Apologies again for the absence of our typical after-action report on Monday morning. Fortunately, it was a Ryder Cup that was, for all intents and purposes, settled by Saturday morning, so I would hope that the absence of our typical Weekend Wrap didn't impact the start of your week.
I think we'll deal with one over-arching issue that's on top of seemingly everyone's mind, then we'll dive in and deal with the usual mélange of specific players and issues on a more random basis. This ESPN header is as good a lede as any:
Why the United States thinks this blowout win at the Ryder Cup is just the beginning
Here's the gist of Bob Harig's argument:
Perhaps the best thing for the Americans to take out of this is how bright things appear. While there are never guarantees -- ever -- at the Ryder Cup, the future looks incredibly promising.Schauffele, Cantlay, Morikawa, Koepka, Finau, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth should be mainstays for years to come. That doesn't include DeChambeau, who brings his own level of intrigue to the competition and -- as he showed Sunday by driving the first green -- can be a huge asset in the proper circumstances. And there's no reason to believe Johnson -- who went 5-0 -- will taper off anytime soon.Then you look to Europe, with an incredible run that had seen that side win nine of the previous 12 Ryder Cup competitions. All of a sudden, it is showing some vulnerability. For years, the team relied on a succession of stalwarts, such as Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie, who handed the reigns to Padraig Harrington and Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter and Justin Rose and many others.But Westwood, 48, Poulter, 45, and Paul Casey, 44, have almost certainly played in their last Ryder Cup. Rose wasn't even chosen for this year's team. Sergio Garcia, while still incredibly viable, is 41. Henrik Stenson didn't make the team.
Hmmmm...where have I heard talk of an era of U.S. dominance before? Obviously the Yanks outplayed the Euros all week, winning four of five sessions, some handily, and tying that fifth. They also appear to have a depth of young talent that mitigates dependence on the fortunes of any individual or small group of players. As a contrast, imagine Europe's prospects should Jon Rahm be injured or off form...
What I thought would be fun, would be to fire up the Wayback Machine and revisit that seminal 2017 article from Alan Shipnuck, then writing for Golf Magazine, in which he predicted this era of U.S. dominance. The piece is good fun because Alan intentionally prods the Euro side, beginning with the header:
It should be noted that Alan sought to create a splash, recognizing that if he tempered his predictions with a lot of caveats it wouldn't be worth much. But, at least in the short-term, the world that he saw failed to materialize:
The Ryder Cup is dead — you just don’t know it yet.One of the greatest events in sport is on the verge of irrelevancy. The young, talented, hungrygolfers from the United States, benefiting from the cohesive leadership of the Task Force era, are going to roll to victory in 2018 in Paris. This will be the first American win on European soil in a quarter century and, coming on the heels of an overpowering U.S. win in ’16, will set the stage for a decade-plus of blowouts, sapping the intrigue out of the Ryder Cup. It’s going to get so lopsided that you can expect future Ryder Cups to have all the dramatic tension of…gasp!…the Presidents Cup.Some American fans will no doubt revel in the domination, but this won’t be good for the Ryder Cup. It’s tough to care about a sporting event when the outcome is preordained. Yes, Europe enjoyed a dynasty from 2002–14 and the Ryder Cup survived, but there is a key difference: they were plucky underdogs, and the Stateside angst that followed each of those losses only served to heighten anticipation for the rematches. The fact is, the U.S. should win the Ryder Cup, owing to significant advantages in infrastructure, from the AJGA to the NCAA to the might of the PGA Tour, to say nothing of the biannual tune-up afforded by the Prez Cup. But Goliath repeatedly crushing David underfoot is a tough sell to the masses.
So, how did that 2018 prediction pan out? Here's how it turned out for Alan personally:
Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia reminded the Golf.com writer of his prediction that Team USA would “roll to victory”.
So, was he off base? Let's see how his arguments look four years removed, first as relates to the Euros:
More problematic for Europe is that the players who’ve carried the team for the last decade are on the verge of a last stand: Lee Westwood, if he makes the team, will be 45; Henrik Stenson will be 42; Ian Poulter, 42; Sergio Garcia, 38; Justin Rose, 38. Poulter didn’t even make the team in 2016, Westy was abysmal, and Stenson/Rose/Garcia buckled under the burden they were asked to carry at Hazeltine. (Rory McIlroy, 28, was electric for two days, but he, too, ran out of gas in singles.) After his Masters breakthrough, Danny Willett, 30, was expected by many to be a European stalwart, but he’s turned out to be a disappointment, to say the least, and at the moment seems highly doubtful to even make future European teams. Thomas Pieters, 25, was a revelation at the ’16 Cup but has been quite mediocre since. “Jon Rahm, 23, will undoubtedly be a handful, but it’s asking a lot for a rookie to be a savior. This applies to Tyrell Hatton, 26, Tommy Fleetwood, 26, and Alex Noren, 35, as well.Project to 2020: Stenson, Rose, Garcia and Poulter will all be in their 40s. As they fade away, the balance of power shifts even more in favor of the U.S…
To me, he was more early than wrong.... Though his projections about the Americans should have them waving the caution flag:
What has changed so suddenly? Following the clueless reign of Tom Watson in 2014, the Ryder Cup Task Force reshaped the U.S. leadership structure, basically stealing the European model of grooming future captains and pooling the knowledge of past honchos. This played out at the 2017 President Cup, where the U.S. tested out new pairings — JT & Rickie! — under the watchful eye of Jim Furyk, who will face off against Euro captain Thomas Bjorn in Paris.
OK, all hail the Task Force... Really silly stuff, especially when you're touting Rickie in the same 'graph. But if you use the adjective "clueless" on Tom Watson, what do you have left in inventory to describe Jim "Alas, Poor" Furyk's reign of error?
But to me the most important bit is this ode to the depth of U.S. talent from a mere four years ago:
Meanwhile, just look at the big steps taken by the U.S. players since the last Ryder: Jordan Spieth, 24, won another major and reasserted himself as golf’s alpha male; Dustin Johnson, 33, spent almost all of 2017 at number one; Brooks Koepka, 27, won the U.S. Open. You know who has never even played in a Ryder Cup? Justin Thomas, 24, merely the reigning player of the year. Throw in Rickie Fowler, 28, and Patrick Reed, 27, and you have a rock-star core for the next decade or more — not to mention the fact that these guys will be augmented by wily vets (Phil! Kuch! Zach! Bubba! Sneds! Duf!) and some spicy young comers (Daniel Berger, Kevin Kisner).
Rickie! Patrick! Kooch! Sneds! Jordan is perhaps back from the dead, though the only one that really was a factor on the list was DJ. Here's Daniel Rappaport on the same subject:
This is truly a new generation of Americans, and they have an edge that their preceding generation distinctly lacked. Guys like Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson were all terrific players—but they’re all too damn nice for this competition. Team clashes begs for a combativeness that prior American rosters simply couldn’t muster. But those guys have since been replaced by Justin Thomas and Daniel Berger, who chugged beers at noon on Saturday. (Was it disrespectful? Sure, but that was the point). Replaced by Scottie Scheffler, who couldn’t care less who you are. By Patrick Cantlay, who doesn’t seem to miss a pressure putt. By Collin Morikawa, whose bright smile and even demeanor obscure a desire to bury you. The Europeans held the mental edge for a decade-plus, but no longer. This American side is chalk-full of alpha males with chips on their shoulders. It’s a dangerous, dangerous dynamic.Steve Stricker deserves a ton of credit for eschewing experience and trusting the kids. This is the culmination of a youth movement that’s the product of Tiger Woods, smarter instruction, forward-thinking course-management strategies and the cauldron of college golf. The 20-somethings are more polished than they’ve ever been, but their golf maturity hasn’t come at the cost of that youthful ferocity. They are a force to be reckoned with.
I quite agree with the premise of Shipnuck, Rappaport and others, I just think we need to be reminded that we saw things exactly that way in 2016, yet 2018 failed to conform to our expectations. What Alan saw as a core that the U.S. can now rely upon, proved to be an apparition. I agree that the U.S. has a far deeper pool of talent, it's just silly to pretend that what we saw last weekend predicts the future... Will Scottie Scheffler ever play in another Ryder Cup? I suspect that's closer to a 50-50 proposition than recency bias allows us to contemplate.
But there's another factor that should be weighed at the same time. I'll let Rory make the argument:
There is concern in some quarters that home wins are becoming too much the norm in the Ryder Cup. Europe have won once in the US since 2008. “It’s going to go more and more like that,”says McIlroy. “It’s becoming tougher to win on the road as it becomes more partisan. You are not just playing the other team, you are playing the fans and especially this year where European fans cannot travel. That keeps it interesting in the sense that a road win feels much more meaningful.”Pádraig Harrington, Europe’s captain, has floated the idea of a neutral course setup. “If you want away teams to have a better chance to win it’s a good idea but I do think there is such a thing as home advantage,” McIlroy says. “Most other sports have that so there is no reason that shouldn’t happen in the Ryder Cup.”
The Euros have always done a better job of using their right to set up the course to suit their talents more aggressively than the Americans, dating back at least to the 17th hole at Valderama in 1997. All I can say is, if you think the fairways were too narrow in Paris, just wait until we see what they do to Marco Simone. Which, by the way, did not exactly draw races from its Euro Tour debut.
As I said in 2016, lose the triumphalism until you can win an away game. Holding serve is necessary, but not sufficient. Just a reminder that the U.S. has not won an away game since 1993, when their team was lead by.... the clueless Tom Watson.
Shall we dive in and pick some nits? We'll draft on Shack, who has two freebie quadrilateral posts up on the event. In the first, he analyzes each of the twelve singles matches:
Match 1 - Rory McIlroy defeats Xander Schauffele 3&2. McIlroy finally delivered a point with a bogey-free, five-birdie performance. Afterwards, he broke down and was already red-eyed and crying before Jimmy Roberts asked a question. He noted how “incredibly proud” he was to be part of the team, “extremely disappointed I haven’t contributed more to the team,” and said “the more I play this event, “it’s the best event in golf, bar none.” And then, in case anyone thought about cutting a Players Championship ad saying otherwise, punctuated his emotions with, “it’s the best.”
Third time was the charm for Rors. There's no doubt that winning his singles match mitigated a dreadful week for the guy that was supposed to lead the Euros, but the issue of Rory's decline deserves more attention than can be paid here.
This one did pick up on a weird vibe for sure:
Match 2 - Patrick Cantlay defeats Shane Lowry 4&2. Cantlay was seven-under in 16 holes, birdieing the 3rd through 6th along with the final three while not making a bogey. After conceding the last hole, Lowry delivered a chilly walking handshake for reasons unknown as of press time.
In general, the Euros did a fine job in dealing with the crowds, and Lowry himself was pleasantly optimistic in his Sunday pre-match interview. But that was seriously pissed off Irishman that shook hands with Cantlay, which begs the question of why?
The bigger issue is to assess what kind of player Lowry is... He had an OK week, though he was one of the very few Euros to show any form, but the guy has essentially disappeared since his breakthrough win at Portrush. Europe doesn't have much depth of talent, so they can ill afford Lowry going full Willett.
You can sort through Geoff's thoughts on the other matches, I'd just add a reminder that a certain member of the core U.S. roster still has yet to win a Ryder or Prez Cup singles match:
Match 11 - Jordan Spieth and Tommy Fleetwood halve. Pride was at stake early into this one and both men delivered birdies, including at the 17th where matching 2’s sent this to the 18th. Spieth posted five birds to Fleetwood’s three. Spieth finishes the week with 1.5 points and an overall Ryder Cup record of 8-7-3. The match ended with a wonderful concession.
Jordan had little to show from the team portion of his week, and I found his play wildly inconsistent. I know 2021 was a comeback year for him, though I don't take his participation in Rome for granted.
Geoff had some thoughts on the coverage as well:
“Frontloading” is the formula of opening a show with a couple of shots, taking an ad break, showing maybe three more shots, squeezing in another break and saying it’s done to make our later viewing experience better. But maybe we can just call an oversold Ryder Cup telecast “loaded”. Viewers were harrassed with the same grating ads on a virtual loop, but for those joining the Ryder Cup Sunday, the effect was jarring. A former MLB pitcher:
Champions
Sergio Garcia - Getting paired with Jon Rahm in his prime will do wonders for anyone’s attitude, but Sergio looked to be having a blast, seemed to be making a clutch putt every time we checked in up and was in such a good place even on-site heckling could not induce a meltdown. He’s replaced Seve and Ollie as Spain’s greatest Ryder Cupper and has set himself for a Captaincy later this decade. Winning the Aon has its perks.
💪 Bryson DeChambeau - The speed training and “wrecked hands” did not appear to hamper his game in any fatal way. The attitude seemed (mostly) great, he played the Brooks situation well and his delivery of 2.5 points included a singles win over all-time Ryder Cup points leader Garcia.
I'd have had him as a cut-maker... Though driving that first green on Sunday was a statement, I'm just not sure what about. No argument with this last one:
🦅 Drones and aerial views - Again proving essential to a golf broadcast, NBC finally went allin and held shots long enough to give us perspectives that made viewing infinitely more satisfying. The higher aerial views opened the door for a graphic showing where each group was on course, while the birdseye drone perspective captured the scale and grandeur of the moment. This cinematic moment followed a match walking off 17 green to the 18th tee to set up what players faced.
No question, especially given a site as dramatic as Whistling Straits.
That middle category gets more interesting, though I again think he's grading on a curve:
🤷 Hoodies - The millennial’s quarter-zip was worn through the matches by the cool kids or those clinging to their twenties. While to some the hoodie is to millennials what Sansabelts,legwarmers and padded shoulders were to the 80s, they looked silly when high winds made made them a functional annoyance. The design seemed like a reject from the Skywalker Ranch studios. You know, something the Mandalorian would wear to cart Baby Yoda around in at a Fourth of July party. They’ll likely find a spot on the list of most unusual Ryder Cup uniforms, yet the hoodies sold out at $298, a bargain compared to Europe’s absurdly priced uniforms.
I'm deep into the "get off my lawn" stage of life, but it's an awful look that can actually get in the players' way in windy conditions. Can we just agree, "never again"?
Shall we call out a few folks for their regrettable behavior? Yeah, it's wat we do here at Unplayable Lies:
Point Missers😡 Brooks Koepka - He blamed the media for misinterpreting comments suggesting he wasn’t all in on the Ryder Cup, then spent three days looking like he needed a siesta. Brooks couldn’t wait to break the huddle during those Bryson make-up hugs for the cameras, and rarely smiled in even the happiest moments. He spoke to rules officials in embarrassing fashion all when there was an unplayable lie option to allay your relatable injury concerns. Making a passionate case for free relief is fine but threatening the referees crossed a line. While that macho nonsense is adored in a country of fanboys attracted to rule-breakers, Brooks seemed in need of a vacation instead of looking like a guy just back from one.
I didn't think much of his play, either. But that confrontation with the rules official was ugly, and he just exudes a Frat boy vibe that I find objectionable.
This one especially:
🍻 Justin Thomas - Saturday’s first tee shotgunning and half-full beer can slam won’t age well and will go down as one of the most obnoxious displays in Ryder Cup history. If nothing else, how about showing some respect for the course and matches to come, or waiting until you’ve actually secured the Cup? While the UK press and telecast did not spare you, NBC is now a PGA Tour partner and never aired it. And hey, your Q Rating with the hooligan crowd has never been higher. The bad news? European fans will be waiting if you make it to Rome.
I always thought JT to be an engaging personality, but recent months have not been kind. Do give that link a click to see how the antics played among the Euros, but can we not agree that this isn't a good look?
Can't muster an argument against this guy's reaction:
🇪🇺 European Uniforms - Oh they looked fine other than wearing Loro Piana burnt orange on Saturday. But it’s beyond embarrassing to promote such laughably overpriced clothing. When the American prices look modest, something’s amiss. But the European Team did win the Opening Ceremony style battle 7&6.
I actually found both teams' unis to be dreadful....Maybe I'll circle back on this in a later post, but i was more than just the hoodies.
One aspect that Shack only hints at was the whining about putts not conceded. Talk about not having any class, but the Tour Confidential panel took a stab at this:
6. While this is nothing new in Ryder Cups and match play, Justin Thomas, Shane Lowry and Bryson DeChambeau created a stir this week when they demonstrably protested having to putt from less than a yard away from the hole. On Sunday, even the stoic Bernd Wiesberger got in on the act, though it appeared to be more tongue in cheek. Are these players right in their beef? Or should they finish out?Zak: Anything outside 2 feet should be expected to be putted out. Weird things happen. Get over yourselves.Bamberger: I’d say more like 6 inches.Melton: Just putt everything out and put the entire controversy to bed. They don’t play with gimmes in normal events, so the disbelief at having to hole a shorty seems like manufactured beef.Sens: I have a friend who has a car with a vanity plate that reads: “No Gimmes.” Vanity plates are silly. But that one gets it right.Colgan: As a liberal putt-giver, the rules are pretty clear. If it’s not conceded, hit the putt and don’t whine about it (OK — maybe that’s an interpretation, but the point stands). That said, it wouldn’t have killed the amateur game (or the pace of play) to see a few generous pick-ups this week.Marksbury: I am a staunch believer in the doctrine of Putt Everything Out. Even in my recreational rounds! Anyone can miss a shortie. (Me especially.) Gimmes should never be expected, especially in the pressure-cooker that is the Ryder Cup.LKD: Push for whatever you can get. I’m a big fan of gamesmanship in match play, and part of that means lobbying. If they’re going to make you putt it, at least make it annoying for them!
Mike Bamberger shuts this down effectively, but let's remember that JT was the guy that started this...
Maybe we'll get to some more from that TC panel, but first let me link you to Dylan Dethier's column on things we wouldn't have seen on TV (a substitute for his usual Monday Finish feature). This one I did see when I turned back to the live coverage late yesterday, but it was as memorable to me as to Dylan:
4. Fitzpatrick’s chunkThe most painful shot to watch all week was one of the last. Matthew Fitzpatrick was facing off against Daniel Berger in the final singles match, and the two were tied going to 18. The match meant something for Berger, who was hoping to win and give the U.S. team a Ryder Cup record of 19 points. The match meant more to Fitzpatrick, who was playing in his second Cup but had yet to record a single point. Even a tied match would count for some sort of moral victory.Fitzpatrick hit a perfect tee shot, a tight draw down the left side of the 18th fairway. He had 197 yards left to the hole, about the same as Berger had from the right side of the fairway. Berger played to the middle of the green, safely 40 feet past the hole. Fitzpatrick followed, and at impact he — and the rest of the crowd — immediately knew it was no good. The sound was familiar and triggering to every golfer in attendance, the tempered thud of a chunk. He knew immediately, too, dropping his iron and sinking into a crouch, head in his hands. That was that. 1 up, Berger.
That was a tough moment. Fitzpatrick should be a Euro stalwart, with a U.S. Amateur to certify his match-play props, but he's now had two disastrous Ryder Cups, including the home game in Paris. That chunk was just painful to watch, notwithstanding that the event had been decided hours earlier.
Dylan's got more observations that might be of interest, but I'm going to circle back to the Tour Confidential gang and use that as an exit ramp.
1. Behind seven Sunday singles victories, the U.S. defeated Europe 19-9 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin to win the Ryder Cup. Depth drove the U.S. victory — Scottie Scheffler, at 21, was the lowest-ranked American. Still, this has been the case in the Ryder Cups past, and this marks only the United States’ third victory since 2002 in the biennial event. What, then, was the difference this time around?Sean Zak: All kinds of differences, really. No European fans. No antagonism from that side. Everything was comfortable for this American team. And these PGA Tour pros love comfort. Steve Stricker played an extremely safe hand of cards, and it worked well from the jump. Didn’t have to panic. This event is played out over three days, but it moves quickly. He kept things nice and slow for his entire squad.Zephyr Melton: Sean is correct on all of the above, but at the end of the day, the U.S. just played better golf this week.Josh Sens: All of the above, for sure. But let’s not forget the bookends of performance, the long game and the short game. The U.S. dominated the par-5s. And they putted beautifully. On the flip side, I lost count of how many times the Europeans missed short to mid-range putts at critical moments. Add those up over a week, and you get a lopsided score.James Colgan: These things usually come down to putting, and it seemed like the Americans made just about every huge putt. There was a LOT more that went into it, obviously, but those clutch makes were what stuck out to me.Jessica Marksbur: Echoing Josh and James. Team USA made seemingly everything, from long bombs to 6-foot knee-knockers. Whenever the Americans lose, it seems like the opposite is true, and they lip everything out while Europe pours them in. There’s no doubt that the Americans dominated with the flatstick this week, and it wasn’t even close.Luke Kerr-Dineen: Blowouts like this don’t happen for one reason. There were lots of reasons the U.S. deservedly dominated this time around: The team was full of better players, who were more in-form coming in, played better this week and were perfectly captained by Steve Stricker. Europe had the inverse of all those things, and the result was a historic blowout.Michael Bamberger: An unequal distribution of talent. Look at the Friday morning foursomes match-up, which set the tone. Look at the 12 Sunday matches, which ended it.
Better players played better than the other guys. It doesn't always happen, but this year the Euro team felt historically weak.
2. Nearly every move Steve Stricker made this week turned out terrifically. His six captain’s picks all earned points. His decision to keep things light and reduce the week’s obligations gave off a more relaxed vibe. His choice to play foursomes first — a format the Americans have struggled in when compared to four-ball — led to a pair of 3-1 mornings. Nearly all of his pairings went off without a hitch. The captain may not be fiery, but the calm demeanor worked out. What, to you, stood out most with Stricker?Zak: It’s easy to get caught up in the hoopla, but Stricker could never do that. He never has. He put his horses out there and had perhaps the best Ryder Cup team of all-time to mix and match pairings within. It’s not rocket science at that point.Melton: Stricker has the perfect temperament for a successful U.S. captain. He doesn’t overthink things and doesn’t allow ego to get in the way for his teams. With this beatdown and the 2017 Presidents Cup domination to his name, he’s gotta be among the best U.S. captains of all-time at this point.Sens: A lot of the guys talked about the looseness and camaraderie of the team. Some of that is just the nature of their personalities, but Stricker surely helped cultivate that. Or at least, didn’t detract or distract from that natural connection. When you have the kind of talent Stricker had on his roster, the best strategy is probably to just get out of the way.Colgan: Seemed Stricker really knew his guys. Knew their strengths, their weaknesses, the things that made them tick. It was obvious in the pairing decisions, obvious in the team construction and, ultimately, obvious in the outcome.Marksbury: Stricker is just one of those guys who is universally likeable. You could tell he had a genuine rapport with the team. Making these guys comfortable enough to do their jobs is probably a bigger deal than it seems, and his execution was flawless.LKD: His ability to get the entire team to buy in. The entire team liked him on a personal level, and they went to bat for him because of it. They bought into the team unity he was trying to cultivate, which meant players played nice with each other. They took to the bench without any grumbling, accepted that foursomes may be the only format they play and didn’t complain when Stricker broke up winning pairings. They bought into everything he was doing, and that’s credit to Stricker. Though, to be fair, that’s a lot easier to do when you’re winning. …Bamberger: Stricker, by his accounting, was managing the ’27 Yankees.
I don't think there was any telling strategic brilliance, but the guys wanted to play for him and he handled the awkward stuff (Brooksie v. Bryson) well enough. But this is worth bearing in mind as well:
But this might be the telling detail:
3. On the other side, Padraig Harrington was the losing captain, so of course there will be second-guessing. How would you assess Harrington’s week? Additionally, looking bigger picture for Europe, its roster consisted of four players in their 40s, meaning significant turnover might be on the horizon. Meanwhile, the Americans fielded their youngest-ever team, with Dustin Johnson, at 38, their oldest player. Should there be cause for concern for the Euros?Zak: Definitely. As Luke Kerr-Dineen spelled out for our site, there was a missing generation, it seemed, this week. Danny Willett, Matt Wallace, Francesco Molinari, Martin Kaymer as a player,etc. That age group of players in their 30s doesn’t seem very deep with the Euros right now. Can it be filled in two years? Undoubtedly. That’s a long time from now.Melton: There is tremendous cause for concern for the Euros. Their tried-and-true core is past its prime, and there doesn’t appear to be anyone in line to take the torch. Meanwhile, the U.S. has an embarrassment of riches in young talent, and the well won’t run dry for quite some time.Sens: As Sean and Zephyr say, it was the Ryder Cup, Freaky Friday edition, with roles reversed. One team suddenly looked young and loose, the other tight and tired. The U.S. is stocked with young talent. If they keep playing like this in future Cups, they’ll be very tough to beat. But I doubt Team Europe is spiraling into panic mode and calling for the overnight formation of Task Forces. At least, I hope they’re not. They care, obviously, but the fact that they’ve always seemed to have this event in perspective is part of what has made them a likable bunch over the years. I loved what Harrington said about what he told his team: Look around. Listen to the noise. This is a reminder to you that you’re alive. That’s what this is all about.Colgan: As far as I’m concerned, the Euros will still have Jon Rahm when they return to Rome in 2023, so it’s hard to say there’s too much concern. But depth could be an issue if no Hovland-type players develop in the next 24 months.Marksbury: Harrington did the best job he could. Hindsight is 20/20, and you could probably second-guess his decision to continually pair Westwood and Fitzpatrick and sit Sergio Garcia in four-ball, but it is what it is. It’s easy to be hard on the Europeans given the whooping we just witnessed. But just think: If Rory McIlroy had been more of a factor in team play, things could have been a lot tighter, even with as well as Team USA played this week. Also, as Sean said, two years is forever in professional golf. Look at the turnaround Spieth has made over the past 18 months! Rory, Rahm, Viktor, Sergio. I expect them all to be a part of a formidable European side in Italy in two years. And given what we witnessed with the American contingent this week, we can look forward to some fun battles ahead.LKD: Harrington made a series of mistakes throughout. He put far too much faith in the old guard (like playing Casey and Westwood more than Rory and Fleetwood through the first two rounds), not enough in others (like Lowry), stuck with the disastrous Westwood-Fitzpatrick alternate-shot pairing, made the controversial decision to bench Rory and broke up the Garcia-Rahm pairing when they were 1-1. Harrington wasn’t going to change the fact that the U.S. was the better team this week, but let’s not pretend that by extension, he was perfect.Bamberger: No losing captain is, ever, anywhere, in anything. His captain’s picks didn’t work out. That can be said now because it’s over and the Europeans lost.
Of course there's concern... Their roster projects to be even weaker in coming years, but who would we have suggested he put on the team in lieu of his three picks? The alternatives, Robert McIntyre and Oliver Perez, were hardly game-changers, and those old-timers notched a few points. If I were Sergio, I wouldn't be in a hurry for my inevitable captaincy...
4. Whistling Straits, with Pete Dye’s patented Dye-abolical twists and turns, delivered just that, with balls running into water and traps, and Jordan Spieth nearly running into Lake Michigan. Ahead of the event, there were also some whispers whether the links-style course would be more beneficial to the Europeans than the home team, but that, clearly, proved false. How would you rate the host site, and did it help the U.S. more, or less, than you expected entering the week?Zak: It was a phenomenal match-play course. Tons of shot value littered throughout. Drivable holes, tidy little par-3s, etc. What helped the most is this course played with the wind up. St. Andrews is harmless with the wind down, too, just like Whistling was in 2015. But with the wind up, both courses can be treacherous. It definitely helped the U.S. team more. Playing second helps in match play.Melton: From my spot on the couch, Whistling Straits seemed like a terrific venue for the Ryder Cup. Plenty of risk-reward out there, and enough flexibility to make for some really interesting shots (back pin on No. 12, for example). It sounds like it’s not the most walkable course for spectators, but that’s just a small ding on the report card.Sens: Whistling Straits may look like a links, but it plays more like a parkland course. I don’t think that’s as fun as watching golf on bouncy grounds. But it was a fair test of golf. And an incredibly scenic one.Colgan: It was certainly set up to the Americans’ favor, but that’s also how it works at the Ryder Cup, where the home team controls the setup. It’s hard to know how much the (delightfully terrifying) visuals played into the drama of tournament week, but there’s no questioning the setup made for terrific golf.Marksbury: I absolutely loved it. It didn’t appear to favor any team in particular, though long-bombing Bryson certainly took advantage of some holes. It simply looked fearsome and treacherous. Every vista was eye candy for us at home, and I was grateful it wasn’t me facing some of those approaches to tucked pins.Bamberger: You were missed, Jess. In person, you would love it only more.LKD: Patrick Cantlay’s coach, GOLF Top 100 Teacher Jamie Mulligan, said it best: Whistling Straits is the perfect venue for this competition, because you can birdie every hole as easily as you can bogey it.
It's an odd place, one that I have trouble loving. it's visually stunning for sure, so it plays well on TV. But all those clips of guys slipping down slopes reminds of how challenging the site is for players and spectators. I'm just glad no one got hurt and Jordan was able to stop before Lake Michigan.
5. Dustin Johnson was stellar, Jon Rahm proved he’s the best player in the world and several young players had big weeks in Wisconsin. Who was the week’s MVP, unsung hero and most disappointing player?
Zak: DJ is the obvious MVP. Very few people have ever gone 5-0. He did it, and he made it look so easy. His coach, Claude Harmon, said this was the best DJ has played this year. He’s probably right. Unsung hero: I’ll tab Scottie Scheffler. The kid beat down Jon Rahm on Sunday after helping usher Bryson DeChambeau around the course in two successful matches. Most disappointing has to be Rory McIlroy, who didn’t seem to have an ounce of energy until Sunday. I feel for the guy. He’s one of Europe’s horses, and as he told me late Sunday: “It’s just a sh—y week when you lose.”Melton: MVP: DJ. Unsung hero: Scottie. Disappointing: Rory. Sean stole my answers.Bamberger: I’ll have what she’s having, etc.Sens: DJ won the most points, but he also didn’t play Europe’s toughest competition. So I’m not sold that he was the lock-solid MVP. Cantlay was ridiculously good but didn’t get to play in all five. He was part of the tone-setting that put the U.S. off to a great start. Scheffler knocking Rahm off definitely makes him the Goliath. And for sure Rory, when you consider how much they needed him and how little they got from him.
Colgan: Is it possible for a losing team member to be MVP? This thing wouldn’t be just a blowout, it would be a laugher if Jon Rahm wasn’t in the field for the Europeans. Unsung heroes (plural) were Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, who staved off danger for the Americans on nearly a half-dozen occasions during the opening two days. And the biggest disappointment? Rory.Marksbury: Nice work, guys. I’ll dare to be different and offer up a few other names. MVP: Justin Thomas. He came away with 2.5 points in four matches, and it was clear he was the primary emotional soul of the team. He was leading cheers in the gallery, was fired up, and his passion was infectious. Unsung hero goes to Bryson DeChambeau. Not only did he claim 2.5 points in three matches, DeChambeau injected incredible intrigue into every match he played. And his takedown of the seemingly untouchable Sergio Garcia in singles was impressive to witness. Biggest disappointment? It pains me to say it, because he’s the loveliest guy in the world, but as a seasoned veteran who had a good Tour season, I don’t think anyone expected Paul Casey to get skunked. Then again, he had to face DJ over and over. That couldn’t have been fun.LKD: I know DJ went 5-0, but Rahm is the MVP. This European team was mostly a disaster and on its knees for the entirety of the competition. Jon Rahm dragged this team single-handedly forward. He’s the ultimate alpha, and the only reason he lost on Sunday was because he came up against a man who started with four consecutive birdies.
Rahm and DJ in a rout. I didn't see DJ's week coming, but he's been such a big part of the U.S.'s underperformance in recent cups, that once the Euros saw him engaged, they had to know it was lights out.
One last bit:
7. In a week full of them, what, to you, was your most memorable moment?Zak: Bryson playing the 1st on Sunday — 340-yard carry, 41-footer for eagle — was one of the coolest things I’ve witnessed in a very long time. But I think Rory being brought to tears after winning the first point of the day is something I’ll be thinking about for a very long time.Melton: Koepka’s kerfuffle with the referee in his group on Saturday was premium content.Sens: Those are good calls above. But I’ll go with Tony Finau’s ear-cupping as he drained birdie after birdie in his opening match. And Shane Lowry’s celebration when he jarred that big putt on Saturday afternoon. Both examples of pure-hearted celebration that capture the spirit of the event.Colgan: I’ll remember Patrick Cantlay ascending from mumbling choir boy to god-tier Euro killer. I’ll also remember when Scottie Scheffler won the tournament for the Americans on Saturday afternoon with his birdie on 17.Bamberger: Rory’s tearful interview when it was over.Marksbury: So many highlights for Team USA this week, but even though the result was a foregone conclusion, watching Collin Morikawa stick it on 17 to ensure the clinching half point was epic.LKD: Well, considering my European team’s golf was mostly tragic, I’d say experiencing the local flair with my tour guide and Wisconsinite, Sean Zak. Each Wisconsin-themed adventure was better than the last: I’m a Brewers fan now, because I went to my first Brewers game where, at one point, they raced giant sausages; I tried cheese curds — those were delicious; I played Erin Hills, which was epic; I saw the Fonzi statue in Milwaukee, which was fun; I experienced my first Culver’s custard, which is definitely better than ordinary ice cream; I even bathed in ice-cold Lake Michigan, which was cold but also liberating. Wisconsin is, simply put, fantastic. Definitely a top five state. The only thing Wisconsin doesn’t seem to have? Vegetables. Somebody get me a salad.
Premium content? More like premium assholery..... Shockingly, spellcheck has no problem with the word "assholery"... who knew it was actually a word?
That's it for now. Catch you later in the week, though probably not tomorrow.
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