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4 months ago
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The favorites to succeed Zach Johnson as US Ryder Cup captain for 2025 have emerged and the list includes a surprising name.
It was revealed Monday morning that the PGA of America would announce the Team USA captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup at noon ET Tuesday with Tiger Woods believed to be leading the race for the past several months.
However, the 15-time major winner rejected the chance to lead the Americans against Europe in front of the raucous New York crowd at Bethpage Black next year, according to The Telegraph.
With the 48-year-old now out of the running, there appears to be no clear frontrunner with the bookmakers even turning to some out-of-the-box candidates.
Donald Trump could find himself in the race for the Ryder Cup as well as the race to the White House this year, according to the odds.
Donald Trump (right) emerged as an outside shot for the US Ryder Cup Captaincy after Tiger Woods (left) reportedly turned down the opportunity
The former president has been named as an outsider for the job, listed as having a 500/1 chance at guiding the USA against Luke Donald's European team, according to BonusCodeBets.
Trump, who trailed off into handicap trash talk with Democratic opponent Joe Biden during the recent Presidential debate, claims he plays off 2.5 and has regularly bragged about the club championships he has won.
He's also no stranger to splitting his time between the golf course and the Oval Office, having played every 6.3 days during his term but with just a 0.2 percent chance of being selected as captain, it's highly unlikely Trump will have to swap the West Wing for Bethpage Black.
Stewart Cink has emerged as the bookmakers' favorite for the role, despite reports that Keegan Bradley, who was snubbed as a captain's pick by Zach Johnson last year, could be named a shock pick.
Cink is listed as 2/1 ahead of his closest, rivals Fred Couples at 9/4 and Davis Love III at 3/1.
Couples has been winning captain for three US Presidents Cup teams and has been a Ryder Cup vice-captain three times but has yet to captain a Ryder Cup team.
Meanwhile, Love III has the most recent experience out of the trio of contenders, having led the USA to triumph over Trevor Immelman's international team in the 2022 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow.
He also led the USA to victory at Hazeltine as Ryder Cup captain in 2016, giving him two victories as a captain under his belt and 25 percent chance of having a shot at repeating the feat.
2009 Open champion Stewart Cink was the bookmakers' frontrunner on Monday afternoon
Fred Couples (left) and Davis Love III (right) are believed to also be contenders for the role
Phil Mickelson's odds took a hammering following his defection to LIV Golf in 2022
Phil Mickelson, a three-time winner of the Ryder Cup with 12 editions of the competition under his belt, has never held the rank of captain.
He could have been considered a strong contender for the captaincy at Bethpage Black, where he has been adored by the New York crowds and advocated for the Ryder Cup to be staged.
But he himself admitted he had no chance of leading the Americans into battle against the Europeans following his defection to LIV Golf in 2022 and the odds appear to reflect that, leaving him at 50/1.
Ahead of him are Matt Kuchar, 2021 captain Steve Stricker, 2018 chief Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson at 6/1, 8/1, 10/1 and 12/1 respectively.
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