Justin Leonard has confirmed that he would love to be the next Ryder Cup captain for Team USA after Jim Furyk.
Leonard has had an interesting relationship with the Ryder Cup over the years. He hit perhaps the most famous shot in Ryder Cup history with the putt that all but ensured that Team USA would win at Brookline in 1999.
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He was also a part of the team that won under Paul Azinger in 2008.
However, he has never been given the opportunity to take on the captaincy himself.
Justin Leonard confirms he wants the Ryder Cup captaincy
The 1997 Open Championship winner will be at Adare Manor in 2027, having already been named as one of Jim Furyk‘s assistant captains.
Leonard previously worked under Furyk ahead of the 2024 Presidents Cup. But the 53-year-old will now have an opportunity to return to the Ryder Cup arena.
And speaking on 5 Clubs, Leonard made no secret of the fact that he is keen to succeed Furyk ahead of the 2029 event at Hazeltine.
Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
“I already want it. I’m not going to be shy about it. I think being involved at the Presidents Cup was an honour and eye opening experience,” he said.
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“You know, a lot of the guys I’ve kind of played with, but not really, but I’ve watched very closely when I was, as you said, a gas bag for NBC and Golf Channel. So, I feel like I do have a good rapport with the players, especially the US players. And I think it’s something that I would love to be involved with going forward for a number of years.
“We’ll have to see how that plays out. But, I would absolutely love to be involved for years going forward, and hopefully, at some point, that means being the captain.”
Jim Furyk’s appointment is much more significant than what happens at the 2027 Ryder Cup
It is bizarre that the PGA of America have not yet given Leonard or Stewart Cink a chance. Both men would have been forgiven for thinking that their hopes had been completely dashed when they turned to Keegan Bradley for Bethpage.
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However, Bradley’s appointment backfired emphatically. A final day fightback meant that the scoreline flattered an American side that had been completely outplayed over the first two days in New York.
That week appears to have inspired the team to try and finally put some solid foundations in place.
In truth, few think Furyk will lead Team USA to their first away victory since 1993 next year. But it may prove to be a turning point as they attempt to build a culture that will allow them to consistently close the gap on the Europeans at long last.
And with Leonard desperate for the role – and Cink almost certainly taking a similar view – it should not be a surprise if the PGA of America have already pencilled in their next two captains.
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