LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — U.S. Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk said Saturday that Justin Leonard and Stewart Cink will be two of his assistants for the 2027 matches at Adare Manor in Ireland.
Furyk announced the selections at the Kentucky Derby. Both were under consideration as captain, and their appointments could indicate a future captaincy.
Leonard played in three Ryder Cups — two of them U.S. victories — and is best known for his 45-foot birdie putt at The Country Club in 1999 that clinched the Americans' comeback against Europe.
This is Leonard's first time as a Ryder Cup assistant. He was an assistant under Furyk at the 2024 Presidents Cup and Furyk referred to him as “my right-hand man."
“The most organized, meticulous person I know,” Furyk said. “So when I got this job, the first guy I called was Justin Leonard.”
Cink played on five consecutive U.S. teams, including part of the 2008 U.S. victory at Valhalla. He was an assistant captain to Zach Johnson in Italy in 2023, a resounding European victory.
Europe has won the last two times. Luke Donald returns as captain and will try to be the first to win three straight in the Ryder Cup.
Furyk played in his first Ryder Cup in 1997 and has been part of every team as a player, assistant or captain since then. This will be his second time as U.S. captain, having been on the losing side in Paris in 2018.
The Americans have not won the Ryder Cup away from home since 1993.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
FILE - US team captain Jim Furyk attends the press conference of the losing team after Europe won the 2018 Ryder Cup golf tournament at Le Golf National in Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines, outside Paris, France, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, file)
GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Edin Džeko returned in time for the celebrations as seven-time German champion Schalke sealed its return to the Bundesliga with a 1-0 win over Fortuna Düsseldorf on Saturday.
“Back where you belong,” former Schalke great Raúl wrote on Instagram.
Kenan Karaman’s strike in the 13th minute was enough for Schalke to move an unassailable 10 points clear of third-place Hannover in Germany’s second division. Hannover has three games remaining and Schalke has two. The top two teams secure automatic promotion to the top division.
“I cannot put it in words,” said Karaman, the team captain who unleashed the ball inside the far post for his 14th goal of the season. “We waited a long time for this moment, as a club, as a city, all the people around it. I'm just happy that we could take the final step at home because the fans deserve it.”
The supporters were urged not to storm the field and hundreds of stewards lined up to ensure there were no injuries, but the fans seemed to be content to celebrate in the stands with flares, beer and songs.
“There was a lot of pressure, so much pressure. The last years weren't easy,” Karaman said of three straight seasons in the second division, two of which almost ended in demotion to the third division.
The turnaround came last summer with the appointment of Miron Muslić as coach by sporting director Frank Baumann. The 43-year-old Muslić turned the team from one in crisis to a candidate for promotion. Schalke is well-placed to clinch the second division title ahead of second-place Paderborn.
Schalke’s push this season was helped by the surprise signing of Džeko in January. The now 40-year-old Bosnia forward chipped in six goals in nine league appearances for Schalke. But he hadn't played since suffering a shoulder injury in Bosnia’s World Cup playoff win over Italy on March 31.
Others stepped up in Džeko’s absence, especially Mali forward Moussa Sylla, who scored three of his seven goals this season in Schalke’s last six games.
Džeko made his comeback after coming on as a substitute in the 69th minute on Saturday. He didn’t score, but none of the Schalke fans among 61,587 supporters in the sold-out stadium were complaining.
“We wanted this win, we wanted to celebrate with the fans today,” said Džeko, who didn't want to look too far ahead. “First we celebrate, but I'm very very happy with this decision to come here in January.”
It’s Schalke’s second promotion from the second division in five years after its initial relegation from the Bundesliga in 2021. Schalke bounced back as second-division champion the following season but it was relegated again in 2023 after just one season in the top division.
“Nothing is more important than bringing this club back to where it belongs,” Schalke defender Timo Becker said.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Schalke's goalkeeper Loris Karius celebrates at the end of the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Fortuna Duesseldorf in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Schalke players celebrate at the end of the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Fortuna Duesseldorf in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Schalke's head coach Miron Muslic celebrates with family members at the end of the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Fortuna Duesseldorf in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Schalke players celebrate at the end of the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Fortuna Duesseldorf in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Schalke's Timo Becker, center, celebrates at the end of the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Fortuna Duesseldorf in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
FC Schalke 04 supporters march to the stadium ahead of their 2. Bundesliga match against Fortuna Duesseldorf, where their club can secure early promotion back to the Bundesliga with a win in the evening at the Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
FC Schalke 04 supporters march to the stadium ahead of their 2. Bundesliga match against Fortuna Duesseldorf, where their club can secure early promotion back to the Bundesliga with a win in the evening at the Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Schalke fans sing and hold up scarves prior to the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Fortuna Duesseldorf in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Schalke's Edin Dzeko, left, tries to block a shot from Duesseldorf's Tim Oberdorf during the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Fortuna Duesseldorf in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Schalke fans light flares during the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between FC Schalke 04 and Fortuna Duesseldorf in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Saturday, May 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
