Zach Johnson has been unveiled as the next captain of the US Ryder Cup team for 44th Ryder Cup, which will be played at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Italy next September.
Johnson made his Ryder Cup debut in 2006 and has played in five matches (’06, ‘10, ‘12, ‘14, ‘16), and also served as a vice-captain in 2018 and 2021.
The 46-year-old from Iowa has eight wins, two draws and seven defeats in his overall Ryder Cup match record and was part of winning teams as a player in 2016 and as a Vice Captain in 2020.
As an individual player he has two major wins on his CV – the 2007 Masters and the 2015 Open Championship – and 12 career worldwide victories.
“To accept this captaincy, to lead this United States Ryder Cup team abroad ー after what we accomplished last year at Whistling Straits ー is simply the greatest honor of my professional career,” said Johnson. “I want to thank the PGA of America Ryder Cup Committee for this special opportunity. As exciting as this is for both my family and me, it is equally sobering to understand the scope of our challenge in Rome, as we have not won on the road in three decades. To win, we will have to outplay a European Team that will have both ample talent and motivation on their side. I am anxious to dig in and begin the process of putting our team in the best possible position to succeed.”
PGA of America President Jim Richerson, who announced the appointment, said: “I am confident that Zach’s appointment will be wildly popular with the players as well as throughout American golf circles. But more than that, Zach is the caliber of individual that the PGA of America wants representing the United States and our 28,000-plus PGA Professionals on the global stage. He has performed on the biggest stages as a player, a teammate and as a Vice Captain. He checks every conceivable leadership box and we anticipate that the US team in Italy will reflect the hard work, grit and selfless determination that have long defined his stellar playing career.”
In his first act as captain, Johnson named Steve Stricker as the first of his vice captains.
Only six of the 12 places on the US team will be offered through automatic qualification, which will be based on points accrued during the whole of the 2022 season and concluding immediately after the second FedEx Cup Play-Off event on August 20, 2023. The six remaining slots will be captain’s picks and will be announced by Johnson following the 2023 Tour Championship.