Jim Furyk Watches Hurling Match During Ryder Cup Trip To Ireland

Jim Furyk at a hurling match — Furyk attended the hurling match between Limerick and Tipperary

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Team USA Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk has visited Ireland as part of the preparations for the biennial match, which will take place at Adare Manor in 2027.

However, it wasn’t just golf-related matters that were on his mind during his trip to the Emerald Isle.

The 56-year-old also took in his first-ever live hurling match. Specifically, Furyk was one of the 29,000 who attended the Munster Senior Hurling Championship match between Limerick and Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds.

Furyk attended the match alongside Limerick fan and Adare Manor owner JP McManus.

However, perhaps even more surprising than the sight of the 2003 US Open winner at the match was the fact that he revealed he’s a fan of the sport.

After Sunday’s match, which was won by Limerick, he told Sporting LK: “First match ever. I’ve kind of been watching a little GAA+ in the States, trying to get ready and figure out the rules, understand the game.

“A high-scoring game today, right? Five goals, 42 points, so kind of a big deal. It’s really fun to watch. These guys are amazing athletes and it’s a fun sport.

WATCH: US Ryder Cup Captain Jim Furyk speaks exclusively to Sporting Limerick about hurling! #SportLK pic.twitter.com/bJE3gkodrKMay 24, 2026

“They call it the fastest field sport in the world. You hear that, but to see it live, you really get an appreciation for it.

“I’m just amazed at the distance they score from. Folks hanging off them, trying to hook them, throwing a ball up, wheel around and then boom, awkward angles and difficult shots. I’m impressed.”

While Furyk clearly enjoyed the experience, no doubt the main focus of the trip would have been on how the US can wrestle the Ryder Cup back from Team Europe, having lost the last two editions.

In 2027, Furyk will attempt to become the first US captain to win an away Ryder Cup for his country since Tom Watson in 1993.

Since then, there have been seven matches in Europe, with the US having lost all of them, including in 2018 at Le Golf National, in Furyk’s first spell as captain.

Jim Furyk at the Ryder Cup — Furyk's first spell as Ryder Cup captain came in 2018 at Le Golf National

Last year, Luke Donald’s team became the first European side to win on US soil since 2012 with a 15-13 victory at Bethpage Black.

At the time of his appointment, Furyk, who also led Team USA to victory over the Internationals at the 2024 Presidents Cup, said: “The opportunity to captain the US Ryder Cup Team for a second time is a tremendous honor.

"I am committed to putting our players in the best position to succeed as we work to reclaim the cup on European soil.”

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.