Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard named vice captains for U.S. team at 2027 Ryder Cup

U.S. Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk has chosen his vice captains for the 2027 edition of the biennial grudge match.

The PGA of America announced Saturday afternoon that Stewart Cink and Justin Leonard, the same men who served as captain's assistants for Furyk in the 2024 Presidents Cup, will help lead Team USA at Adare Manor in Ireland next fall.

Jim Furyk, Justin Leonard and Stewart Cink (L-R) of the U.S. Team take part in the Captains' Pairings press conference prior to the 2024 Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club on September 25, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

"Adding Stewart and Justin to our leadership team is a crucial step as we prepare for Adare Manor in 2027,” Furyk said in a press release Saturday. "Both have played vital roles on past U.S. Ryder Cup Teams and will bring exceptional expertise and passion to our team room. Together, we are focused on our collective goal of winning back the Ryder Cup in Ireland."

Cink will step into the role of vice captain for a second time, the first being at Marco Simone in 2023, while Adare Manor will mark Leonard's first appearance as a vice captain for a Ryder Cup.

Leonard, 53, became a U.S. Ryder Cup hero in 1999 when he secured his team's victory by draining a long birdie putt to halve a match against Jose Maria Olazabal at The Country Club in Brookline. Leonard, the 1997 British Open champion represented the stars and stripes in eight different match play events throughout his career (three Ryder Cups and five Presidents Cups) and also won 12 times on the PGA Tour.

"I am truly honored to be chosen as one of Jim’s Vice Captains for the 2027 Ryder Cup,” Leonard said in the same release. “The Ryder Cup provided many of the greatest moments of my career and I am eager to jump in and help our team as we prepare for Ireland."

Cink, meanwhile, competed for Team USA in five straight Ryder Cups from 2002-2010, which included a U.S. victory at Valhalla in 2008. An eight-time PGA Tour winner and 2009 British Open champion, Cink has enjoyed a remarkable run on the PGA Tour Champions, racking up seven wins in just 42 starts on the senior circuit.