It wasn’t too long ago when Tiger Woods decided he could not participate in the preparation against Europeans at Bethpage Black. PGA Tour Policy Board, TGL duties, parental responsibilities — he counted on his fingers the reasons he could not take up the captaincy role. Reasonable. But that did not mean he wasn’t at all involved with what went down within Team USA.

It started with him actively sharing his thoughts on the captaincy pick. When a PGA of America executive floated the unconventional idea of appointing Keegan Bradley, Woods reportedly gave it his seal of approval, calling Bradley a “brilliant choice.” And that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Last year, Bradley had a sit-down with Tiger Woods to tap into his expertise for the 2025 Ryder Cup. Then, he stated, “Yeah, I’ve told Tiger that I want him to be as involved as he wants to be.” According to a source, Woods is indeed being consulted, with Bradley holding his input in high regard, being “hugely respectful” of his involvement.

The arrangement seems to be working, with Woods serving as an “informal advisor or Dutch uncle” – a guiding voice without calling the shots, striking a “balanced and kind of appropriate” tone. And, look at the history. Woods’s involvement makes sense. Although he hasn’t yet had the chance to captain a Ryder Cup team, he did lead a Presidents Cup squad in 2019. Notably, he used one of his four captain’s picks to select… himself!

In fact, it’s precisely because of his experience as a player and his behind-the-scenes involvement that Woods hasn’t entirely ruled out the possibility of becoming a captain in the future. Last year, he stated, “I’ll put my hat in the ring again when I have more time and I feel like I can devote myself to a Ryder Cup.” So, expect Woods to be back in conversation before the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.

On the other hand, Woods was present during the days Bradley struggled with the questions of becoming a playing captain. Then, he stated, “During this process, he’s been one of the most helpful people that I’ve had.” In fact, Phil Mickelson could have been a part of this equation as well (he was being considered for the role of captain once!), had it not been for his defection to LIV Golf. But let bygones be bygones, because despite all these efforts from Bradley and Woods, something else may trouble the Americans at Bethpage.

The fresh warning for Team USA comes because of its members

Bernard Gallacher, a three-time Ryder Cup captain, is pulling no punches. He recently issued a warning to Keegan Bradley that the American team is in for a tough ride at the 45th Ryder Cup. With the tournament teeing off at Bethpage Black in New York, Gallacher believes Bradley’s “untested” squad, bolstered by four rookie players, is facing an uphill battle against a battle-hardened European team.

The European team boasts 11 returning players from the Rome victory, with Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm leading the charge. Meanwhile, the Americans are banking on a mix of established stars like Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, alongside newcomers J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, Cam Young, and Ben Griffin.

“For Luke, everything has fallen into place. As far as the Americans are concerned, I am sure Luke is watching and seeing four rookies. They are untested,” Gallacher said in an exclusive interview with Bunkered. He does believe that the likes of Schauffele and Scheffler can be a promising threat, but “do we know about Cam Young, J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley? No, we don’t.” That’s not because they’ve not performed well this season, but they are not Ryder Cup tested.

And that can make all the difference at Bethpage Black this month. “Keegan Bradley has got work to do and that is work that Luke does not have,” he added. The home nation has won the last five Ryder Cups, but Gallacher thinks this European team can buck the trend.

“Europe has got a really good chance of breaking the dominance of the home side. It is a very experienced team, and everyone is playing well,” he said. So, there goes a fresh warning for Americans.