It’s back to square one for the European Ryder Cup team.
A little more than a year out from the next playing of the biennial event between the United States and Europe, the latter lost its captain when Henrik Stenson joined the Greg Norman-led and Saudi Arabia-funded LIV Golf Invitational Series. A five-time member of Team Europe, Stenson won the cup three times and boasts a 10-7-2 record.
Stenson’s announcement now raises the question: who’s next to step into the captaincy for the Euros? Ryder Cup stalwarts and LIV golfers Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell and Sergio Garcia are all most likely out of the question due to their status on the upstart circuit that’s long been criticized as a way for the Saudi government to sportswash its human rights record.
European legends like Bernhard Langer and Nick Faldo have most likely aged out of the role, so who does that leave? Here are some options for the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy.