Jim Furyk shares the one reason he chose to accept U.S. Ryder Cup captaincy
Jim Furyk didn’t have to accept the US captaincy for the 2027 Ryder Cup.
In fact, he had an obvious excuse not to do it. His first outing as captain in 2018 was a nightmare as the American team embarrassed Team Europe 17.5-10.5 in France. From his captain’s choices to the matchups and certainly the result, everything went wrong for Furyk and his team at Le Golf National.
Yet when the PGA of America called on Furyk to once again try the captain’s role at the Ryder Cup across the pond in Ireland, Furyk did not hesitate.
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While there is undoubtedly a redemption factor for Furyk in all of this, he didn’t delve into that angle when explaining why he wanted to take this fight a second time.
Co-captains Kevin Kisner and Jim Furyk of Team USA watch the pre-Ryder Cup 2025 practice round at the Black Course at Bethpage State Park Golf Course on September 25, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo: Maddie Meyer/PGA of America/PGA of America via Getty Images) (Maddie Meyer/PGA of America/PGA of America via Getty Images)
“I think it’s really about the players.” Furyk explained. during NBC’s coverage of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. “I mean, I’ve gotten to know this generation so well through the Presidents Cups and the Ryder Cups. I love these guys. They show heart, grit and passion. I see how much they love to compete and I know how much they want to win the Ryder Cup. That’s why I love team sports. I love coming together, coming together, being in the locker room with these guys. That’s why.”
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Jim Furyk coaches on the eighteenth green during the practice round of the Ryder Cup golf tournament at Bethpage Black on September 25, 2025 in Bethpage, New York. (Dennis Schneidler/Imagn Images)
Furyk had served as vice-captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup squad in previous years; this includes 2025, when the Americans lost to Team Europe at Bethpage Black in New York.
As a player, Furyk compiled a 10-20-4 record in the Ryder Cup, but despite the many bad tastes the biennial event has left in his mouth, this lineup of American players is something he believes strongly in.
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Team USA captain Keegan Bradley and vice-captain Jim Furyk compete in the four-ball race on day two of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black on September 27, 2025 in Bethpage, New York. (Paul Childs/Reuters)
The U.S. team room Furyk builds in 2027 won’t look the same as it did in 2018, so at least that’s true for him.
The Americans haven’t lifted the Ryder Cup on foreign soil since 1993. It’s no secret that the trip across the pond at 27 will be a serious uphill battle for the red, white and blue, and while many view Furyk as a “sacrificial lamb” of sorts, this is a low-risk, incredibly high-reward situation for the 55-year-old.
