Meet Team USA Ryder Cup Manager John Wood: Pro Golfer, Singer, Family Man & More of His Roles Explored

John Wood has been a caddie for almost 26 years now. He has been part of several Ryder Cups and PGA Tour events and has acquired quite a bit of fame among the caddies. Years after being in the industry, he got further recognized as the latest news of him becoming the next team manager in the Ryder Cup hit the golf community. But who is John Wood? Let us dive into the journey of this Caddie.

Apart from being a self-claimed amateur songwriter and a baseball player as a youngster, John Woods confessed to enjoying music, playing, and listening. He likes to go camping or hiking at any point. His social media also reveals how an on-course reporter is a family man off the course who plays with his children and dogs whenever he gets a chance. Wood was compared to a renaissance man for his hobbies of reading and writing by Golf Yeah but how did his career start in golf?

It was the year 1997 when PGA Tour pro, Kevin Sutherland offered Wood to join him on the golf course as a caddie. Before the offer, John Wood was managing a bookstore in Sacramento. Even after joining the sport, he confessed, “I’ve avoided getting a real job my entire life.” However, the 53-year-old caddie who had joined the on-course team of NBC as a reporter has now claimed to have landed his ‘dream job’. But before this, let us look at those golfers for whom John Wood had caddied in the past.

Who did John Wood caddie for?

After Kevin Sutherland, Wood caddied for 1989 Open’s Championship winner Mark Calcavecchia at the Belfry Ryder Cup back in 2002. Moreover, he also joined Chris Riley in 2004 at Oakland Hills, and for three years, in 2008, 2010, and 2014, he caddied for Hunter Mahan, who has not only defeated Rory McIlroy but has also won two World Golf Championships. Following this in 2016, Matt Kuchar also had him as a caddie at Hazeltine. But the star-studded list of golfers now has another possibility this season. Do you think John Wood gets to caddie for Tiger Woods?

Would John Wood be hired by Tiger Woods?

In 2019, John Wood confessed to Caddie Network that Ben Hogan, Seve Ballesteros, and Tiger Woods were the three players who would fill out his dream foursome. Years later, rumors have finally started to surface that Wood might encounter Tiger Woods hiring him for the caddie post in 2014.

In the X handle of TWLEGION, information was dropped on how John Wood might be working for Tiger Woods. It was written, “Doug Ferguson (AP) has floated that John Wood could be a candidate for Tiger Woods caddie at some events in 2024, citing their close relationship and knowledge of his game.”

Although the rumors are spread like forest fire, Wood’s new promotion as a team manager on the US team might actually be a positive sign as his career’s turning point.

John Wood: The new Ryder Cup team manager

John Wood is presently employed as an on-course reporter at Golf Channel and NBC. But he has also worked as a team assistant for some matches in 2018 in France. Wood is a caddie who revealed that an alternate occupation he would have chosen was being a writer. However, his destiny and hard work allowed him to become the new Ryder Cup team manager in 2025. Woods has been a part of the Ryder Cup as a caddie six distinct times and twice as an NBC Sports on-course reporter.

Following the announcement of his joining as a team manager, he stated, “There is nothing, and I mean nothing, in my professional career that I have been more passionate about than the Ryder Cup.” His excellence is also recognized by Seth Waugh, CEO of the PGA of America. Waugh commented, “John is a passionate and dedicated individual. His years of experience in domestic and international team competitions as well as his deep understanding of match play dynamics will be a tremendous asset as we create a strategic plan that delivers success at all future Ryder Cups.”

Through his new role, John Wood will be responsible for a series of important decisions. It ranges from playing a major role in player selection to recruitment to logistics. However, he is also expected to create a better and more positive team environment.