There are pros and cons that come with being selected as a captain for the Ryder Cup.
The main pro being, well — being selected as a captain for the Ryder Cup, but it’s not all roses.
The main thorn comes from the words of Zach Johnson himself.
“At this point in this captainship the worst part of my job is sitting guys, you know?” Johnson told Golf.com. “I’d like for all the guys to play every session, can’t do that either, but that’s the way it is and everybody knows that.”
The Team USA captain understood his selection to lead the team comes with responsibilities.
“I kind of know what I’m signing up for,” Johnson said. “It’s what I signed up for, I love responsibility, I love difficulty, I love being pushed and somewhat being uncomfortable if that makes sense. I do know that if we win this, it will be those 12 guys. I mean that sounds really obvious, but it will be. It will be them playing golf and winning the Ryder Cup for Team USA. If we lose this, I think there’s probably some merit some of that can go on me. And I fully accept that, that’s what I signed up for.”
Johnson was shocked when he received the call — a Zoom conversation he said he would never forget. While he didn’t immediately say “yes” to the opportunity, some of his peers convinced him to do so.
The PGA of America uses a selection committee to determine a captain which consists of high-ranking members.
While there isn’t an exact definition of who makes the perfect candidate to lead the team, good leadership skills, having knowledge of the host course and keeping calm under pressure have been said to be consistent to the role.
The 44th Ryder Cup Matches will be held in Italy from 29 Sept. to 1 Oct. 2023 at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.
