Michael Jordan Had One Instruction to Follow After Team USA Hired Him for Ryder Cup

NBA icon Michael Jordan had one instruction to follow after he was hired by Team USA for the 2012 Ryder Cup.

Team USA and Team Europe lock horns in New York this weekend, with Europe looking to defend their 2023 Ryder Cup crown.

Team Europe won 16.5 to 11.5 in Rome two years ago as Luke Donald looks to follow up success in Italy with a 16th triumph in Team USA's backyard.

They’ll look to draw inspiration from the 2012 Ryder Cup, which Team Europe won 14.5 to 13.5 as Jose Maria Oyarzabal masterminded success in Illinois.

Love had hoped the presence of Jordan would inspire Team USA to glory over 10 years ago, but it failed to come to pass as Europe won the ‘Miracle in Medinah’, which saw one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time.

Davis Love III during Sunday's singles action at the 2012 Ryder Cup. (Image: Fred Vuich /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

After Team USA’s 19.5 to 14.5 win over the International team at the 2009 President’s Cup, where Jordan served as Fred Couples’ assistant, Love felt the decision to bring the NBA icon along for the ride would have the same impact.

Jordan's sole instruction revealed

Couples has revealed that Jordan had one instruction as Team USA secured a comfortable victory in 2009.

"His role was to have fun with the guys. That's it. He's certainly not telling them how to hit a chip shot,” Couples said.

Love envisaged a similar outcome in Illinois, stating: “Michael's going to be hanging around … and be an influence.”

Jordan and the Ryder Cup started their association in 1997, when Team USA captain, Tom Kite, invited the basketball star on to his golf cart and spent time driving him around the course.

Team Europe won the 1997 Ryder Cup 14.5 to Team USA’s 13.5 and despite defeat, Love thought the Jordan-Kite link-up was an inspired moment.

Jordan's association with the Ryder Cup

"I thought one of the neatest things I ever saw in the Ryder Cup was Michael riding in the golf cart with Tom Kite," Love says of the images of the duo in 1997.

"One of the coolest things. I want him to be seen and I want him to be in our team room."

Tom Kite (C) watches the 1997 action unfold from his golf kart with Michael Jordan (L) (Image: Craig Jones /Allsport)

Keegan Bradley was named Team USA captain last year for the 2025 Ryder Cup and, in doing so, has become the youngest captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963 in the process.

Donald, meanwhile, becomes the first European to retain his captaincy since Bernard Gallacher in 1993.

The 2025 Ryder Cup starts on Saturday at the Bethpage Black Course in New York, and former European hero Andrew Coltart has warned wives and girlfriends to stay off the course for fear of abuse from the crowd.