Woodland handed US Ryder Cup role two years after brain surgery

Gary Woodland will be part of his first Ryder Cup in September – two years after undergoing brain surgery.

It will be in a non-playing role, with United States captain Keegan Bradley naming the 41-year-old as his fifth and final vice-captain for the 45th Ryder Cup, which will take place at the Bethpage Black course in New York from 25-28 September.

Woodland, who won the 2019 US Open, joins Jim Furyk, Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker as vice-captains on a US team aiming to regain the trophy after Europe claimed a 16½-11½ victory in Rome in 2023.

“Keegan’s passion for this event is contagious and I am thrilled to be a part of it,” Woodland said.

“With just over two months to go until we arrive at Bethpage, I am fully committed to doing everything I can to help Keegan as well as our team of vice-captains and players.”

Four-time PGA Tour winner Woodland represented his country in the 2019 Presidents Cup and recently received the PGA Tour Courage Award in recognition of his return to the sport after having surgery to remove a brain tumour in 2023.

His appointment could also take on greater importance given 39-year-old Bradley, who won the Travellers Championship last month and is ranked seventh in the world, is on course to become the first playing captain in a Ryder Cup since Arnold Palmer in 1963.

“I have an incredible amount of respect and admiration for Gary and all he has accomplished in this game,” said Bradley.

“As a major champion and someone who is still competing at a high level, he is well aware of the demands of performing on golf’s biggest stages.