Tranlate this title Jordan Spieth on the Tiger Woods role many fans missed at the 2021 Ryder Cup in spanish

Jordan Spieth says many golf fans may not know how involved Tiger Woods actually was during the United States’ record Ryder Cup win at Whistling Straits in 2021.

Woods was not at the course that week. The 15-time Grand Slam tournament winner was still recovering from the serious car accident he suffered in February of that year, and his condition made travelling and walking around Whistling Straits difficult.

But being away from the team did not mean the 50-year-old had no role. Woods kept contact with captain Steve Stricker and several American players before and during the event.

Speaking to No Laying Up in 2023, Spieth claimed Woods probably did not receive enough credit for what he did behind the scenes.

“I think Tiger’s not getting any credit for how involved he was, and how selfless it was for him not to come for almost that very reason [of being a distraction], and he recognised it,” Spieth said.

For somebody that great, I don’t feel he has an ego. He wants to win, and he felt like the best case was to not be a distraction by going. He was super involved, and I don’t know if people really realise that, that much.”

Woods was helping the US team from home: His contact with the team continued

Stricker wanted Woods involved long before the Ryder Cup started. In May 2021, the American captain said he had already spoken to his former teammate and would have liked to have him at Whistling Straits if his recovery allowed it.

Woods eventually stayed at home, but his contact with the team continued.

Stricker said during Ryder Cup week that he was calling Woods regularly and described him as part of the US setup. Some players had also visited Woods at his home before travelling to Wisconsin.

Tiger then sent the team a message on the night before the opening session. Stricker read it to his players.

Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay later said they referred to the message during their opening foursomes match, which they won 5&3 against Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter.

Tony Finau was another player who had contact with Woods. Harris English revealed that Woods had given Finau some advice about fourball strategy, while Finau said the veteran was clearly invested in what was happening from home.

Justin Thomas also spoke at the time about the amount of work Woods was prepared to put into team events.

“The amount of work and the amount of hours he’s willing to spend to make sure that he feels like the team is prepared and as ready to go as possible is pretty cool,” Thomas said.

The United States went on to win 19-9, which remains the largest winning margin since Europe became part of the Ryder Cup in 1979.

Spieth played five matches that week and collected 1.5 points. Tiger never appeared at Whistling Straits, but his messages and contact with the players remained part of the story of that American win.

Woods could still become a Ryder Cup captain

Woods had already shown his interest in the team side of golf before 2021.

He served as a vice captain at the 2016 Ryder Cup and was also involved as an assistant at the 2017 Presidents Cup. Two years later, he became playing captain for the United States at the Presidents Cup in Australia and led his team to victory.

A Ryder Cup captaincy has followed him for several years. Woods turned down the chance to captain the United States at Bethpage Black in 2025 because he did not believe he could give the job enough time.

The subject returned again in 2026. In February, Woods confirmed that the PGA of America had asked for his input about the 2027 captaincy, but he had not made a decision at that stage.

“I’m trying to figure out what we’re trying to do with our tour,” Woods said at Riviera. “That’s been driving me hours upon hours every day.”

The next Ryder Cup will be played at Adare Manor in Ireland in September 2027. The United States have not won a Ryder Cup on European soil since 1993, making the next away event another difficult task.

There is also another future US Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota in 2029. The course previously hosted the competition in 2016, when the Americans won 17-11.

Whether Woods eventually takes the captaincy remains unclear. What is already known is that he has spent years helping American teams in different roles, even during a period when he could not be at the course himself.