1 of 5 | Zach Johnson, who served as a vice captain for the American Ryder Cup Team for the past two tournaments, will captain the team in 2023. File Photo by David Silpa/UPI |
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Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Zach Johnson will become the United States' captain at the 2023 Ryder Cup golf tournament, PGA of America president Jim Richerson announced Monday.
The 2023 Ryder Cup, a biennial men's competition that features the United States against Team Europe, will be held Sept. 25 to Oct. 1 at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome.
"To accept this captaincy, to lead this United States Ryder Cup Team abroad -- after what we accomplished last year at Whistling Straits -- is simply the greatest honor of my professional career," Johnson said in a news release. "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."
Johnson, 46, will be the 30th team captain since the initial 1927 Ryder Cup. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native is a five-time Ryder Cup veteran as a player. He served as the American vice captain for the past two editions of the tournament.
Johnson went 8-7-2 in his five Ryder Cup appearances. The two-time major champion won titles at the 2007 Masters and 2015 British Open, and has a dozen wins on the PGA Tour.
He named Steve Stricker a vice captain for the 44th Ryder Cup. Striker captained the team in 2021. Jim Furyk, Davis Love III and Tom Watson were among the other recent U.S. captains.
The Top 6 American players on the Ryder Cup points list by Aug. 20, 2023, will secure spots on the team. Johnson will announce the remaining six slots after the 2023 Tour Championship.
Players can earn one point per $1,000 earned in each of the four 2022 major championships. They can ear one point per $2,000 earned in 2022 WGC Events and the Players Championship and one point per $1,000 earned in regular 2023 PGA Tour events.
They also can earn two points per $1,000 earned for winning any of the four major titles in 2023 and 1.5 points per $1,000 earned for those who make the cut in 2023 majors.
The Americans beat the Europeans for the Ryder Cup title in September at Whistling Straits Golf Course in Sheboygan, Wis., after the tournament was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Europe entered that competition with wins in four of the last five appearances.