By just about any measurement, Zach Johnson has exceeded expectations for his playing career.
The former Drake University golfer wasn’t even the No. 1 player on his team but, as he put it, he just kept getting better every year. So much so that he would go on to claim 12 PGA Tour titles, including two major championships, the 2007 Masters and 2015 British Open played at the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland. In doing so, he became only the sixth golfer to win majors at St. Andrews and Augusta National joining an exclusive group of players which includes Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
In February 2022, Johnson was named Team USA captain for the Ryder Cup, which begins Sept. 29 in Rome at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club,
Johnson has represented the U.S. side in the Ryder Cup five times as a player, being part of the winning team in 2016, and compiling an 8-7-2 record. Johnson has also served as a vice captain in the last two editions of the biennial contest in 2018 and 2021.
Attempting to win on European soil, something the American side hasn’t done in 30 years, sounds like an enormous task but Johnson just might be the right person for the job. Last week, while competing at the Fortinet Championship in Napa, California, Johnson sat down exclusively with Golfweek for the following Q&A.