Tag: 43rd Ryder Cup

U.S. Ryder Cup team member Tony Finau nearly missed playing at Whistling Straits due to illness

Might have been the first time a person was relieved to hear they had Pneumonia.

It turns out the U.S. Ryder Cup captain nearly had to make a call to the bullpen for a reserve play ahead of Team USA’s resounding 19-9 victory over Europe.

Tony Finau, one of Stricker’s six captain’s picks, came down with pneumonia the week before the biennial competition and feared he might have COVID-19. Finau participated in a charity fundraiser hosted by Tiger Woods at Liberty National in New Jersey on the Monday prior to Ryder Cup week and developed a cough.

“I started to kind of feel a little crummy,” said Finau on his podcast, “Let’s Get It.” He previously tested positive for COVID a year ago. “When we start to come down with something these days, what’s the first thing you think about? COVID. It’s like 100 percent. I had it exactly a year ago. So, a lot of these thoughts started to go through my head, like, oh my gosh, I was like, please, not COVID, not now.”

Finau knew that to compete in the Ryder Cup he had to have a negative test three days prior and be tested again on site. This was just five days before he had to get on a plane to go to the Ryder Cup. Finau flew home from Newark to Salt Lake City, a five-hour flight that he described as harrowing.

“I just balled up and threw my hoodie on and I had the chills the whole ride,” said Finau, who complained of a headache and achiness. “I shivered for five straight hours. I had a fever. It was like the longest flight ever.

“I walked off the plane looking like I needed help, like a cane, or someone needed to push me in a wheelchair. It seemed like every bone in my body was aching.”

Finau took a rapid COVID test on Tuesday and the result was negative, but on Wednesday he still felt lousy enough that he couldn’t practice and went to the emergency room to get some antibiotics. Finau was given another COVID test there and received another negative result.

“I was like, Hallelujah,” he said. “I was just waiting to get a positive test. This is going to happen. There’s no way it’s not.”

Ryder Cup 2021
Tony Finau reacts to the fans on the first tee during day one foursome matches for the 43rd Ryder Cup golf competition at Whistling Straits. (Photo: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

A chest X-ray revealed that he had an infection in his left chest and pneumonia.

“This is the crazy part,” Finau said. “When they told me I had pneumonia I was happy.

“The only way I’m not playing in the Ryder Cup is if I had COVID. If I can barely walk, I’m playing,” said Finau, who played in the 2018 Masters after injuring his ankle in the Par-3 Contest. “That’s how I roll.”

Finau rested for a couple of days and only touched his clubs once in the lead up to the 43rd Ryder Cup. On Saturday, he forced himself to go to the golf course and sent a few swing videos to his coach, Boyd Summerhays.

“My whole preparation was just getting my mind wrapped around can I even play?” Finau said.

When he arrived at the Ryder Cup on Monday, he had to take a PCR test and tested negative yet again. He breathed a huge sigh of relief.

“In the back of my mind I’m thinking I have COVID. At some point I’m going to test positive and all my dreams of playing a home Ryder Cup are going to be shattered,” he said.

Finau hit a few balls on Monday evening and lack of preparation didn’t seem to hinder his game. He putted out of his mind in his first match on Friday, teaming with Harris English to win a point over Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter. Overall, Finau had a record of 1-2.

“I knew I could get it together in a few days,” Finau said. “When the juices start to kick in, I was going to be able to step up and play and when my name gets called I’d be ready to go.”

U.S. batters its European counterparts to win 43rd Ryder Cup

With youth being served, the U.S. was 12 Strong and all in for one and all.

HAVEN, Wis. – Team USA became a united red, white and blue entity when captain Steve Stricker gathered his troops for a two-day reconnaissance voyage at Whistling Straits along the shores of Lake Michigan a week ahead of the 43rd edition of the Ryder Cup.

With all but the rehabbing Brooks Koepka on hand, the players, caddies and vice captains soaked in the surroundings, bought in on the mission statement, gathered nuggets about playing the rugged course, conversed on strategy, formed partnerships, and connected on the course and over many courses during dinners.

Upon arrival for Ryder Cup week, and with Koepka fitting right in, the Americans followed the untheatrical, positive leadership of Stricker and were a capable, comfortable, combative and confident bunch. Despite six players making their debut in the biennial pressure cooker against Europe, and with youth being served, the U.S. was 12 Strong and all in for one and all.
And then the Americans became hostile hosts.

RYDER CUP: Breakdown of the Sunday singles matches

From the opening tee shot on Sunday, the U.S., which had lost five of the last six matches and was coming off a pasting in Paris in 2018, battered its counterparts and secured possession of the 4-pound, 17-inch tall gold cup with seven matches to play. Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa provided the clinching point for the U.S. with his tie against Viktor Hovland.
The score at that point as 14½-6½. After two decades of being pummeled by Europe, the U.S. has now won two of the last three matches.

Team USA’s Patrick Cantlay reacts to his putt on the third hole during a singles match at the Ryder Cup at the Whistling Straits in Haven, Wisconsin. Photo by Ashley Landis/Associated Press

After surging out to a hefty 6-2 lead on Friday, the U.S. was relentless and ruthless and went up 9-3 Saturday morning and took a substantial 11-5 advantage into Sunday singles action. That was the largest lead held by the U.S. going into the final day since all of Europe joined the Ryder Cup in 1979.

The dominance was so thorough that every American won at least one point during the first two days while six of Europe’s charges won nothing. Only the Spanish Armada of Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia, who were a combined 6-0-1 in Foursomes and Four-Ball, kept Europe afloat, but with scant hope.
Heading into Sunday singles, the U.S. needed just 3½ of the 12 points available for victory. The lineup showed that none of the U.S. players in the first six matches had tasted defeat the first two days.

And the victory march started early.

After Rory McIlroy put blue on the board with his win against gold medalist Xander Schauffele in the leadoff match, the Americans unleashed a torrent of superiority.

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Rookie Scottie Scheffler put the first red flag on the board by taking down Rahm, who was undefeated the first two days. He won the first four holes and never trailed en route to a 4-and-3 win.

Rookie Patrick Cantlay, the reigning FedEx Cup champion, put the second red flag on the board with a convincing 4-and-2 win against Shane Lowry. Red flag No. 3 came from the efforts of Bryson DeChambeau, who was animated throughout the week and won the large galleries over with his power and interaction. DeChambeau drove the first green at the par-4 first, made the eagle and went on to defeat Garcia, the all-time points leader in Ryder Cup history, 3 and 2.

Morikawa got the clinching half-point. A few minutes later, four-time major champion Brooks Koepka added another point with a 2-and-1 win against Bernd Wiesberger.

“This is going to be the next era of the Ryder Cup team for the U.S. side,” said Cantlay, referencing the average age of 29 of the team. “We have a lot of young guys and I think they are going to be on teams for a long time. We sent out rookies in four out of the first five matches. That’s unheard of and those guys are performing. Everybody gets along. The atmosphere is light, but I know everyone has that killer instinct and we are going to bring that to future Cups.”

European captain Padraig Harrington just didn’t have the horses to make hay in America’s Dairyland. Much of the old guard from the Old Country came up flat, as Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey didn’t win a point the first two days.

And Europe’s heart and soul, McIlroy, lost his first three matches and didn’t make a birdie in his last 30 holes played in Four-Ball (he did make one eagle). While he won his singles match against Xander Schauffele, McIlroy fought through tears after the win, the pain of the team’s imminent defeat evident.

“I love being a part of this. I love this team and I love my teammates so much,” McIlroy said. “I should have done more for the team. I’m glad I put a point on the board, but I wish I could have done more. I can’t wait to get another crack at this.”

The next Ryder Cup is in 2023 near Rome. The U.S., meanwhile, had a stable of thoroughbreds here in farm country. The Americans boasted a roster featuring eight of the top 10 players and all 12 being in the top 21 in the world.

They played to their ranking.

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Jon Rahm is ‘built for the Ryder Cup,’ but is he ready to take his place among Spanish Ryder Cup legends?

“When you’re born in Spain,” Rahm said, “the Ryder Cup is something special.”

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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.”

Ryder Cup Practice Round
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.”

RYDER CUP: Live updates | How to watch

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.”

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Whistling Straits drone video: See flyovers of all 18 holes for Ryder Cup

Whistling Straits, home of the 43rd Ryder Cup, is one of the most dramatic visual treats in golf.

HAVEN, Wis. – Whistling Straits’ Straits Course, home of the 43rd Ryder Cup on Sept. 24-26, is one of the most dramatic visual treats in golf.

Built by Pete Dye on the shore of Lake Michigan, the formerly flat site once housed a military base before the legendary designer trucked in some 13,000 loads of sand to shape an incredible vista of flowing dunes, fescue grass and incredibly difficult golf shots.

The Straits will play as a par 71 at 7,390 yards for the Ryder Cup. It’s normally a par 72, but the par-5 11th was shortened to a par 4 for the event.

The Straits ranks as the No. 1 public-access course in Wisconsin on Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play list, as well as No. 8 among all of Golfweek’s Best Modern Courses in the U.S.

No. 1 “Outward bound”

Par 4, 364 yards

No. 2 “Cross country”

Par 5, 593 yards

No. 3 “O’ Man”

Par 3, 181 yards

No. 4 “Glory”

Par 4, 489 yards

No. 5 “Snake”

Par 5, 603 yards

No. 6 “Gremlin’s ear”

Par 4, 355 yards

No. 7 “Shipwreck”

Par 3, 221 yards

No. 8 “On the rocks”

Par 4, 507 yards

No. 9 “Down and Dirty”

Par 4, 446 yards

No. 10 “Voyager”

Par 4, 361 yards

No. 11 “Sand box”

Par 4, 479 yards

No. 12 “Pop up”

Par 3, 143 yards

No. 13 “Cliff hanger”

Par 4, 404 yards

No. 14 “Widow’s watch”

Par 4, 401 yards

No. 15 “Grand strand”

Par 4, 518 yards

No. 16 “Endless bite”

Par 5, 552 yards

No. 17 “Pinched nerve”

Par 3, 233 yards

No. 18 “Dyeabolical”

Par 4, 515 yards

How Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele forged a friendship at the Presidents Cup that could be key for the U.S. at the Ryder Cup

For those who think the Justin Thomas-Jordan Spieth pairing is a lock, don’t overlook the dynamic duo of Schauffele-Cantlay.

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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.”

More: Ryder Cup live updates | How to watch

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.

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How to watch the 43rd Ryder Cup on Golf Channel, NBC

TV coverage on NBC, Golf Channel will also be “simul-streamed” on Peacock Premium and RyderCup.com.

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Due to the COVID pandemic, golf fans around the world had to wait an extra year for the latest installment of the biennial event, but now it’s here.

From the first tee shot to the final putt, NBC Sports is planning more than 100 hours of live tournament and studio coverage of the 43rd Ryder Cup.

Let’s do this.

The event starts Friday, Sept. 24, but the week started on Monday with the captain’s news conference for Steve Stricker and Padraig Harrington.

Golf Channel will have coverage during the week and exclusive TV coverage of the first day action on Friday. NBC and Golf Channel will split the coverage Saturday. Sunday’s singles matches will be exclusively on TV on NBC. All live TV coverage on NBC and Golf Channel will also be “simul-streamed” on Peacock Premium and at RyderCup.com.

You can watch Golf Channel for free on fuboTV. All times listed are ET.

Tuesday, Sept. 21

Golf Central – Live From the Ryder Cup: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m., Golf Channel

Wednesday, Sept. 22

Golf Central – Live From the Ryder Cup: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m., Golf Channel

Thursday, Sept. 23

Golf Central – Live From the Ryder Cup: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Golf Channel

Opening Ceremony will be from 4 to 5 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 24

TV

Golf Central – Live From the Ryder Cup: 6 to 8 a.m., Golf Channel

Ryder Cup, Day 1: 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., Golf Channel

Foursomes at 8:05 a.m., 8:21 a.m., 8:37 a.m., 8:53 a.m.
Four-ball matches at 1:10 p.m., 1:26 p.m., 1:42 p.m., 1:58 p.m.

Golf Central – Live From the Ryder Cup: 7 to 9 p.m., Golf Channel

Streaming

Featured Groups, Day 1: 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., Peacock, RyderCup.com, the Ryder Cup app, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

Saturday, Sept. 25

TV

Golf Central – Live From the Ryder Cup: 6 to 8 a.m., Golf Channel

Ryder Cup, Day 2: 8 to 9 a.m., Golf Channel; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., NBC

Foursomes at 8:05 a.m., 8:21 a.m., 8:37 a.m., 8:53 a.m.
Four-ball matches at 1:10 p.m., 1:26 p.m., 1:42 p.m., 1:58 p.m.

Golf Central – Live From the Ryder Cup: 7 to 9 p.m., Golf Channel

Streaming

Featured Groups, Day 2: 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., Peacock, RyderCup.com, the Ryder Cup app, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

Sunday, Sept. 26

TV

Golf Central – Live From the Ryder Cup: 9 a.m. to noon, Golf Channel

Ryder Cup, Day 3: noon to 6 p.m., NBC

The 12 singles matches start 12:04 p.m. and golfers will go off at 11-minute intervals. Play will conclude around 5 p.m. The Trophy Presentation will then take place on the 18th green.

Golf Central – Live From the Ryder Cup: 7 to 9 p.m., Golf Channel

Streaming

Featured Group, Day 3: noon to 6 p.m., Peacock, RyderCup.com, the Ryder Cup app, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.

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What did Ryder Cup captains Steve Stricker, Pádraig Harrington have to say? Vague coachspeak.

Steve Stricker handled injury, chemistry and strategy questions like a seasoned NFL head coach: with confidence and ambiguity.

HAVEN, Wisconsin – Pádraig Harrington quipped in the opening news conference for Ryder Cup that he’s very familiar with the Green Bay Packers. Then the European captain and United States captain Steve Stricker proceeded to handle injury, team chemistry and strategy questions very much like a seasoned NFL head coach: with confidence and ambiguity.

Four-time major champion Brooks Koepka, who won the first of those titles at Erin Hills in the 2017 U.S. Open, joined the United States team at Whistling Straits after rehabbing an injured wrist suffered on Sept. 4. The very public, albeit relatively distant, verbal and social media sparring between Koepka and 2020 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau is at the forefront for Stricker this week as the two now will be teammates.

During his spin through the injury report, Stricker first said Koepka is 100% and ready to play and then addressed perhaps the most-discussed sports relationship outside of Green Bay.

“It’s a non-issue, really, for me and the team,” Stricker said. “We got together a few weeks ago, the six (automatic qualifiers) of us and I’ve had conversations with them both. They have assured me it’s not going to be an issue. I have no worries whatsoever.”

MORE: A beginner’s guide to the Ryder Cup

And as for running the two out together as a duo, Stricker stated the obvious but gave himself a bit of wiggle room so as not totally show his cards to the opposing captain seated next to him.

“I don’t think so at this point but things could change,” he said. “Could always happen. But probably not. But again, I had a dinner; they all showed up. We had great conversation, great talks. So I’m not seeing it as an issue at all and they are completely on board.”

Stricker also wasn’t ready to discuss other potential pairings, but allowed they have a good feeling for who they will roll out come Friday’s first round of play.

On the European side, Harrington said that the world’s top-ranked player and 2021 U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm appeared to be over a stomach illness that had been plaguing him after a stop by the weight room.

“He was lifting very nicely in the gym today when I arrived,” Harrington said with a smile. “After hearing the reports last week, I arrived in to find him too sweaty to give a hug to, lifting some heavy weights. I said, OK, things are looking good.”

In his team room, if there are any personality differences between players it is not as public as that of Koepka and DeChambeau, and the Europeans have a natural rallying point of being a visiting team playing in front of an expected 40,000 fans per day that the majority of which are rooting against.

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“From our perspective, our players play for the glory of this event,” Harrington said. “If there was 40,000 U.S. fans and no Europeans, we’d prefer that than having no fans. That’s just the reality. We want the noise. We want the excitement. We want the buzz of it all. Yes, the players will have to deal with it and yes, they will have to embrace it. But they wouldn’t want the alternative. Having no fans is no fun.

“They will enjoy it. We expect a loud crowd. We expect excitement, and the players should be well-prepared for it. It’s not like they haven’t seen it before. After all, it is only golf. It’s pretty safe inside the ropes. I don’t think they need to worry about too much.”

As for his strategy, Harrington said he felt his game plan for the week is strong but allowed that, of course, things could change once the putts start rolling on the weekend. And much like an NFL coach being asked about weekday practices, the European captain refused to give an inkling into anything that may be seen during the practice round pairings over the next few days.

“Read into it like you should,” he said. “That’s your job in the media is to make a story out of it. I’m not going to say what it means or what it doesn’t mean. You know, at the end of the day, I do have ideas about what should be happening in practice, but you know, it’s for you to figure it out, not me to tell you.”

Formal team practice rounds begin Tuesday at Whistling Straits, with the U.S. team heading of the first tee at 10 a.m. and the Europeans off the 10th tee at 11. But, aside from a few players, the bulk of Stricker’s team was on the grounds to play the course together Sept. 12-13.

Stricker hopes that heightened course familiarity, along with the home crowd, can have his team holding the Ryder Cup as champions for the second time in three years and for the third time this century.

“You just go out and embrace it. Let them energize you. Let them pick you up,” Stricker said. “Yeah, so I’m going to show off for them, right. It seems like our teams over the years, the teams that have played well, they get to the point of almost like they show off for the home fans, and hopefully that’s what our guys are going to do this week and provide a lot of excitement.

“Like I said before, the state of Wisconsin – I said this a week or two ago – I know there’s ticket holders from every states in our country that’s going to be here. It’s not just Wisconsin but the whole country is showing up. It’s been a long time waiting and everybody is excited to get this thing going.”

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Want to help cheer on the Ryder Cup team? Tickets have come down in recent days.

Ticket prices for Whistling Straits are at their lowest levels since they went on sale in April of 2019.

The postponed Ryder Cup golf tournament takes place next week at Whistling Straits in Haven, and while the event is sold out, tickets are available at a variety of prices on the secondary market.

Ticket prices are at their lowest levels since they went on sale in April of 2019. With the rise of the highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19, attendance has been spotty at large gatherings like Summerfest and some sporting events.

For the Ryder Cup, golfers from the U.S. and Europe face off in a team-style tournament Sept. 24 to 26 at Whistling Straits. Practice rounds begin on Tuesday, Sept. 21. The golf course is owned by Kohler Co.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the cheapest tickets for a general admission Grounds Pass for the first day of play Friday were $200 on StubHub. For Saturday, general admission tickets were $210, and on Sunday, $190. Similar prices were found on the SeatGeek ticket service.

Tickets also can be purchased through On Location, the official ticket exchange partner of the 2020 Ryder Cup.

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More expensive ticket options include admission to either the International Pavilion or the 1927 Club.

The International Pavilion is a climate-controlled facility located on the grounds with an outdoor patio. On StubHub, those tickets were $250 for Friday.

The most expensive option, the 1927 Club, range from $4,400 to $5,300 depending on the day. These tickets get access to the course with all-inclusive hospitality at the 1927 Club, as well as breakfast, lunch, and an open bar.

Weekly passes are also available on StubHub starting at $645. Weekly passes receive admission to the practice days on Sept. 21 to 23, and match days Sept. 24 to 26.

A representative from Ticket King said that there are a lot of sellers right now and that the service does not expect prices to go up much in the next week.

Ticket sales surged in March of 2020 before the event was postponed to this September, according to data from TicketIQ, a secondary market that analyzes ticket market data.

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What type of a vice captain will Phil Mickelson be next week? This story gives a hint

Phil Mickelson learned from Fred Couples at the Presidents Cup how to be a vice captain.

NAPA, Calif. – When U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker announced that Phil Mickelson would be one of his vice captains at the 43rd Ryder Cup, it was the end of an era.

Mickelson represented Team USA at his first international competition as a pro at the 1994 Presidents Cup and hadn’t missed a Ryder Cup since 1995 at Oak Hill. Despite his victory at the PGA Championship in May, Mickelson conceded that his game has lacked consistency. Still, it’s a rarity for a major winner not to make the team. In fact, the last American to win a major and be left off the Ryder Cup team was Todd Hamilton, who claimed the British Open in 2004.

What will Mickelson bring to the table as a vice captain next week? He answered by telling a story:

“I remember on the 18th hole at Memorial, the Presidents Cup in 2013, coming down the last match, we’re tied. I’m playing with Keegan, alternate shot. He’s up ahead of me walking with Captain Couples and I hit one in there about 12 feet. Keegan’s nervous and Fred puts his arm around him and says, ‘Isn’t this the best?’ Like this is the best moment, this is what we’re wanting to be, the position we’re wanting to be in, isn’t this fun?” Mickelson recalled. “Keegan, you could see him just kind of breathe again, knocks that putt in. Graham DeLaet holed a chip shot right in front of him, Keegan knocks it right on top of him for a tie. Captain Couples had – there’s been a lot of great captains, but that’s an example of one thing where a captain can make a difference on a player’s emotional state.”

Mickelson spent Sunday and Monday at Whistling Straits as part of Team USA’s course reconnaissance mission and said the trip was a good bonding experience.

“It’s fun to hang with the guys and to have that time together, but also to be able to now prepare for a week knowing what to expect, who you’re going to play with, golf balls, if you might change,” he said. “You have a week to get ready.”

Just don’t expect Mickelson to come out of the bullpen if the team needs a 13th man to replace an injured or ill team member.

“I don’t see that happening,” he said. “I mean, I’m hopeful that we’re all being responsible and staying safe and not having any COVID issues.”

Mickelson said that the Fortinet Championship will be his final PGA Tour start of 2021, though he will make an appearance on the PGA Tour Champions to play in the Furyk & Friends in Jacksonville, Florida, in October. Other than that, he enjoyed cracking jokes about the one-week layoff between the FedEx Cup finale in Atlanta and the start of the 2021-22 PGA Tour season this week. As he departed his press conference, he turned and said, “Everybody have a good year. Good to see you. Thanks for being here.”

Moments earlier, Mickelson laid it on even thicker saying, “after a long offseason, you don’t really know how your game is. You could be very rusty after this week off.”

He smiled that goofy Mickelson grin and added that he had work to do on his game. “I don’t want to wait another week,” he said, “I want to get started.”

Padraig Harrington’s captains picks: Garcia, Lowry, Poulter round out Europe’s Ryder Cup team

European Ryder Cup Captain Padraig Harrington selected Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Shane Lowry.

European Ryder Cup Captain Padraig Harrington had half the number of picks to make – three – compared to U.S. Captain Steve Stricker but that didn’t make the decision-making process any easier in filling out his roster for the 43rd Ryder Cup.

Harrington opted to go with veteran Ryder Cup stalwarts in Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and rookie Shane Lowry.

On the final day of qualifying, Bernd Wiesberger and Lee Westwood squeaked on to the team as the final of nine automatic qualifying spots.

Harrington had previously said that Garcia and Poulter were virtual locks. That left one spot for first-timer Shane Lowry or a third veteran in England’s Justin Rose, 41, who went 2-2 in 2018 and had an overall record of 13-8-2 in his five previous appearances.

Lowry, the 34-year-old Irishman, won the 2019 British Open to stake his claim to his Ryder Cup debut for Team Europe.

“Nobody thinks of him as a rookie,” Harrington said.

Garcia, 41, didn’t play the BMW PGA Championship after competing in the FedEx Cup playoffs. A veteran of nine Ryder Cups, the Spaniard went 3-1 at the 2018 Ryder Cup to beoame Europe’s all-time leading points scorer with 25.5 points (22-12-7).

“This is something that he was made for,” Harrington said of Garcia’s Ryder Cup record. “He’s a very rounded player and there’s not a player on the team that doesn’t want to play with him.”

Poulter, 45, is set to compete in his seventh Ryder Cup. Nicknamed “The Postman” because he always delivers on Sunday – undefeated in six singles matches (5-0-1) – the Englishman went 2-2 in 2018 and owns an impressive lifetime mark of 14-6-2.

Captain’s picks date to 1979 for Team Europe and 1989 for the American side with the Europeans sporting a 74-71-14, and the American selections an all-time record of 49-54-20.