CNN
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Tiger Woods may kind a part of the US Ryder Cup staff – or at the very least, Zach Johnson isn’t ruling it out.
Forward of the Sony Open in Hawaii, US captain Johnson stated he wouldn’t low cost deciding on Woods to compete within the event if the 47-year-old didn’t qualify for the staff routinely.
“I’d solely ponder having him on the staff if he felt – if he was placing up some numbers and a few scores, No. 1, the place he’s exhibiting some signal of being aggressive, “Johnson stated at a media convention on Wednesday.
“After which No. 2, that dialogue could be had with the opposite guys which can be part of that staff, and particularly him. If there’s something I belief in Tiger Woods, is that he’s extraordinarily invested on this staff and the long run Cups. Extraordinarily invested. I can’t communicate that sufficient,” added Johnson.
“After which I feel you’ll do something and the whole lot for the betterment of the staff. I assume he would say … I don’t like basing on assumptions … however I’m assured that he would say, ‘Yeah, I can play, or no, I can’t.’”
Final yr, Johnson confirmed Woods could be a part of the US Ryder Cup “in some capability,” including that Woods had made it a “precedence.”
“Given who he’s and what he’s all about, I can’t inform you proper now: I don’t know if he will likely be right here subsequent yr, however he will likely be part of this staff in some capability,” Johnson stated.
Nonetheless, Woods’ well being may complicate this, Johnson conceded.
“He’s gone via some issues as of late that make it tough, whether or not it’s journey or what-have-you,” stated the US Ryder Cup captain.
Damage has hampered Woods’ latest profession, his enjoying time decimated since he suffered severe leg accidents in a automotive accident in February 2021.
The 47-year-old withdrew from the Hero World Problem in December citing his foot ache, and at varied factors had scuffling with motion through the seventh version of The Match that month.
“I feel one thing that’s practical is enjoying the tour sooner or later, by no means full time, ever once more, however choose and select, identical to Mr. (Ben) Hogan did,” Woods advised Golf Digest after his accident in 2021.
“Choose and select a number of occasions a yr and also you mess around that. You observe round that, and also you gear your self up for that. And also you play. I feel that’s how I’m going to must play it any longer.
“It’s an unlucky actuality, however it’s my actuality. And I perceive it, and I settle for it.”
A biennial competitors which alternates between Europe and the US, the Ryder Cup is being performed in Italy for the primary time later this yr – September 25 to October 1 – on the Marco Simone Golf & Nation Membership, which is 10 miles from the middle of Rome.
Crew US regained the Ryder Cup in 2021 following a traditionally dominant efficiency over Europe at Whistling Straits.
