US Ryder Cup team captain Jim Furyk has announced that Justin Leonard and Stewart Cink will serve as his assistant captains for the 2027 tournament, which is set to take place at Adare Manor in Ireland. The announcement was made on Saturday at the Kentucky Derby.
Both Leonard and Cink were previously considered for the captain position, and their new roles may indicate future captaincy opportunities. Leonard, a three-time Ryder Cup participant with two US victories, is known for his impressive 45-foot birdie putt at The Country Club in 1999, which helped the Americans secure a comeback win against Europe. This will be Leonard's first time as a Ryder Cup assistant captain, having previously assisted Furyk at the 2024 Presidents Cup.
Furyk praised Leonard as 'the most organised, meticulous person I know,' and revealed that he was the first person he called after being appointed captain. Cink, on the other hand, has participated in five consecutive US Ryder Cup teams, including the 2008 victory at Valhalla, and served as an assistant captain to Zach Johnson in 2023. The US team will face a challenging task as they attempt to overcome Europe's recent dominance, with Luke Donald returning as captain in an attempt to secure a historic third consecutive win. Furyk, who has been part of every US Ryder Cup team since 1997 as a player, assistant, or captain, will lead the team for the second time, having previously been on the losing side in Paris in 2018.
The Americans have not secured a win away from home since 1993.