When initially the choice of passing the torch of Ryder Cup Captaincy to Tiger Woods was discussed, everyone thought it was the perfect choice. Unfortunately, Woods refused to take the reins due to his overflowing schedule. The next name that popped up in everyone’s minds often was then Phil Mickelson. Having played the most Ryder Cups, he too carried all the experience a captain should have. But his affiliation with LIV made it hard for him to be a part of the roster. That is how the cap eventually landed on Keegan Bradley’s head. Now that the biennial event is over, and the Americans went home head down, who should the next captain be then?
Well, Brandel Chamblee has an answer to that. And no, it is not Woods or Mickelson coming back to the contentious debate. Rather, it is someone else. Justin Leonard. Speaking on his podcast The Favorite Chamblee, the golf analyst made his choice clear. In fact, as per him, Leonard should have been the ultimate choice from the very start. “How bizarre it was, unbelievable it was, even, that he had not been named a Ryder Cup captain. I mean, he should have captained this team. It’s just, I cannot believe it,” he told Bailey Chamblee on the podcast.
Not the name that crossed a lot of minds, surely. So, what is Chamblee on about?
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Justin Leonard might not have come on the fringes of Ryder Cup’s discussion, but his resume is no less impressive. He represented America in three Ryder Cups and famously poured the putt that clinched the “Battle of Brookline” in 1999. That 45-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole against Jose Maria Olazabal capped the greatest Sunday comeback in Ryder Cup history.
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“Justin Leonard’s done everything in the game of golf, including hitting perhaps the only shot that anybody can remember in past Ryder Cups, or the most important shot he’s ever hit in a Ryder Cup, and up to the U.S. side,” recalls Chamblee.
There are more aspects to it. He is disciplined, organized, and has always commanded respect from his peers. In all three editions he played, the last being 2008, he collected five career points. His overall record sits at 2-4-6, which translates to 41.7% of possible points. This ranks him 34th on the all-time US points list.
At the same time, Chamblee sees a familar face in Justin Leonard. “He reminds me of Luke Donald in the way he’s sort of methodically and very in a disciplined way goes about his business. And he’s very smart and very organized. And if you want to know somebody who takes care of details, it is Justin Leonard.”
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Donald got back-to-back Ryder Cup captaincies, and he was even able to perform through it. Under his leadership, Europe emerged twice. Maybe this is where Brandel Chamblee was directing it.
So, Chamblee, for his part, seems convinced the US side is overlooking one of its most qualified leaders. He argued that if the Ryder Cup were run like the Presidents Cup – where Fred Couples earned multiple captaincies by creating the right environment for his team – Leonard would have already had his chance. Instead, the American team has often defaulted to higher-profile names.
For instance, although Tiger Woods is an inseparable name with the PGA Tour and PGA of America, his Ryder Cup record is surprisingly bad. In the 8 times he has appeared, the US has won just once. From 37 matches he played across the Cups, his record stands at 13-21-3, making his win percent 39.2. Compared to this, Leonard’s data is much better. Moreover, Woods is an individual performer who does better solo. He might not do well in a team setting, as his Ryder Cup record says. Even Mickelson thinks so.
Talking about Mickelson, his Ryder Cup record is surely better. In his 12 participations, his record stands at 18-22-7 across 47 matches he played. His win percent stands at 45.7. This is a lot better than that of Lenoard’s, but his chances of becoming the captain remain slim. In fact, he himself admitted that his “Ryder Cup involvement is over.”
So, if one were to consider data and remain unbiased, they might agree with Brandel Chamblee’s take. Justin Leonard can prove to be the captain that America needs. But will that be possible? Who knows. Leonard, on the other hand, does not think so.
Justin Leonard thinks his Ryder Cup ship has sailed
Early in his career, he was approached to serve as a vice-captain. But he declined, believing that the time was not right. Looking back now, he admits those decisions carried unintended consequences. “I do think my ship has probably sailed,” Leonard recently told Brandel and Bailey Chamblee in a previous episode of their podcast. He believes turning down those early invitations sent the wrong messgae, as if the Ryder Cup was not important enough to him. “I think it told too many people that make those decisions that the Ryder Cup wasn’t important enough to me, which couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Due to this, Leonard’s name quietly slipped out of the rotation. He never returned as an assistant captain, and his Ryder Cup involvement went dormant for more than a decade. Only in 2024 did he re-emerge in a leadership role with the President Cup under Jim Furyk.
But opportunity made him realise something. Golf had a new generation now, guys he could not keep up with. Leonard realized how little firsthand connection he had with players who were not his contemporaries.
“There were a number of players, I knew their bios, but I didn’t really know their personalities. I think it is important for a captain to understand their personalities. You don’t have to be friends with the guys, but you certainly need to know that.”
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Even so, when Chamblee pressed him about whether he’d still take on the Ryder Cup job if asked, Leonard didn’t hesitate. “I would do it,” he said.
So, while this might seem too soon for any speculations, Leonard definitely might be a viable candidate in Adare Manor 2027.