Phil Mickelson suggests “Coach K or Lou Holtz” for Ryder Cup captain

After the Ryder Cup, Team USA started to break into something or the right thing. Phil Mickelson Phil Mickelson is stuck in online debate as the Americans beat Europe in the Bethpage Black, which is the Bethpage Black (and the U.S. Ryder Cup points field in U.S. history).

On Tuesday, Kyle Porter of General Sports posted a public question on X: “If the question asked is: “European excellence seems to be radiating from the trust built by building relationship equality and world-class communication.” Can we build our version? “I don’t think Tiger Woods” is the answer, he wrote.

Mickelson then posted a long reply.

“That’s why it’s worth exploring to see coach K or Lou Holtz outside of golf,” he wrote. “Golf is an individual sport without teamwork, support systems, partnerships, team analysis, personality traits, etc. Europeans have a template to teach and prepare captains of these skills. We have a new template every 2 years with little continuity. If coach K or Loutz would take up the same measure, or would it be temporarily removed? It’s worth doing it in the beginning.”

Coach K – or Mike Krzyzewski – worked for 42 seasons at Duke’s famous men’s basketball, winning five NCAA national championships and amassed the biggest wins of any coach in NCAA Level I men’s basketball history. Coach K also led the U.S. national basketball team to three Olympic gold medals and three world championships. His leadership has made him one of the most respected coaches in history. Holtz is known for turning around the ill football program and coaching many college teams in the bowl game. In 1988, he won the national championship at Notre Dame. After Holtz retired, he worked as a college football analyst for CBS and ESPN, and his humor and relevance made him a popular figure.

When a user on X pointed out that Holtz will be 90 when he is going to be in the next Ryder Cup in Ireland in 2027, Mickelson answered “Lou Holtz Type Coach” with facial gap emojis.

It’s obvious that Mickelson thinks we lack something in our Ryder Cup leadership. In 2014, Mickelson publicly criticized Captain America Tom Watson at a press conference after the team lost at Gleneagles in Scotland. Mickelson once considered an obvious choice for the captain’s role, but his move to Liv makes this unlikely until a partnership is formed. When one user answered Mickelson’s post, Mickelson replied: “It’s flattered, but I’m not.”

The next American Ryder Cup captain has not yet been announced. The 2027 Ryder Cup will be held at Adare Manor, Ireland from September 13 to 19.