Stewart Cink tabbed as Ryder Cup vice captain for first time

This year’s U.S. Ryder Cup team is introducing a fresh face into the American vice captain’s rotation.

Stewart Cink, a five-time Ryder Cupper as a player, was appointed Monday afternoon as captain Zach Johnson’s fifth vice captain for next month’s matches at Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome.

The 50-year-old Cink, who won twice during the 2020-21 PGA Tour season but has since slipped outside the top 250 in Official World Golf Ranking, played his five Ryder Cups in succession, though he hasn’t teed it up in the biennial event since 2010. The U.S. lost by a single point that year, but Cink didn’t lose a match, going 1-0-2 with Matt Kuchar in team play before halving Rory McIlroy in singles.

Cink holds a 5-7-7 individual record at the Ryder Cup, but he’s been a part of just one winning team (2008).

At least one of Johnson’s previously named vice captains – Steve Stricker, Davis Love III, Jim Furyk, Fred Couples – has served as a vice captain on each of the past six U.S. Ryder Cup teams. Of those four, only Couples has not also been a captain.