Captain Furyk, Nelly and the end of Hawaii
Each week, we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.
Last week, it was reported that Jim Furyk will be the captain of the US Ryder Cup team in 2027. It’s the second kick at the can for Furyk who previously led the American squad to a defeat in Paris in 2018. The US has not had much success playing on Europe’s home soil in the past 30 years. What’s your take on giving Furyk another chance and is there anything to make you think the outcome will be any different this time?
Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): Even though they’re well past their “best before” dates, I think the Euro team will not be quite as strong as in the past without guys like Garcia, Poulter, McDowell and some others. That doesn’t mean they won’t win — they’ll be on “home soil” after all — but I do think the US might well have the stronger team. I don’t think Jim Furyk as Captain will make a difference either way, no disrespect intended.
Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): I’m not against giving Furyk another crack. The resume is solid, the respect is there but Paris 2018 still leaves a mark, and the U.S. track record on European soil uh, isn’t great at all. If anything’s going to change the outcome, it’ll need to be a smart captaincy — pairings, prep, and a little less “business trip” energy. Experience helps, but Europe isn’t going to hand over the Ryder Cup. I’m hopeful for Furyk, because I like him, and he was a scrappy player who was successful in his own right playing.
Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: Happy Furyk has been selected. Choosing him honours a fine person and a good player. I hope he still has his Captain’s notes from 2018. When Seve gave his “Congratulations to us” speech for finishing second the ‘balance of power’ was about 70/30 in favour of the Americans. As time has gone on, the Europe’s depth has increased, their self-belief is greater and the US self-belief is waning. Although I’d love to say the odds are 60/40 in favour of Europe, they are probably 50/50. What should Furyk do? Tell his players to bring their “A” Game.
Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: When Eldrick passed, or passed out, PGA of America was suddenly in search of a warm body. We’ll never know if Furyk was the first alternate or just the first to accept the gig. By the time play begins in Ireland, the Yanks will not have won ‘over there’ for 34 years. Throwing a freshman captain into that maw would be unfair. Maybe Furyk learned a few lessons in the loss in Paris — he was roundly criticized back home — or he’s just a ‘safe’ choice to keep the seat warm until the next home game. But the Yanks sure don’t have a Luke Donald in waiting.
Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine: I suppose Furyk’s as good a choice as any, considering there’s not a long list of potential captains with the right stuff. Picking Keegan Bradley again may have worked, based on the theory that, like Furyk, you have to lose in order to learn how to win. If Furyk drops the ball in Ireland though, I’m not sure who’s waiting in the wings. Past captains, former vice captains and first timers aren’t doing so well.
On Sunday, Nelly Korda convincingly won the Chevron Championship for her second victory of the season and her third major title. Korda went winless in 2025 after winning seven times in 2024. If Nelly’s really back to her earlier winning form, we can expect many more titles this season. Is the LPGA best served by having one dominant player?
Deeks: I think the LPGA is best served by having a telegenic AMERICAN as best player. If Nelly (or some other US woman) wasn’t front and centre, I think galleries and viewers would be reduced to a pittance. Unfortunately. As good as the golf is on the LPGA — and better than ever — American viewers just can’t warm to Asians, or Asian dominance.
Loughry: From a pure golf standpoint, Nelly being dominant is great — she’s a draw, she’s brilliant to watch, and she makes Sunday’s fun. But an LPGA with only one overwhelming force isn’t ideal long‑term for the Tour. It’s rivalries that drive interest, not coronations. But this feels somewhat close to a Tiger‑in‑his‑prime dominance and more like Nelly raising the bar while others chase her down. If she wins a lot and gets pushed weekly, that’s the sweet spot.
Schurman: Korda doesn’t receive nearly the recognition she deserves but then neither does the LPGA. One dominant player isn’t as exciting as having a “big” three. Fans can spread their enthusiasm, and the players spur each other on. The demands on one person are better shared.
Quinn: For the LPGA Tour in particular, it’s great to have a dominant player… if that player is an American. The Tour will always be in the PGA Tour’s long shadow and becomes almost invisible if a different player from South Asia is winning every tourney. If Korda can have another year like ’24, that could go a long way toward the Tour getting a bit closer to its quixotic stated ambitions of greater relevance and purses.
Mumford: As much as they like to claim anybody can win, both the PGA Tour and LPGA get the most attention when they have a dominant player. Arnie, Jack, Tiger, Scottie. Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa on the women’s side. There’s always a foil or two too. The women have been looking (hoping) for an American version of Tiger for a long time. Nelly has all the credentials.
The PGA Tour confirmed last week that Hawaii will not be on the schedule in 2027. Both the Sentry (former Tournament of Champions) and the Sony Championship will be shelved in favour of opening the season on the mainland. How do you feel about this decision and what’s your favourite memory from the Hawaiian events?
Deeks: I think it’s a shame — for viewers, spectators, the players, and their families. I enjoyed watching the Hawaiian events, far more than run-of-the-mill events from secondary US cities in the middle of Spring or Summer. Can I think of anything memorable? Nope. Just the palm trees, sunny beaches, whale watching, while sitting in my family room looking out on snow drifts.
Loughry: Hawaii was a staple for so long, it felt like golf’s exhale after the holidays, and a soft kick off: palm trees, ocean backdrops, players in floral shirts pretending January wasn’t miserable everywhere else. I don’t know all the logistical challenges, but I’ve heard some (rebuilding from the fire, heavy rains this and last year). My favourite memory? Watching 380-to-400-yard drives! But there was something perfect about kicking off the season at sunset with waves in the background. The Tour might gain efficiency, but it’s definitely losing a little magic.
Schurman: One would think with the number of personal jets owned by PGA TOUR players a Hawaiian stop wouldn’t be a problem. The Tiger vs Els playoff is certainly memorable. Appleby’s 3 wins are special because each win earned him a spot in the following year’s event to start the year with. But one memory I have is a “what ever happened to……?”. In 1982, Wayne Levi won the Hawaiian Open using a ‘yellow’ golf ball. Wilson had just introduced coloured golf balls (orange and yellow optic paint) Levi won 12 times and retired but what happened to coloured golf balls?
Quinn: Feel sorry for Mark Rolfing and the various resorts and restaurants etc. etc. that benefitted from the tourists the events attracted. But with the LIV-inflated purses on the Tour now, and the new commish’s NFL-style fixation on marketing, this was a plug past its pull date. Loved watching the events decades ago from snowbound Toronto when the winners of the past season’s events teed it up on sun-drenched ocean-side layouts. But now the whole format of the events had been so diluted that they became of just passing interest — no names playing in howling Trade winds on awfully coarse Bermuda that makes putts break uphill. Favourite memory? None from the tourneys, but vivid still is the disappointment in the quality of the courses once I got to play them, and how much better they looked — just like on TV– when I put on my polarized sunglasses.
Mumford: Golfing with Rolfing was always a nice winter escape. The Tour ruined the format of the Sentry when they let non-winners into the Tournament of Champions. My favourite memory is the 1983 Hawaiian Open (before it became the Sony Open) when Isao Aoki holed out from the fairway on the 72nd hole for an eagle to beat Jack Renner by one. Renner was sitting in the scoring tent thinking he might win but be in a playoff at least. The look on his face was priceless. Renner actually did win the following year.
