Tiger Woods told he made ‘mistake’ turning down Ryder Cup captaincy with Team USA ‘disappointed’

Tiger Woods was heavily backed to become the Team USA Ryder Cup captain for 2025, but the 15-time major winner turned down the role, with Keegan Bradley stepping forward

Tiger Woods has been told he has made a mistake in turning down the Team USA Ryder Cup captaincy role for 2025 by former European skipper Bernard Gallacher.

Woods looked set to become the man to lead the US back on home soil at Bethpage Black in 2025, before it was revealed the 15-time major champion opted to decline the offer. The PGA of America then turned their attention to Keegan Bradley, who will lead his nation into battle at a course he knows well next Autumn.

A man who knows exactly how to take charge of a Ryder Cup team is Gallacher, having led Europe in three Ryder Cups, including a victory away from home at Oak Hill Country Club in his last year in the role in 1995.

Having his say on Woods ‘ decision to say no to the PGA of America, Golf Care Ambassador Gallacher told Mirror Sport: “I was disappointed that Tiger Woods turned it down. I think the PGA of America is probably disappointed and I think everyone in America is probably disappointed.

“You would have thought that would have been the perfect captaincy for him. A home match in New York with very partisan support. He says he can’t afford the time because he is on the board now and is trying to fix the deal with LIV and the PGA Tour.”

The 2025 event gives the Americans the perfect chance to regain the title they lost at Marco Simone last October, with the event taking place at Bethpage Black in front of a notoriously raucous New York crowd. As a result, Gallacher believes this would have been the perfect opportunity for Woods to take the reins.

Tiger Woods turned down Ryder Cup captaincy ( Image: Getty Images)

“I think Tiger is making a mistake not being captain in New York, I really do,” he added. “I know he will probably be captain in Ireland the next time but he could have been captain in both New York and Ireland, but he has his own reasons for doing it and we have to accept that.”

Away from Woods, concentration soon turned to Bradley, with the appointment catching many off guard, including Bradley himself. The American will become one of the Ryder Cup’s youngest ever skipper’s in New York, and has outlined his intentions to compete at Bethpage Black as a playing captain with his name still inside the top-20 players in the world.

The idea has been questioned by some in the aftermath – including his European rival Rory McIlroy – with Gallacher of the same opinion. “He is only 38 and in the top-20 in the world,” the Scot added. “You would think he might have said ‘it is a great honour but I want to be in the team, not captain the team.

“I don’t think you can captain and play. There are too many distractions these days in being a playing captain with the media and other responsibilities.” Despite the obvious question marks though, Gallacher does believe that the appointment could be a clever one by the PGA of America.

” He does tick all of the boxes for the PGA of America though. He is obviously a player they like, and of course he is very enthusiastic,” he claimed. ” From an American point of view I think it will work, but I think he will come to terms that he can’t play and also captain. I do think he will be a good captain, the players will like him, he seems like a very friendly guy.

Highlighting Bradley’s class when accepting he had not made the US team in Italy as a player last time around, Gallacher added: “He took not getting the phone call from Zach Johnson very well. He was disappointed but he took it well, graciously, and I think everyone has admired him for that.”