think the captains should select a reserve player. Let them become part of the team, hit balls for an hour or so everyday and be there just incase of an injury. Nicolai Hojgaard was on-site at Bethpage and could have easily stepped in for Hovland on Sunday, for example. Some will point to Alex Noren, too, but he was busy with his vice-captaincy duties.

I am sure someone like Nicolai, Harry Hall or Matt Wallace would still have been honored to join the team as a reserve and get the career experience of what a Ryder Cup is like.

I don't think the rule should be changed at all. It has so rarely been an issue at previous Ryder Cups anyway and Keegan Bradley calling for it to be changed after the event simply stinks of sour grapes.

If it was such a problem, why didn't he bring it up beforehand? It really seems out of character for Bradley to complain about the rule post-event, too. Additionally, I don't think Luke Donald would have said the same thing if the shoe was on the other foot.

In a situation which is less than ideal anyway, the current solution is arguably the lesser of all the evils, with the Solheim Cup solution just grossly unfair and reserve players arguably taking away from the prestige of making the 12.

I also wonder whether, further down the line, the altered rule could be abused as teams suddenly find an underperforming player has a sore back on Saturday evening and is replaced.

While I understand and appreciate some rules could do with updating from time to time, I don't think this is one of them. Change isn't always a good thing...

On Saturday evening, the inquest into Team USA’s failings at the Ryder Cup had already started.

Did they shoot themselves in the foot by setting up the course in a way that suited the Europeans? Should Keegan Bradley ever have been captain? What will it take to get the best out of Scottie Scheffler? All relevant questions, but I think it's the last of those issues that needs solving the most.

Make no mistake, the US suffered a mauling over the opening two days, with the hosts seven points behind on Saturday evening and expectations among many reduced to avoiding the worst defeat in its history.

A day later, the situation looked decidedly brighter. True, the Europeans sealed their expected victory at Bethpage, although not without an almighty scare thanks to a brilliant US fightback.

A 15-13 defeat, while damaging and disappointing, is not a disaster, so does Team USA really need an inquest? I’m not sure it does.

There are several theories as to why Europeans were able to win on US soil for the first time in 13 years, and they all come down to fine margins.

Some argued that it came down to the visitors simply making more putts. Bradley even hinted as much in the aftermath, saying: “I think I would have set the course up a little differently.”

Fair enough. So, does that need a big root-and-branch dissection of the Team USA failings or simply a bit more thought on course set-up four years from now when it comes to Hazeltine?

And the captain? The choice of Bradley was baffling given his lack of experience, with no previous position, even as a vice-captain, while he could have offered something as a player.

The decision was forced on the PGA of America to some extent because it couldn’t reach an agreement with its top target, Tiger Woods. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, the Europeans had already been settled for months in the knowledge that Luke Donald was staying on.

So, yes, the decision to appoint Bradley – at this stage of his career – was baffling, and seemingly made at least partly because of his disappointment at not making the team in 2023.

But again, does that hint at a fundamentally flawed US set-up, or does the PGA of America simply need to draw up a longer shortlist of potential captains before beginning the interview process? I think it’s the latter.

Even with those issues, ultimately, so close was the US to glory that there would have been a very different outcome had one problem been solved: the Scottie Scheffler conundrum.

Scheffler came into the week as by far the world’s most dominant player.

By his standards, he had a slow start to the year, not helped by a Christmas Day mishap with a wine glass that meant he missed the start of the season.

But look at his record since May. His first title came on the fourth of that month, the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Since then, there have been five more wins, including two Majors, and he hasn’t finished outside the top 10 once.

It’s not just his playing record that suggested big things. Bradley also sang his praises as a team player, saying: “I can't express, I really want to be clear on just what an incredible teammate Scottie Scheffler has been and what an incredible person he is.”

And yet, for the second match in a row, his form simply didn’t translate to the format.

Yes, match play is a lot different to grinding down the field over four days of a PGA Tour event. Still, zero points from four before the Sunday singles, and an overall Ryder Cup record of just 4.5 points from a possible 12, is baffling.

Even as an amateur, Scheffler struggled in match play, losing all three of his sessions at the 2012 Junior Ryder Cup, and only winning his singles match five years later at the Walker Cup.

He struggled at the 2022 Presidents Cup, too, with just half a point in the Friday afternoon four-ball to show for his four matches.

And yet there is a match player competitor in him somewhere. We saw it at last year’s Presidents Cup, where he won three of his five matches to help the US lift the trophy at Royal Montreal.

The fact is that, had Scheffler even had a relatively modest two wins from his four opening matches at the Ryder Cup, the US would be the champions.

So, an inquest? An overhaul? I don’t think so.

Yes, put more thought into course set-up next time it comes to the US. Obviously, do your due diligence before settling on the next captain, but most of all, work out how to get the best out of Scheffler in a match play environment.

Do that, and I see no reason why the US can't turn its latest defeat into a positive ahead of the trip to Adare Manor two years from now.

The high-level golf continues this week and, following a dramatic and tense Ryder Cup, a number of its players will make their way to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Featuring several celebrities and taking place over three of Scotland's best courses - Kingsbarns, St Andrews' Old Course and Carnoustie - the tournament also features some bumper names, as some of Team Europe's winning Ryder Cup side are set to make the journey over from Bethpage Black.

Claiming a 15-13 win over the Americans, Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton and Robert MacIntyre are the four members set to take part in the four day event.

It's not just a one-off appearance either, as the four players have regularly featured in the tournament, with Hatton the defending champion.

A three-time winner of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, he also comes into Scotland in fine form, after being undefeated in the Ryder Cup.

Producing three wins and a tie at the team event, the Englishman was one of Europe's key figures and, this week, will look to earn a fourth title in the tournament, following his victories in 2016, 2017 and 2024.

Another former champion is Fitzpatrick, who won by three strokes in 2023, when the event was shortened due to poor weather.

That week, he actually played alongside his mother in the pro-am portion, winning not just the individual event, but also the team title, firing a 35-under total to win by five.

Fleetwood and MacIntyre are the final two players featuring, as the latter returns to his home country of Scotland.

Englishman, Fleetwood, possesses a good record in the tournament, finishing runner-up in 2018. MacIntyre, meanwhile, has three top 25 finishes in the event, the best of which is a T20 in 2022.

Away from Scotland and the DP World Tour to another Ryder Cup player set to tee it up the week after the team event, this time on the PGA Tour and the Sanderson Farms Championship.

Rasmus Hojgaard may not have won a match at this year's Ryder Cup, but is set to be present at the FedEx Cup Fall tournament, with his twin brother Nicolai also listed in the field.

None of Team USA's 12 man side will be playing in the FedEx Cup Fall tournament at The Country Club of Jackson, or the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship this week.

There were so many reasons behind Team USA's downfall at the 2025 Ryder Cup that it's tough to rank exactly which was the most catastrophic.

The poor behavior of certain fans and a string of underwhelming performances from some of the world's top-10 undoubtedly played their part in capping the US' potential, but the role Keegan Bradley played in this defeat cannot be ignored.

I'm hesitant to place all of the blame at the door of the US captain as, like I said, there were so many contributing factors. Big players did not step up in big moments and the lack of natural cohesion between teammates was painfully evident at times.

Nevertheless, many of those problems could have been ironed out with more efficient leadership from Bradley.

While he probably picked the right 12 players in the first place and sent out the majority of the obvious two-man teams, the decision to pair Collin Morikawa and Harris English together not once but twice throughout the week was simply unbelievable.

The two American stars were, statistically, the least compatible duo on the US side - something they proved through a 5&4 hammering by Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood in the Friday foursomes.

And when Morikawa and English asked for another chance to prove their worth on Saturday, Bradley naively listened instead of putting his foot down and subbing in a capable replacement.

The call proved costly as, once again, Morikawa and English lost to McIlroy and Fleetwood - but this time, it was 3&2 as the American duo delayed the inevitable by winning two of their final three in the match. That proved to be just the third and fourth hole-successes out of 30 across the two days.

From a wider perspective, even the most suitable pairings were struggling to find a way past those in blue, in part due to the course set-up. The fairway rough was shaved down which made missing the cut strip little to no penalty whatsoever, and the Europeans' marginal lack of length off the tee compared to their hosts was not punished due to the softness of the greens.

Speaking afterwards, Bradley admitted himself that he "definitely made a mistake on the course setup" and should have listened to his intuition when handing out the specifications.

He said: "We tried to set the course up to help our team. Obviously it wasn't the right decision.

"I think anytime you're the leader of a team or the captain or the coach, or whatever, we talked about this last night, you're going to get the accolades and you need to take the blame for when things don't go well.

"I definitely made a mistake on the course setup. I should have listened a little bit more to my intuition. For whatever reason, that wasn't the right way to set the course up. The greens were as soft as I've ever seen greens without it raining. Especially here, it can get pretty firm, and they never firmed up."

Personally, I cannot understand how Bradley has made that significant an error with one of the most key tools at his disposal. And the fact that he was second-guessing himself so soon after the event speaks to the lack of clarity in America's planning for the Ryder Cup.

On a similar note, Scheffler revealed that it was a conversation between his and Russell Henley's respective caddie's to swap the tee-off order ahead of Saturday's foursomes matches, not his captain - a call which, while possibly correct, should have come from the management team and shows a distinct lack of leadership from Bradley.

On the flip side, Luke Donald and Team Europe's preparation for Bethpage Black was so meticulous, it bordered on the obsessive. They famously wore VR headsets to see if they could create the febrile atmosphere that was expected ahead of time and even went as far as to switch out the shampoo in their accommodation to one which... smelled nicer.

Donald explained in his team's victory press conference that he also had the bedding changed and asked people to block out unwanted light from the players' bedrooms so that his dozen could experience the best possible rest overnight.

Donald said: "I really have committed myself to this job because I feel I owe it to the players and I owe it to the Ryder Cup which has been so special to me. I've had so many incredible experiences.

"So yeah, I've had to kind of put my own game a little bit to the side, and every day I'm trying to think about things that could help us, come up with different things that might just give us a little edge.

"My job is literally to give these guys a better chance to win. It can be as simple as some very small things.

"I'll give you an example. At the hotel rooms this week, the doors to our hotel rooms had a big crack that let in light. We brought things that covered the light. We put different shampoos that had a better smell.

"We changed the bedding because the beds weren't very good, and they just had sheets, and we created much nicer beds so guys could sleep. They could have more energy. Those are just little things. I'm going into some really small details.

"It's just taking the time and having the care that you want to do everything you can to kind of give these guys the best opportunity. You want create an environment where they can succeed.

"These are 12 amazing players, we know that. You're just trying to, again, put them in a position where they feel comfortable."

I have no doubt that Bradley went to some extreme lengths to help his team, too, but from the outside looking in, it appeared as though the skipper felt his influence related more to passions and motivation rather than tangible aids.

It also looked as though he wanted to win his home Ryder Cup almost too much. He strode around the property not far from his Woodstock home with such fervour and with wide eyes that it really didn't feel like he was in control a lot of the time.

Take his run in with Justin Rose over a drop on Sunday, for example. While Bradley was more than within his rights to question the location, becoming so animated over the call wasn't a great look.

Conversely, Donald travelled around the golf course all week with purpose yet still managed to retain a sense of calm. I guess it helps when your team is doing such a good job, in all fairness.

In the end, Team USA did what they so often do best and shone in the singles matches - free of the team format that regularly restricts them - and added an awful lot of respectability to the overall scoreline.

But, in truth, the damage was done over the first two days with Team Europe uniting and excelling as one while the Americans tangled themselves up in knots.

The fate of this Ryder Cup certainly wasn't all one man's fault, but Bradley made several little mistakes that may well have cost his team dear. And, as we all know, those marginal gains can be oh so important.