Rusty Weiss
John Daly is throwing his hat in the ring for a role with Team USA at the 2027 Ryder Cup — and he’d love it if Tiger Woods is the captain. The two-time major winner made the comments during a wide-ranging interview with Hard Rock Bet, showing he’s still very much invested in the game and eager to be part of the next big American effort against Europe.
John Daly Wants In on 2027 Ryder Cup with Captain Tiger Woods
“I’d love to be a captain one day, but that ain’t never going to happen,” Daly said. “But Tiger would be an unbelievable captain. I would love to be a co-captain or just be a part of it somehow.”
“I feel like I should have been on two teams, but it just didn’t happen. I didn’t play good enough, so I didn’t get on them,” he lamented. “But to be a part of the Ryder Cup would be something I would love to do, whether it’s a co-captain or just be a part of it.”
Daly was pretty straightforward about what went wrong for the U.S. in the latest Ryder Cup. He believes pairing long hitters with shorter ones in alternate shot format doesn’t work well because they can’t “club off” each other effectively. He cited Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth as a pairing that actually clicked.
“I just don’t think you should put a long hitter with a shorter hitter. I think your shorter hitters that we have, that I’ve always seen, are grinders, and I’d rather be feeding off a guy that’s hitting as far as I am,” he said. “Especially in an alternate shot.”
“They’re going to be a little behind some of the guys, but if you take Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, they’re not the longest hitters in the world, but man, they got it going when they played the alternate shots.”
And while he never got to play in a Ryder Cup, Big John certainly had some career highlights to look back on. Daly said winning the 1995 British Open at St. Andrews remains his favorite career moment.
On this day in 1995, John Daly and his legendary mullet won the British Open in a playoff! ⛳️🚬🍺
— Bovada (@BovadaOfficial) July 23, 2023
pic.twitter.com/4hbaSkUCQd
“The PGA was great—don’t get me wrong—but to win at the home of golf at St. Andrews is something that I’ll always [remember],” he said, adding that the links-style course and unpredictable weather made the experience unforgettable.
Daly also reflected on his “grip it and rip it” style, noting he owns the trademark and is proud of its influence, even if he downplays how much credit he deserves for today’s long hitters.
In lighter moments, Daly shared that filming Happy Gilmore 2 with Adam Sandler was a blast.
“It was a blast doing it,” he revealed. “Me and Adam have been good friends for a long, long time, and the guy is just one incredible human being. He’s got a heart of gold, and I love that he keeps his buddies in his movies, and they’re all great actors. It was an honor just to be a part of it.”
“I mean, to have that big of a role for me in a movie that I’m not really a so-called actor—I’ve never really gone to an acting school or anything else—but he made it so easy and comfortable, and I just think it turned out great. I just had a blast working with him.”
If John Daly was the Ryder Cup coach pic.twitter.com/LvC8Tx7XHd
— Tour Golf (not PGA Tour) (@PGATUOR) October 2, 2023
‘I Don’t Work Out — I Put Out’: Daly’s Classic Take on Modern Golf
And what interview with John Daly would be complete without a discussion of drinking buddies on the PGA Tour?
“We had a few drinkers that we’d go out with. When we played back in the ’90s, it was play golf, have a good time, hopefully play good, win, and then have a few cocktails after you get done,” he said. “Now these guys get three hours before tee time. They work out. They practice for an hour and a half before they go to the first tee. They play the round of golf, then they go work out again for two or three hours. It just wasn’t in my blood.”
“I don’t work out—I put out.”
Just an incredible line right there.
The interview mixed nostalgia, humor, and straight talk — classic Daly. Without a doubt, the two-time major winner remains one of golf’s most entertaining personalities.
