The Masters have Tiger Woods listed for next month's tournament, but he is yet to confirm that he will play (Image: Getty)
When the action kicks off on Friday, the US Ryder Cup team will notably lack one of the nation’s all-time greatest golfers.
Tiger Woods is again not part of the 13-man team, extending the former world number one’s absence from the competition to five years.
Captain Zach Johnson has, however, discussed the prospect of Woods exerting an influence on the team as they attempt to triumph in Europe for the first time since 1993.
Why isn’t Woods playing? What is he up to now, and what is his Ryder Cup record? The Sporting News explains the state of play.
Why isn’t Tiger Woods part of the 2023 US Ryder Cup team?
Woods’ two tournament appearances so far this season mean he has played in a total of eight in the last three years.
The iconic veteran’s inaction gave him no logical prospect qualifying for automatic selection or featuring as a captain’s pick on the team.
Speaking in January, Johnson said he would only consider Woods for selection “if he was putting up some numbers and some scores” and “showing some sign of being competitive”.
Woods tied for 45th at the Genesis Invitational in February and was forced out of the Masters two months later through injury.
He made a record-equalling 23rd consecutive cut at the major but was bottom of the leaderboard when he withdrew, having suffered visible discomfort.
Where is Tiger Woods?
Speaking before the start of the Ryder Cup in Rome, Johnson said Woods would not attend because he has “a lot on his plate”.
That includes the announcement that he will create a new sports bar business with pop star Justin Timberlake, with the first outlet opening in New York.
“The idea for T-Squared Social came to us during a round of golf at Albany, our development in the Bahamas,” Woods said of his collaboration with Timberlake.
“Justin and I thought it would be cool to create a place that combines our favorite things and brings people together to just have a great time.”
Tiger Woods also recently acted as caddie for his 14-year-old son, Charlie, during the prospect’s win at a regional qualifier tournament.
When was Tiger Woods’ last tournament?
The sorry end Woods endured to his Masters campaign in April is the most recent tournament the 47-year-old took part in, although he remains influential off the course.
Johnson emphasized that Woods was unlikely to be involved in guiding the team from afar during the Ryder Cup but said he had played a part in preparations.
“He’s always in our corner,” said Johnson. “At this point, it’s more encouragement on his side – whether he’s texting the guys or texting the vice-captains and captains.
“He’s there to encourage because he’s very invested in what we do year-in and year-out with Team USA. That has never ceased, and I’m grateful for that.”
Tiger Woods’ Ryder Cup record
The Ryder Cup has been an underwhelming experience for Woods as a player, rarely reflecting his remarkable individual success in the sport.
The US have lost seven and won only one of the editions when Woods has been involved, with their superstar accumulating 13 wins, 21 losses and three halves.
Year Winners Woods record (W-L-H)
1997 Europe (14.5-13.5) 1-3-1
1999 US (14.5-13.5) 2-3-0
2002 Europe (15.5-12.5) 2-2-1
2004 Europe (18.5-9.5) 2-3-0
2006 Europe (18.5-9.5) 3-2
2010 Europe (14.5-13.5) 3-1
2012 Europe (14.5-13.5) 0-3-1
2018 Europe (17.5-10.5) 0-4-0
USA Ryder Cup team 2023
Golfer Position
Zach Johnson Captain
Scottie Scheffler Automatic qualifier
Wyndham Clark Automatic qualifier
Brian Harman Automatic qualifier
Patrick Cantlay Automatic qualifier
Max Homa Automatic qualifier
Xander Schauffele Automatic qualifier
Brooks Koepka Captain’s pick
Jordan Spieth Captain’s pick
Scottie Scheffler
Scheffler finished his PGA Tour season winning two events including the so-called “fifth major” on the tour’s schedule, The Players’ Championship. His inconsistent putting hindered him at times, but Scheffler still managed to log a whopping 17 top-10 finishes during the season despite his struggles with the short stick. The world’s No. 1 golfer will look to build on his 2021 Ryder Cup performance, which saw him log a 2-0-1 record in three matches.
Wyndham Clark
Clark, like Scheffler, won two events during the 2022-23 PGA Tour season. That included his first career major win — a one-shot victory over Rory McIlroy at the U.S. Open. Clark improved his world golf ranking to 10th as a result of his strong play and he enters the Ryder Cup in good form, having logged a third-place finish at the Tour Championship, behind only Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele.
Brian Harman
Harman won the first major of his career in 2023. He ran away with The Open Championship, carding a six-stroke win by shooting 13 under at Royal Liverpool in July. Despite undergoing a shaky stretch in the middle of the season during which he missed eight cuts in 12 events, Harman managed seven top-10 finishes during the season. He also hasn’t missed a cut since the Memorial Tournament in early June, so his steady play of late could provide Team USA with a nice lineup anchor.
Patrick Cantlay
Cantlay was one of the most consistent players on the PGA Tour last season. He wasn’t able to earn a victory, but he made 18 cuts in 20 events and logged an impressive eight top-five finishes. Cantlay played in the 2021 Ryder Cup and was the top scorer for Team USA, logging a 3-0-1 record to record 3.5 points in the competition. That experience will prove valuable for this team.
Max Homa
Homa got off to a red-hot start last season, winning the Fortinet Championship and the Farmers Insurance Open in his first six starts. The 32-year-old has cooled a bit since then, but he finished top-10 at each of the PGA Tour’s three playoff events, including a ninth-place tie at the Tour Championship. He continues to be one of the best putters on the PGA Tour and coupling that with his above-average scrambling skills makes him a safe bet to produce in his Ryder Cup matches.
Xander Schauffele
Schauffele clinched the final automatic qualifier bid for the Ryder Cup after his eighth-place finish at the BMW Championship. He followed that up with an impressive showing at the Tour Championship, during which he finished second and was the only player aside from Viktor Hovland to shoot better than 20-under par. Between his strong form of late and his consistency — he made the cut at 21 of his 22 events, with the only exception being his withdrawal at the Sentry Tournament of Champions — Schauffele could have a chance to be the best golfer on the USA squad.
Brooks Koepka
There was much debate about whether Koepka would be selected after falling out of the automatic qualifying bid for the Ryder Cup. The tournament had removed Henrik Stenson as Europe’s captain following his defection for LIV Golf; would Koepka get the same treatment? The answer is no, as Johnson made the reigning PGA Championship winner one of his captain’s picks. Koepka also finished second at the Masters and earned a win at LIV Golf Orlando, so he will get a chance to improve upon his 2-2 record at the 2021 Ryder Cup as a result.
