Bryson ‘The Entertainer’ DeChambeau is fully embracing his long ball persona at Whistling Straits. On Thursday, he was paired with Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler for the final practice round before the Ryder Cup officially gets under way Friday morning.
It’s still unclear who will be paired with DeChambeau this week, but speculation is it will be Scheffler, who’s making his Ryder Cup debut. Regardless of who it is, it’ll be interesting to see how their able to adjust to DeChambeau’s length off the tee.
God, would it be nice to drive it 350 yards through the air.
The first hole at Whistling Straits is a par 4 measuring 364 yards.Take a look at where DeChambeau’s drive landed. You may not believe it if you don’t watch the video.
HAVEN, Wisc. – Davis Love III still remembers when he knew Jon Rahm was born to take his rightful place among the great Spanish Ryder Cup players.
“We’re playing in Houston in April 2018, almost six months before the Ryder Cup at Le Golf National and I got paired with Jon on Saturday and he bombed it by me but I did all right, held my own,” recalled Love, the U.S. captain in 2012 and 2016 who is reprising his vice-captain role from 2018 again this year. “We walk off the green and he was very professional, took his hat off, I took off mine and he shook my hand and said, ‘I will see you in Paris.’ I’m not even playing! It was like he was poking a finger in my chest. That could rub some guys the wrong way but I thought it was awesome. He’s built for the Ryder Cup. He loves that stage. He’s the present and future of leadership for his team. They’re going to rally behind him just like they have Rory.”
Rahm made his debut in the biennial competition later that year and played in three matches, going 1-2 as a rookie with a singles match victory over his childhood idol, Tiger Woods. Three years later, Rahm, 26, is the reigning U.S. Open winner, World No. 1 and expected to carry a larger role in Team Europe’s quest to retain the Cup on foreign soil. When asked during his press conference if he was ready to step up as a leader, he chuckled and said, “What kind of a player would I be if I say no? Right. So yes, yes, I’m ready for that. It’s a challenge I look forward to.”
Later, he added some additional context: “When you’re born in Spain, the Ryder Cup is something special. There’s a lot of legacy in this event between Seve and Ollie and the players got the most amount of Ryder Cup points for Team Europe in history. It’s a lot to live up to, I’m not going to lie. It’s a lot of expectation when you’re a Spaniard.”
Those expectations proved to be a lot to live up to in France in 2018. Rahm lost his first two matches and sat out Saturday’s afternoon session. Graeme McDowell served as a European vice captain then as he is now and one of the players he was assigned to was Rahm. It was his job to make sure Rahm was in the right place mentally for Sunday, noting, “By Saturday lunch time, Jon was not a happy boy, and 24 hours later he’s beating Tiger in singles and everything is forgotten. That’s the Ryder Cup. For Rahm to beat Tiger on that stage, that day, was a big turning point for him emotionally.”
Team Europe player Jon Rahm (left) hits his tee shot in front of player Rory McIlroy (right) on the fifth hole during a practice round for the 43rd Ryder Cup golf competition at Whistling Straits. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)
Of that victory over Tiger, Rahm later explained how he approached the match and it will be interesting to see if he returns to the well this week with the same philosophy.
“I went to the first tee just picturing that I had a match against myself,” he said. “It was the first time I was playing Tiger, one of my idols looking up to him, so it was too easy for me to get caught up in looking at everything he was doing; as easy as it is to get caught up on seeing how well Rory hits it and what he’s been doing, right? So just focus on myself, keep focusing on me and my emotions and what I’m feeling and what I have to do at each moment.”
Since that time, Rahm has taken his game to another level and he will be counted on to carry a heavier load. Asked how he plans to evolve into this bigger role, he said, “We have plenty of players in the team that are vocal enough that have done this enough that naturally will gravitate towards for guidance. I’m not going to actively go and just make myself, hey, I’m a leader now, because I don’t have that massive of an ego. I’ll let the clubs and the ball do the talking and I’ll leave the speeches and the leadership to the guys that have been doing this for a long time.”
Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter represent that old guard that have been there, done that as Europe has dominated the competition to the tune of nine wins in the last 12 matches. But to continue their winning ways, Rahm will have to produce like the World No. 1 player he’s become.
“It feels like he’s grown up a lot (since the last Ryder Cup),” McDowell said. “He’s very self aware. He’s got that Spanish in him where he wears his heart on his sleeves. He could seem angry and a little petulant sometimes. He’s worked hard on himself. He’s created a lot of stability in his life getting married and having a baby. He’s done a huge amount of work on himself.”
While McDowell points to the 2018 victory over Tiger as a seminal moment in Rahm’s progression to world No. 1, fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia takes a slightly different tack.
“I think he was headed that way anyway. He’s just a great player. He’s got all the shots,” Garcia said. “As a Spaniard, it’s nice to see how he’s evolved and how obviously he’s grown up and the way that his game has gotten better and better.”
As Davis Love III discovered the hard way, Rahm was born for this, the heir, along with Rory McIlroy, who will lead Team Europe for many years to come. That role starts now in just his second Cup appearance.
“He’s gone from being a rookie to being ‘The Man’ in the team room,” McDowell said, “and the best man we have.”
Team Europe continues to score points for taking a lighthearted approach to the Ryder Cup.
There’s plenty to get serious about with the Ryder Cup fast approaching, but Team Europe continues to score points for taking a lighthearted approach to the competition, which starts Friday at Whistling Straits.
A released animation called “Out of context,” which mashes up a number of audio clips, has been getting rave reviews and even some of the players have commented.
Funny moments include a “ripper” from Bernd Wiesberger and Jon Rahm dancing shirtless atop a table while his chums cheer him on.
Golfweek’s Adam Schupak asked Rahm if the hilarious depiction was an accurate portrayal of his actions after the team’s win in 2018.
“No, but that’s what they want me to do this year if that were to happen. I mean, it’s not what I did, I can tell you the environment is not too far from that, OK,” Rahm said. “Now, nobody was on tables, shirt off; I certainly wasn’t. But the environment is somewhat similar. Some people were going just as hard that night celebrating, which I don’t blame them. It’s a stressful long year.
“When you are in an environment with no judgment, you’re not scared of anybody posting on Instagram, you can let yourself go a little bit and be vulnerable, and that’s the fun part of things like that.”
The European side has played all its cards correctly in the lead-up to the event, as the first foursome of players to take to the first tee Wednesday morning at Whistling Straits – Sergio Garcia, Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm – were sporting Cheesehead hats, the calling card for the state known as America’s Dairyland.
As the pro-USA crowd roared its approval, the eight Europeans tossed the Cheesehead hats to assembled fans.
After three years, it’s finally here. It’s finally time for the intercontinental showdown between the United States and Europe. For the Americans, it’s time for revenge.
To put in bluntly, the U.S. team got their butts kicked in Paris, the last host of the Ryder Cup. The 2018 beatdown was led by Francesco Molinari, who became the first European Ryder Cupper to earn the maximum amount of points with a record of 5-0-0. His partner was just as responsible for the win. Tommy Fleetwood was 4-1-0 in his first Ryder Cup appearance, with his only loss coming in Sunday singles.
Europe took back the trophy, which the United States won at Hazeltine in 2016, with a 17½ to 10½ win.
Overall, Europe has won seven of the last nine Cups.
Golf course
Whistling Straits is built directly into the shores of Lake Michigan. Pete Dye perfectly designed this track to play challenging for all golfers, regardless of skill level, including the best players in the world.
Most recently, it was home to the 2015 PGA Championship won by Jason Day, his lone major victory.
It’s a par 71, playing around 7,400 yards, although that number will change day-to-day depending on how captain Stricker wants to set up the golf course. We’ve already seen videos showcasing the lack of rough.
This comes as no surprise, as the United States will want to take advantage of their length.
We’re going to experience major fall vibes in Wisconsin this week, as temperatures should hover in the upper 50s and low 60s. Watch out for USA and Europe beanies on display in the morning fourball sessions.
Key stats
Driving distance: It’s no secret this is a big golf course, and we now know the rough has been cut down to a point it’ll make minimum impact (aside from drives off the map). Because of this, players have to be willing to take off head-covers on almost every par 4 and 5.
Greens in regulation: Hazards lurk around every green at Whistling Straits, some of which you might as well bring a sleeping bag. Prioritizing hitting greens in regulation, sometimes over proximity, will be key.
Birdie or better percentage: In most cases, matches are won by making birdies. These guys can’t play scared, and may need to take some risks to match their opponents.
Data Golf information
Course Fit (compares golf courses based off the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. Torrey Pines, South (home of the Farmers Insurance Open, and the 2021 U.S. Open), 2. Accordia Golf Narashino CC, 3. Corales Golf Club
Trending (players ranked in accordance to recent finishes):
Team USA: 1. Bryson DeChambeau (last 3 starts: T31, 2, 7), 2. Patrick Cantlay (T11, 1, 1), 3. Daniel Berger (T56, T26, T11)
Team Europe: 1. Jon Rahm (3, T9, 2), 2. Rory McIlroy (T43, 4, T14), 3. Paul Casey (T5, T64, T38)
Ranking of important stats at Whistling Straits
DataGolf.com
As you can tell, driving distance matters around this track. Taking a look at the 2015 PGA Championship leaderboard – Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Tony Finau, and of course the winner Jason Day, finished in the top 10. Common denominator of those players: They can move it.
Full 2015 PGA Championship results of those playing in this year’s Ryder Cup*
Finishing position
Player
2
Jordan Spieth
T-5
Brooks Koepka
T-7
Dustin Johnson
T-10
Tony Finau
17
Rory McIlroy
T-18
Justin Thomas
T-25
Tyrrell Hatton
T-30
Paul Casey
T-43
Lee Westwood
T-48
Harris English
T-54
Sergio Garcia
*players who made the cut.
Strokes Gained rankings of all players on Team USA and Team Europe
These are over each player’s last 36 holes on the PGA Tour.
The last time the Ryder Cup was played on home soil, the U.S. hoisted the trophy. The time before, it took an absolute meltdown from the Americans during Sunday singles for them not to win.
I like them state-side.
Xander Schauffele – Top USA points scorer (+650)
It seems as though Schauffele will be paired with his good buddy Patrick Cantlay. At the 2019 Presidents Cup, the pair was 2-2-0. Due to other big names on the U.S. side, they will more than likely play a weaker tandem on the European team. The way Cantlay finished out the 2021 season, along with Schauffele’s ability to flip a switch, I’d look for Schauffele to have a big week.
Although this will be his first Ryder Cup, he’s seen some success in representing the USA – *cough cough*- the gold medal hanging from his neck.
Day 1 Foursomes, USA to win (+100)
Early morning, first Ryder Cup on home soil since 2016, with a crowd made up of nearly all Americans. Everything points to a quick start for the U.S..
At Hazeltine, the Americans swept the morning foursomes, 4-0.
Be on the look-out for more picks as the week goes on, especially when we know all 12 Sunday matches.
The 16th hole at Whistling Straits will prove most pivotal for a few reasons, and maybe none bigger than the order of where it sits on the course, as percentages say that many matches don’t make it to the 17th tee during the Ryder Cup.
There will be plethora of birdies with a few eagles mixed in assuming this hole plays similarly to how it did during the 2015 PGA Championship, where it was the easiest hole on the course, playing to an average of 4.62.
Standing on the tee of this 552-yard par 5, most players know they should be able to reach in two with the forecasted wind direction out of the west (from right to left), which adds a little extra pressure to hit the fairway. Playing well away from Lake Michigan which borders the hole down the entirety of the left side, captain Steve Stricker has opened up the right rough corridor to some 40 feet wide where the players can bail out short of the fairway bunkers.
The more difficult left side is flanked by numerous bunkers just waiting to catch the errant hook off the tee. A layup must be hit to a serpentine fairway where the line and distance must marry to offer the best option for the approach shot.
For those who are able to fire for the green in two, great scores await and players will be greeted by a fairway lie with the ball slightly above their feet which gives the best opportunity for a nice high draw into the green from 220-250 yards or more. To assist here, the green is similarly canted from right to left with two mounds protruding into the green from just right of greenside.
The Puttview yardage book for Whistling Straits’ Straits Course, site of the Ryder Cup (Courtesy of Puttview)
This allows the freedom to aim down the right side and away from trouble and allowing the natural contours to move the ball towards the hole as it bounds onto the putting surface. This avoids taking the risk of hugging the more dangerous left side of the hole, where it only gets more difficult the closer the player gets to the green.
All in all, there should be plenty of fireworks at the scoreable 16th.We just might see a few eagles to close out matches here accompanied with the traditional high-decibel roars we have become accustomed to over the years.
Steve Scott is the Director of Instruction for Golfweek and the author of the book “Hey, Tiger – you need to move your mark back,” released earlier this year (Skyhorse Publishing, $19.99). It’s available at movethatback.com. Aside from leading our lessons, Scott is also the PGA head golf professional at the Outpost Club, founder of the Silver Club Golfing Society and a PGA Tour Live analyst.
Justin Thomas has never been shy about his style on the golf course. If you remember, he was one of the first players to wear a hoodie during tournament play. But this week for the Ryder Cup, he’s stepping it up a notch.
The Ryder Cup veteran is entering the week at Whistling Straits with a winning record of 4-1-0, highlighted by a Sunday singles win over Rory McIlroy in 2018. In a unsuccessful trip to Paris, JT was the lone bright spot for the United States.
With Patrick Reed staying at home, many fans are looking for Justin Thomas to pick up the shield and become this year’s “Captain America.” If he can repeat what he did in France, the United States squad may be the ones lifting the trophy Sunday evening.
And in the process, he’ll be walking around in these bad boys.
The groups will play 11 holes in all, starting on the first hole and then heading over to play Nos. 9-18.
HAVEN, Wis. — The 43rd Ryder Cup pitting the U.S. vs. the Europeans starts Friday.
We now know the names of the celebrities who will be at Whistling Straits on Thursday for the Ryder Cup Celebrity Match. This outing will also feature 12 people from the United States and Europe.
The event features three foursomes teeing off at 8:30 a.m., 8:45 a.m. and 9 a.m. local time.
The groups will play 11 holes in all, starting on the first hole and then heading over to play Nos. 9-18. Members of the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team, which are on site but unable to compete this year, will serve as caddies.
Check out the rosters:
United States
Mike Eruzione, former hockey player and a member of the 1980 Miracle on Ice team
A.J. Hawk, former NFL linebacker with the Green Bay Packers
Dan Jansen, gold medal speedskater
Rob Riggle, actor and comedian
Kelly Slater, 11-time world surfing champion
Mandy Rose, WWE wrestler, bodybuilder and model
Tom R. Smedes/Special to RGJ
Europe
Alessandro Del Piero, Italian soccer legend
Tom Felton, actor and musician
Toni Kukoč, former NBA player with the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks
Teemu Selänne, former NHL star and six-time Olympian
Kukoč, a recent inductee in the Basketball Hall of Fame, spent the final four seasons of his NBA career in Milwaukee from 2002-06. He made his name with the Bulls and played a prominent part in the narrative of acclaimed documentary “The Last Dance.” Wait, is that another Aaron Rodgers reference we just made?
HAVEN, Wis. – On the 23-hour flight to Melbourne, Australia for the 2019 Presidents Cup, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele drank coffee to stay awake and played gin for hours upon hours.
“We both didn’t want to lose,” Schauffele said. “It was more of a competitive thing, just like us playing.”
So who won this cutthroat game?
“I win at gin,” Cantlay said. “He won’t dispute that.”
On the flight and in the days to follow a friendship was born and it could become a critical factor in the United States wresting control of the Ryder Cup this week, and potentially for years to come. That week in Australia, Cantlay and Schauffele teamed in four matches, including going 2-0 together in foursomes, and likely will reunite for Team USA at this week’s 43rd Ryder Cup.
“One of the best things personally for me about Presidents Cup other than the golf was just being able to be forced to spend time with Xander, and he’s become one of my best friends through that experience,” Cantlay said. “If we were at a regular tournament, there’s no way I would have spent the time or gone out of my way to invest in a relationship with one of the other guys that I was playing against. But now that he’s on my team and it might help me in my golf to get along with this guy, I realize that I really liked him as a person and we’ve become great friends.”
Cantlay added: “I think he’s incredibly smart, and I think he’s incredibly conscientious. He is someone that probably brings out the best in me. He’s more positive, and he has a way of being more light as opposed to me being serious. Yet he’s very quiet and reserved, so we kind of have that bond, and yet he balances me out a little bit.”
The good friends spent part of the PGA Tour’s one-week off-season celebrating their successes in Napa, California, along with their significant others – Schauffele’s wife Maya and Cantlay’s girlfriend Nikki Guidis – and drinking some very good wine.
“It was a nice time to sort of kick back and relax,” Schauffele said. “Obviously we were there celebrating his FedExCup win and my gold medal from a long time ago.”
As their friendship grows, so has their place as two of the top American pros, both under 30 and positioned to be a tandem in international competition for the next decade. Cantlay made the point that it helps to gel with your partner, and it doesn’t hurt that they excelled in foursomes, a format where the Americans traditionally have struggled in the Ryder Cup.
“It feels like every shot you hit is more important because it is,” Cantlay said of the alternate-shot format. “You saw it with Seve and Olazábal; I guarantee you they didn’t say sorry for hitting a bad shot, right, because they were such good friends and they had done it so many times.
“So, I think foursomes is a lot more emotional in that way, and the fact that Xander and I are really good friends, and so I know he’s trying as hard as he possibly can, and if he hits a bad shot, it’s just – that’s golf.”
Schauffele echoed that sentiment and recounted an anecdote that personified what Cantlay had said.
“I think we were so tired when we went into our third match, and basically that afternoon match solidified us playing all five at the Presidents Cup,” Schauffele said. “And I remember him coming up to me on the first tee and he had a coffee in his hand, which is something we don’t do, so it showed how tired he was. He said, ‘Hey, if I don’t talk to you it’s not because I’m not pulling for you. I’m just trying to conserve some energy and I’ll walk ahead and things like that.’ I was like, ‘That’s great. It doesn’t bother me whatsoever.’ We just understand each other pretty well, and I think that helps us play well together. Even if we’re quiet or whatever you want to call it, not talking, we just know we have each other’s back.”
Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay walk from the tenth green during a practice round prior to the Sentry Tournament Of Champions on the Plantation Course at Kapalua Golf Club on January 04, 2021 in Kapalua, Hawaii. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
U.S. Captain Steve Stricker would be crazy to not pair this dynamic duo together. Cantlay, 29, winner of the FedEx Cup and PGA Tour Player of the Year, is riding a streak of 15 straight rounds in the 60s entering the Ryder Cup, beginning with the second round of the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational in early August, which is the longest such streak on the PGA Tour the last two calendar years. Schauffele, 27, is one spot behind Cantlay at World No. 5, and claimed the Olympic gold medal in August, though the medal isn’t on display in the team room this week.
“It’s too individual. It’s about the team this week, so it wasn’t going to make an appearance,” Scahuffele said. “I don’t even know where it is. I think my mom might have it back home, unless my dad secretly has it on him out here.”
Not only have Cantlay and Schauffele teamed successfully in foursomes, but Schauffele, who uses the Callaway Chrome Soft X LS Prototype, already has developed a comfort level using Cantlay’s ball, a Titleist Pro V1.
Ever since their partnership at the Presidents Cup, Schauffele and Cantlay, who also paired at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the Tour’s lone two-man team event, have been regular practice-round partners and taking on all comers in money matches. For Stricker, the Cantlay-Schauffele pairing is as much of a no-brainer as JustinThomas-Jordan Spieth. The only question is how many times do you send these bosom buddies out and whether Stricker should brew a pot of coffee for the afternoon match on Saturday.
The Ryder Cup presents an endless amount of potential prop bets, let’s dive into some of the best.
After being postponed a year, Ryder Cup weekend is finally here. Team Europe will look to retain the cup on American soil at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wisconsin, while Team USA will attempt to win this historic event for just the third time since 2002. Below, we look at the top 2021 Ryder cup prop bets, with PGA Tour picks and predictions.
There are stars on both sides, led by the likes of Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka. The Americans have six Ryder Cup rookies on their team this year, while Europe has just three first-timers.
There are a lot of intriguing options for this prop because there’s a ton of talent and firepower on the American side but with DeChambeau being only the sixth-favorite to lead his team in points, that feels like a value too good to pass up.
When it comes to the four-ball format, DeChambeau can really play aggressively, knowing he has a partner to fall back on. His match play record isn’t good and he lost his two foursome matches at the 2018 Ryder Cup 5 and 4, but that was before his transformation.
I like DeChambeau’s length and birdie average to lead to a good weekend for him.
Top rookie: Patrick Cantlay (+450)
It’s hard to believe that at 29 years old, Cantlay is a Ryder Cup rookie. But because he is, that makes him a good bet to finish with the most points of any player making their Ryder Cup debut this weekend.
He finished the PGA Tour season red hot, winning the FedEx Cup after beating DeChambeau in a wild playoff the week prior. He’s an excellent putter, has a calm demeanor and never gets rattled under pressure. I love his chances to win at least a few matches at Whistling Straits, showing the poise and clutch gene that was on display in the playoffs.
Top European points scorer: Rory McIlroy (+500)
McIlroy isn’t the favorite to lead Team Europe in points. That title goes to Rahm, and deservingly so. He’s No. 1 in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings and should thrive in this environment. However, McIlroy is excellent in match play and completely embraced the raucous U.S. crowd in 2016 at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
The fans will be loud and heckling, which McIlroy loves. He’s a calm player on tour but when it comes to team golf, he flips a switch. Assuming he plays every match, he’ll be the most important player for Europe and will lead the team in points. The only minor concern is his putting, which has to be sharp in this format.
Top wild card (captain’s pick): Sergio Garcia (+750)
No player from Europe has earned more points in Ryder Cup history than Garcia. He’s the all-time leader with 25.5 points and he’s back for a 10th appearance this weekend. While his singles record is only 4-4-1, he’s 18-8-6 all-time in Ryder Cup doubles matches: 8-4-3 in four-ball and 10-4-3 in foursomes.
Whether he’s the top captain’s pick could come down to how often Padraig Harrington plays him in these matches. Garcia was playing well toward the end of the season and should be in good form, and everyone knows how much he loves this event. American Jordan Spieth at +400 is another solid pick here if you want a safer bet.
Day 1 fourballs winner: USA (+100)
Fourballs, where each player plays his own ball, suits the Americans much better than foursomes, where teammates alternate shots and play one ball. The fourballs format doesn’t require as much strategy and chemistry, which is why I like USA to win the opening set of matches Friday.
The crowd will be amped up and the adrenaline will not be lacking for Team USA, likely leading to a hot start for the Americans. They can’t afford to fall behind on Day 1, otherwise, their confidence will be lacking going into Saturday and Sunday.
At even money, Team USA looks like a good bet to start the first session with a lead.
Day 2 foursomes winner: Europe (+180)
Once the players settle in a bit and get comfortable, the visiting Team Europe will begin to find a rhythm. They should have an edge in foursomes where their cohesiveness and familiarity with each other will show through.
The Europeans will win the foursomes session Saturday afternoon, which will be a setback for the Americans heading into Sunday’s singles matches. Europe just has too many experienced players, which gives them an edge in these critical team formats.
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Can Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau come together this week?
HAVEN, Wisconsin – To Graeme McDowell, the difference between the team chemistry of Europe and America can best be summarized in the team room.
“The American side has a couple of ping-pong tables and they love to play that at night and that’s how they do it. In the European team room, we just have a bar,” McDowell said. “People always laugh and think I’m joking but there were several years where that was the truth. We just hung out and had a drink and intimate conversation and jokes and having fun and messing around and creating the vibe and the culture that way.”
It’s that camaraderie, that belief in themselves that many believe has been critical to Team Europe winning nine of the last 12 Ryder Cups despite typically being the underdog. As Rory McIlroy noted, “this tournament isn’t played on paper, it’s played on grass.”
“We play for each other,” McIlroy said. “I think that’s the best thing that you can do. You play for the guys that are beside you. You play for everyone that’s helping our team try to win this week. You’re obviously playing for your country and your continent and I guess your tour in some way, as well. But most of all, we play for each other.”
Then there’s Koepka who in an interview with Golf Digest made it sound as if playing in the Ryder Cup was a giant inconvenience. NBC’s Paul Azinger, who captained America’s winning side in 2008, suggested Koepka should surrender his spot if he truly felt that way. Ian Woosnam, who captained the victorious European side in 2006, went even further speaking at Ilkley Golf Club last week ahead of a Legends Tour event.
“The article Koepka has just done, that’s not nice for his team. It’s not good,” Woosnam said. “He basically said, ‘I could do without this, it’s getting me out of my routine doing this.’ Christ almighty, get a life!”
In contrast, the Ryder Cup takes on a feeling of life and death for Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and those who represent Team Europe. Theories abound for why, and European Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington offered his own when asked to explain why that is.
“The Ryder Cup is our way of asserting Europe’s position in world golf, the European Tour’s position,” he said. “It’s just something that we want to do, we’re keen to do.
“A lot of the guys on my team, a lot of the Europeans, they seem to want to be team players. Shane Lowry thought he was going to be a Gaelic football player; Sergio thought he was going to be a soccer player. So a lot of them have that team background that they nearly crave more so than the golf.”
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To hear Harrington tell it, the sense of brotherhood and team unity that seems to materialize every time the Ryder Cup takes place for the 12-man Euro side already has taken form.
“The atmosphere is exactly where you would want it,” he said. “Literally, I don’t want to mess it up from here.”
But is this an oversimplification of a complex issue? Davis Love III, who captained the U.S. side in 2012 and 2016 and is a vice captain this time, said it’s an easy way out to say the U.S. team doesn’t get along as well or they are just a collection of prima donnas.
“There’s no chance the Euros want it more,” he said. “I ran into Collin Morikawa at a hotel during the Tour Championship and he stopped me and said, ‘I’m so excited I can’t stand it.’ Here’s a guy who has had an unbelievable run, young kid who has won majors and a ton of money, I’ve never seen him show that much emotion.
“Brooks Koepka in 2018 on Sunday afternoon at Le Golf National, grabbed me by the shoulders and said, ‘I don’t know what to do. I’ve never lost one of these.’ He was crushed. The passion these guys have for it is incredible. I don’t think the passion we have is more than Europe. They rise to the occasion. They come together as a team. I love what they do. I think it’s equal. It’s going to come down to as Darren Clarke always says, Who has the run of the greens? They couldn’t love it more than us and I don’t think we can love it more than them.”
If McDowell’s explanation of the difference in the two team rooms is the perfect analogy for Europe’s perceived strength in the team chemistry department, his theory for why the Ryder Cup may be a little more special to the Euros also is worth considering.
“When I look at that core group of Americans through the 2000s, they were the best players in the world and we managed to beat them more often than not. Only explanation I can come up with is that every year they are playing team events and eventually, it doesn’t wear you down but it becomes less special. Whereas we wait two years and put the Ryder Cup on a pedestal and give our absolute 110 percent,” McDowell mused. “Does it mean a little bit more to us? Yeah, I think just by definition of kind of the way we approach it and the fact that we don’t have Presidents Cup makes a huge difference. Because we’ve been dominant for the last couple of decades I think the intensity from the American point of view is starting to crank up a little bit. I feel a little shift, so it will be very interesting to see what happens this year in Wisconsin.”
That it will. Can U.S. Ryder Cup captain Steve Stricker get his 12-man side to play for each other the way the Euros typically do? That is one of the questions of the week at Whistling Straits.
