Steve Stricker keen to have Woods on backroom staff for Ryder Cup

United States captain Steve Stricker hopes to have Tiger Woods as part of his backroom staff for September’s Ryder Cup.

Woods underwent surgery on open fractures to his lower right leg and further injuries to his foot and ankle following a single-vehicle crash in Los Angeles in February.

The 15-time major winner, who was found to be driving at twice the legal speed limit when he crashed, is recovering at home in Florida and recently posted a picture of himself on Instagram standing on crutches.

Asked ahead of the US PGA Championship if he wanted his former partner to be a vice-captain at Whistling Straits, Stricker said: “I’ve talked to him. I don’t know if we are there yet to commit to him being there.

“He’s still got a lot going on and his spirits are great, though, as of late. We were on a Zoom call with him just this last week and he seems like he’s in a better place. Like I said, though, he’s still got some ways to go.

“But yeah, I’d love to have him there. Who wouldn’t, right? The guys really respect him and he did a great job obviously as a captain (in the 2019 Presidents Cup) but he was an assistant captain of mine in 2017 and he was unbelievable.

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“He would do anything for you and he’s totally, totally vested in the situation and the process and almost to the point of he’s on it early and so much it’s like, ‘Dude, we’ve still got months to go yet’.

Woods has a poor playing record in the Ryder Cup, winning 13, losing 21 and halving three of his matches, most recently losing all four matches in the 2018 contest in Paris.