Top 3 Ryder Cup captain choices that can revitalize Team USA

3. Fred Couples

Another popular option I’ve seen many people get excited about is Fred Couples. Couples does have a lot of history as a vice captain on Ryder Cup teams as he did so in 2020 with Steve Stricker and 2023 with Zach Johnson. So having that experience of helping run the team is extremely important in my eyes.

Then you add in the fact that Couples is an elite player, especially back in his day. Couples won 64 professional tournaments in his career including one Major Championship, the 1992 Masters. Speaking of the Masters, Couples also became the oldest player to make the cut at the Masters in 2023 at 63 years old.

So it’s obvious that Couples knows the game very well and is still a very solid player in his own right. Then you add in the fact that he is respected and loved by everyone (players and fans) which makes him an even better choice to have on home soil after the 2023 debacle.

Honorable Mention - Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson is another name I have to throw out there even though I don’t think there’s any chance he’s named captain for 2025.

Mickelson is obviously one of the all-time greats and one of the most competitive golfers you can find, that’s something you always need in a Ryder Cup captain. Mickelson also has experience as a Vice Captain in 2020 under Steve Stricker, so he knows what it takes to win both as a player and captain.

But I don’t think there’s any chance he’ll get selected this time around. Don’t get me wrong, similarly to Tiger, Phil will be captain at some point, just not now.

We all know about the drama between the PGA and LIV Tours, and Mickelson has been one of the more polarizing figures on either side of the debate. So because of how outwardly against the PGA Tour Mickelson is, that makes it impossible to select him as Ryder Cup captain right now.