Is Captain Tiger Woods the answer to Team USA’s Ryder Cup woes?

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.

The PGA Tour has this long-held belief that they can’t or shouldn’t compete with the NFL in the fall. Yet the DP World Tour, PGA Tour Champions and the LPGA all play meaningful games in the Fall while the PGA Tour delivers a second tier offering where most of the top players stay home. Is it time to re-think their assumptions and have some top PGA Tour events in the fall? Maybe even one of the majors?

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): No, I don’t think they need to extend the golf season. Personally, I’m kinda tired of professional golf by the end of the playoffs, and certainly, by the end of the Ryder Cup in odd years.  Throwing a major into September or October would be the kiss of death for that event, in my opinion.  Especially if it was the PGA Championship which (despite the strength of the field) is always the least watched.  Then again, maybe they SHOULD move it to September, and designate the PGA Championship as the “season finale” with the winner being declared the, er, champion golfer of the year.

Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): The PGA Tour gets crushed on ratings compared to other sports, so going up against NFL in the Fall, and World Series not a good idea. Stick with the Ryder Cup and lessor President’s Cup for this time of year, that’s good enough to keep interested fans engaged.

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: The Tour should end with the FedEx Cup and resume the week before the Super Bowl with the Tournament of Champions. It should be a mandatory requirement for the past two years ‘ winners. They would have an open weekend with no competition against the NFL. Play a Match Play event in Super Bowl week, ending on Saturday, followed by the Hawaiian Open.

TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ): I don’t think so.  The season is long enough and it’s nice to have a bit of a down time to catch our breath as fans even.  They can’t move the Masters, US Open (always Father’s Day) or the Open (need long days to fit in the tee times), so it could only be the PGA Championship that moves, and it would end up getting lost in my mind, as it’s not a big enough draw for the casual golf fan, so it would pull in even less eyes if it ran in the fall.  I like it the way it is, for the hard-core fans, there’s still some interest with the fall events, but we get a break from the big events.

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine (@FairwaysMag): There is meaningful pro golf in the fall now – it’s just not coming from the PGA Tour. The LPGA and DP World Tour offer a fix well beyond Labour Day and both are a refreshing change from the usual tedium. The PGA Tour is already long enough. No extensions needed!

Is Captain Tiger Woods the answer to Team USA’s Ryder Cup woes?

Deeks: As I said last week, the captain isn’t the guy who’s hitting the shots or missing the putts.  Yes, maybe Tiger can better motivate the guys with his presence and aura, but I tend to think the American players are just too individually driven to ever play like a team, the way the Euros can.  But your question does allude to the fact that the Americans better win one soon, or the credibility of the competition will begin to lose its, uh, credibility.

Loughry: Tiger being Captain sure wouldn’t hurt. The Players would immediately buy into his every command/word. But would that constitute a win? I’m not sure. They need to play better, but for pairings, I think the US needs a full psychological profile of its players to help pick pairings that work (look up “DISC” by Dr. William Molton Marston).

Schurman: Not even close! No doubt he earned it, but even the GOAT lost on his own course in Muirfield. He would be a huge distraction and intimidating to the players. What he could do is stand before the gallery in the 2029 Ryder Cup and give a speech requesting civility and respect for their guests (The Euros).

Rule: Interesting question.  He’s certainly revered by his peers, and they would play their hearts out for him, but I wonder if it becomes too much of a “Tiger show” if he’s the captain.  I’d like to see it in Ireland, do it on the road once and then bring the mayhem and madness back to the US in 2029! Could be fun to watch.

Mumford: Not sure he’s the answer but he deserves a chance. Can he win at Adare Manor in 2027? Tiger never backed down from a challenge personally but inspiring a team is something else entirely. He’s more of an icon than a leader. That worked for Nicklaus but the opponents were weaker then. I’m sure today’s Euros would be up for beating Tiger Woods on their home soil, icon or not.

Robert MacIntyre won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday, just a week after being on the victorious European Ryder Cup team. He’s moved to #9 on the Official World Golf Rankings. Also in the Top 10 are Russell Henley (#3) and Tommy Fleetwood (#5). None of them have won a major. Which one breaks through in 2026 to nab one of the four majors?

Deeks: I nominate Tommy, whose play in the Ryder Cup was fabulous, no doubt buoyed by the fact that he finally won a PGA Tour event, on American soil, just two weeks prior — the Tour Championship, no less — after so many heartbreaking losses.  He now knows for sure that he can win a major, and there’s no one (except MAGA supporters) who wouldn’t be thrilled to see him do it.

Loughry: Fleetwood has sustained excellence, but his age may be against him. But none of the three jump out at me (almost shocking they’re all ranked in the top 10). If I’m being honest, I don’t think any of them win a Major next year, but if I have to pick one, Fleetwood has the best game, but I’d pick McIntyre only because he seems to know how to close out.

Schurman: Tough call. MacIntyre is improving so rapidly. Henley is often underestimated and is a late bloomer, but a diligent worker. As for Fleetwood, this worked last time: I wish I wish with all my might that Tommy Fleetwood could win tonight.

Rule: I think Tommy has finally broken the seal, some of the pressure is off, and he’s the one that has been in contention in majors in the past, so it’s going to be a big year for Fleetwood in 2026, as long as he doesn’t rest on his laurels of a special 2025.  I don’t think he will, it’s time for him to ride this momentum into a major victory in 2026.

Mumford: I’m not sure how Henley even got into the conversation. His rise may be the quietest ever. Tommy Fleetwood has contended in several majors over the past few years and has elevated his game and his attitude this year, so he’s ready or poised for an even bigger win. However, Bobby Mac may be the grittiest player on Tour today and I think likely to jump ahead of the other two given the slightest opportunity. That said, there’s a handful of truly elite players also gunning for those majors, so it’s quite possible that Scheffler, McIlroy, DeChambeau and company nab all the serious hardware next year.