Having been the captain in Paris in 2018 when the United States lost the Ryder Cup by a seven-point margin, 55-year-old Jim Furyk would not seem to be the obvious choice to get a second chance to lead his country (in another away match) at Adare Manor in September next year. Having also been a vice-captain at Bethpage last autumn, when Keegan Bradley picked some statistically crazy pairings, would hardly seem to burnish his credentials. (But, hey, perhaps he argued against making Harris English and Collin Morikawa foursomes partners – twice!) But this is where we are and that is what the PGA of America has done.
Who knows if Furyk was even their second choice? We know Tiger Woods was their first but, after the most recent of his recurring bouts of erratic driving, he ruled himself out of the running. Was Steve Stricker, the last victorious American captain, in 2021, considered? Or Stewart Cink or Justin Leonard or Webb Simpson, none of whom have had a bash? No, they handed the role to ‘Gentleman Jim’. Davis Love was given another shot in 2016 after being on the wrong end of the ‘Miracle of Medinah’ in 2012. That worked out well for him but that was in a home match. The US has not won an overseas Ryder Cup since The Belfry in 1993.
Certainly Furyk will hope his six wild-card picks come through for him better than did the four he had to choose in Paris. They mustered two points between them, both from Tony Finau. But Furyk could hardly be blamed for the other selections he made: Woods, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson. Respectively, they lost four times, thrice and twice. At least, of that trio Bryson is the only one who might be in position to let him down in Ireland.
It wasn’t only bad luck for Furyk. There was some questionable captaincy, too. Patrick Reed publicly complained that his partnership with Jordan Spieth, which had been productive at Hazeltine the previous time out, had been ditched by his skipper. The match is over 16 months away but one can already figure it is a strong possibility that Furyk will have to consider giving Reed a wild card for this one. And while events in 2018 began well for the Americans – they won the first three points on offer – they ended badly, with Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka threatening to come to blows after it was all over.
Furyk was the US captain of the team which won the Presidents Cup away from home in 2024 but that is hardly the same thing: the US has only been defeated in one match in 15 stagings of that competition. As a Ryder Cup player Furyk was in nine squads, finishing on the winning team just twice. By way of a reminder, his opposite number next year, Luke Donald, has played on four Ryder Cup teams and captained two. His overall winning record is six-for-six. Walter Hagen captained four winning US Ryder Cup teams; Ben Hogan led three to victory. Donald will be seeking to become the first European to captain three winning teams. And, in his case, uniquely for a captain on either side, to do it in consecutive matches.
You can follow Robert Green on Twitter @robrtgreen and enjoy his other blog f-factors.com as well as his golf archive on robertgreen-golf.com
