"We Could've Put Keegan in a Better Position," Jim Furyk Revisits Ryder Cup Regret
2015 WGC Cadillac Championship Jim Furyk 2015 WGC Cadillac Championship, Trump National Doral Blue Monster GC, Miami, Florida, America, USA. 8th March 2015 The 2015 WGC-Cadillac Championship was held from March 5 to 8, 2015, at the Trump National Doral in Doral, Florida, on the renowned Blue Monster Course. Dustin Johnson clinched his second World Golf Championships title with a commanding performance, finishing at 9 under par 279. He secured a four-stroke victory over the runner-up The 2015 WGC-Cadillac Championship was held from March 5 to 8, 2015, at the Trump National Doral in Doral, Florida, on the renowned Blue Monster Course. Copyright: xMarkxNewcombex
2015 WGC Cadillac Championship Jim Furyk 2015 WGC Cadillac Championship, Trump National Doral Blue Monster GC, Miami, Florida, America, USA. 8th March 2015 The 2015 WGC-Cadillac Championship was held from March 5 to 8, 2015, at the Trump National Doral in Doral, Florida, on the renowned Blue Monster Course. Dustin Johnson clinched his second World Golf Championships title with a commanding performance, finishing at 9 under par 279. He secured a four-stroke victory over the runner-up The 2015 WGC-Cadillac Championship was held from March 5 to 8, 2015, at the Trump National Doral in Doral, Florida, on the renowned Blue Monster Course. Copyright: xMarkxNewcombex
Jim Furyk didn't just accept the 2027 U.S. Ryder Cup captaincy; he came in with something to say.
The 2027 U.S. Ryder Cup captain spoke on May 13 in a Golf Channel clip on X about Team USA's preparation for its 2025 Ryder Cup loss at Bethpage Black.
Furyk didn't deflect. He looked back at how Keegan Bradley was set up to lead that team and said, plainly, it wasn't good enough.
"I think we could've put Keegan in a much better position last year," Furyk said. "And part of my role as a vice captain was to kind of help him along with the experience that I had. But I think that continuity is probably the best word I could use."
Keegan Bradley had less than 18 months to get ready for the 2025 Ryder Cup. He also took the job without ever being a vice captain before. Jim Furyk said this meant Bradley was trying to catch up from the very beginning.
"He had less than 18 months to prepare, and that's a guy who never had served as a vice captain," Furyk said. "He had a lot of catching up."
The fix, in Furyk's view, comes down to one word. "Continuity is probably the best word I could use," he said. Furyk noted that captains like Davis Love III and Steve Stricker currently pass information along informally.
The process has worked to a degree. But Furyk believes it can be structured far better than it currently is.
"We've been passing that information along," he said. "But I just really feel like it could be in a more organized manner."
Part of Jim Furyk's job as vice captain under Keegan Bradley was to help a first-time captain by sharing his experience and helping him adjust more quickly.
He argued the system should provide inherent support rather than relying on individuals to fill gaps.
Jim Furyk's 2018 Ryder Cup Experience Shapes His Approach as 2027 Captain
Furyk knows firsthand what it looks like when a captain walks in without enough runway.
Jim Furyk's team at the 2018 Ryder Cup started well at Le Golf National. They took a 3-1 lead after the morning fourball matches on the first day.
By Sunday morning, things had changed, and Team USA trailed 10-6. That afternoon, they cut the deficit to one point, but Europe eventually won the Ryder Cup 17.5-10.5.
Keegan Bradley faced a similar problem at Bethpage Black last fall. He did not have enough time to prepare, and Team Europe won.
Jim Furyk is using his 2018 experience to argue that Team USA needs better planning, earlier captain appointments, and stronger support after two American captains faced similar problems within the same decade.
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Written by
Sneha Abraham
Edited by
Pulkit Prabhav