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U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson was heavily
criticised after his side were beaten heavily by Europe last
year. Changes are expected before the next Ryder Cup in 2025,
which will be staged at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York.
Six-times major winner Mickelson, 53, played on every U.S. Ryder
Cup team between 1995-2018 and was named vice-captain in 2021,
but did not feature in 2023.
While he also knows the course well, having twice finished
runner-up at the U.S. Open there, he said on the Pat McAfee Show
this week that he did not feel he was the "right guy" to captain
the side.
"I'm a very divisive character right now, if you will, and I
understand that," he said on the Youtube sports talk show.
"The players on the PGA Tour, there's a lot of hostilities
towards me, and I don't feel I'd be the best leader for them.
"I knew I was going to take some hits going forward, and I'm OK
with that. And as a divisive individual, I don't think I'm the
best unifier going forward for the Ryder Cup, and that's fine
because I've had so many great memories with it."
Team Europe have already enlisted 2023 captain Luke Donald for
their 2025 campaign. The Englishman is Europe's first repeat
captain since Bernard Gallacher in 1991, 1993 and 1995.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India; Editing by Peter
Rutherford )
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