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ROME — Whether or not Tiger Woods comes to Italy for next year’s Ryder Cup, he will be an integral member of the U.S. team, captain Zach Johnson said Tuesday at next year’s ceremonies.

“Given who he is and what he’s about, I can tell you right now, I don’t know if he’ll be here next year, but he’ll be a part of this team in one way or another,” Johnson said. “He already is, practically.

“I can’t say this lightly – he loves the Ryder Cup. He’s made it a priority of his and Team USA’s. He wants to be a part of it as much as he can.”

Woods was a player on eight Ryder Cup teams and vice-captain in 2018. But he broke bones in his right leg and ankle in a car accident in February 2021 outside Los Angeles.

Next year’s event will be held on the hilly Marco Simone circuit outside Rome.

“Obviously he’s been going through some things lately that make it difficult, whether it’s travel or what have you, but he and I will be in constant communication,” Johnson said. “He has good ideas. He is good at encouragement, always positive.”

The USA romped to a record 19-9 romp in Europe in Whistling Straits, Wis., last year and also won the Presidents Cup comfortably last month.

“The beauty of where we are as Team USA is that we have some really great youngsters,” Johnson said. “And their role model on the golf course is Tiger Woods.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen next September, but you can rest assured that he will be in constant communication with our team.”

The status of many top players for the 2023 edition is in doubt amid lawsuits filed on both sides of the Atlantic involving the Saudi-backed breakaway series LIV Golf.

But Europe captain Luke Donald said there had not been “one single discussion” with US officials this week about the conflict.

Johnson also had little to say on the matter.

“We are two separate entities, and so there are powers that are much smarter than me dealing with it… It’s out of my realm and out of my control,” Johnson told The Associated Press. “I want 12 guys who want to be on the US Ryder Cup team in 2023.”

Considering the performance that the USA delivered in Wisconsin, plus the Presidents Cup victory with a team with all 12 players in the top 25 in the world rankings, the Americans may be favored next year.

It would be another wrinkle that by Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2023, it will have been 30 years since Europe last lost at home – in 1993 at The Belfry in England.

“I fully expect us to be underdogs despite that percentage of [home] wins over the last 30 years,” Donald said.

Johnson was then asked if he really thought Europe was the underdog.

“I can give you a one-word answer: ‘No.'” Johnson said. “Obviously they’ve been very comfortable here for 30 years. So, ‘No.’

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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