Tiger Woods set Ryder Cup deadline after keeping USA chiefs waiting amid Masters bid

Tiger Woods is a contender to captain the USA at the 2025 Ryder Cup, but the golf legend is focusing solely on the Masters as he attempts to win a sixth Green Jacket

Tiger Woods has until the end of the month to decide whether he wants to captain the USA at next year’s Ryder Cup.

Woods has been offered the job by the PGA of America following their defeat to Europe last year and when asked about the captaincy ahead of the Masters, the 48-year-old revealed talks are set to take place next week.

“We’re still talking about it,” he said. “It’s something that Seth [Waugh, the PGA of America’s chief executive] and I are going to sit back and talk about after this event.

“I said I’m going to be busy for a couple weeks, so let me focus on getting through this week and hopefully getting another jacket, and then we can sit back and talk about it next week.”

And Woods does believe he can win a sixth Masters this year provided “everything comes together”, despite the fact he has only played six full Tour events following a major car crash in February 2021.

“The ankle doesn’t hurt any more,” Woods explained. “It’s fused so that’s fine. It’s other parts of my body that now have to take the brunt of it. Every shot that’s not on a tee box is a challenge. I ache every day and I prefer it warm and humid and hot.

“And I know we’re going to get some thunderstorms. So at least it will be hot and it won’t be like last year. If everything comes together, I think I can get one more. Do I need to describe that any more than that, or are we good?”

And 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples also believes Woods could win this year as he chases Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major titles. Couples played nine holes with Woods earlier this week and said: “Can he win here? You know what, yeah.

“I just watched him play nine holes, and nine holes is only nine holes on a Tuesday, but he never mis-hits a shot. But the idea of making a cut, I think he would laugh at that because that’s a huge record, but he’s here to win. He’s here to play really, really hard.”