John Wood, not to be confused with Woods, is an iconic figure in the Ryder Cup, having participated in nine editions of the prestigious tournament. His story begins as a caddie and evolves into becoming a reporter for NBC. Now, in 2025, he has taken on an even more significant role: he has been appointed as the team manager for the USA team at the Ryder Cup in Bethpage, New York.
John Wood, statements
“It truly is a dream assignment. There’s nothing in my career that has captivated me more than the Ryder Cup,” Wood said, visibly thrilled about this unique opportunity. His appointment was decided by the PGA Ryder Cup committee, recognizing his expertise and deep connection to the event.
Wood’s selection was also motivated by the desire to facilitate the task of the future captain of the USA team (whose name is yet to be announced). Being a close figure to Tiger Woods, it is speculated that this appointment may positively influence the decision of the legendary champion, who has already shown his commitment to the Ryder Cup.
Over the years, Wood has played various roles in the Ryder Cup. He started as a caddie for Mark Calavecchia in 2002, then for Chris Riley in 2004, and subsequently for Hunter Mahan in 2008, 2010, and 2014. In 2016, he worked as an assistant for the USA team, while in the 2018, 2021, and 2023 editions, he served as a field reporter for NBC. His experience and passion for the Ryder Cup make him a natural choice to lead the USA team to victory in 2025.
The competition, named after the trophy donated by the Englishman Samuel Ryder (1858–1936) to the American federation in 1924, is co-managed by the European Tour and the PGA of America.
From 1927 to 1971, the tournament was contested between the United States and Great Britain, with a clear American dominance (15-3) and only one tie. In 1973, Ireland was incorporated into Great Britain, and in 1979, the rest of continental Europe was included. Following the acceptance of the European team as the antagonist to the American team, the tournament became much more balanced: from 1979 to 2018, there were eleven victories for Europe, eight for the United States, and only one tie.
The Ryder Cup is hosted alternately on the two continents in odd years. Historically, golf courses in Britain have always been chosen for Europe, with the exceptions of the 1997 edition, held at Valderrama Golf Club (Spain) in honor of the former Spanish golfer Severiano Ballesteros, the 2018 edition, played at Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France), and the most recent in 2023, held at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Italy). Due to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the scheduled Ryder Cup edition was postponed until the following year, subsequently shifting the competition to even years until the 2018 edition. The next tournament, originally planned for 2020, was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby resuming the Ryder Cup competition in odd years.
Among the European ranks, it’s worth noting the presence, on three different occasions (1993, 1995, and 1997), of one of the most celebrated Italian players in golf history, Costantino Rocca, remembered for his famous hole-in-one during the 1995 edition. Italians Francesco Molinari and Edoardo Molinari were the first brothers to compete for the European team in the same Ryder Cup, thanks to their simultaneous participation in the 2010 edition. Francesco Molinari also participated in the 2012 edition in the United States and the 2018 edition in France.
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