The 41st Ryder Cup takes place this weekend with USA and Europe battling for the Samuel Ryder Trophy in Minnesota across what is shaping up to be three spine-tingling days of matchplay golf. Europe have begun to dominate this competition in recent stagings so the USA will be desperate to end their winning run.
Recent Winners
2014 – Europe 16.5-11.5
2012 – Europe 14.5-13.5
2010 – Europe 14.5-13.5
2008 – USA 16.5-11.5
2006 – Europe 18.5-9.5
2004 – Europe 18.5-9.5
2002 – Europe 15.5-12.5
The Format
The two sides each have 12 players and a captain. Davis Love III is the USA captain this year while Darren Clarke opposes him in Europe’s corner. On Friday and Saturday the two sides play in pairs in foursome and fourball sessions before all 12 players play in singles on Sunday.
All matches are over 18 holes with a point for the winner of each match and a half for a tie. The first side to 14.5pts will win the Ryder Cup. In the event of a 14-14 draw Europe will retain the cup as the current champions.
The Schedule
Friday Morning: 4x Foursomes (First tee off 1.35pm BST)
Friday Afternoon: 4x Fourballs (First tee off 6.30pm BST)
Saturday Morning: 4x Foursomes (First tee off 1.35pm BST)
Saturday Afternoon: 4x Fourballs (First tee off 6.30pm BST)
Sunday: 12x Singles (First tee off 5.04pm BST)
The Course
Hazeltine National in Minnesota is the venue for this Ryder Cup. The course is so far famous most for hosting the 2002 and 2009 USPGA Championships, tournaments which had very surprise winners in Rich Beem and YE Yang against the powerful American at the time in Tiger Woods. There could be an omen for Europe in there.
Hazeltine is a monster at the best of times. It is a par 72 which measures 7,628 yards with three of the four par 5s potentially being lengthened to more than 600 yards. We must remember for the Ryder Cup the home captain has sole authority on how the course is set up and with a raft of ‘bombers’ in the American side we can expect the rough to be on the shorter side.
The greens here are on the small side and are well protected by a number of the 108 bunkers on the course so there will be some strategy required but as with all matchplay events the course is merely the stage the spectacle is the man on man or pair on pair warfare.
USA
There is a losing culture in the American side these days when it comes to the Ryder Cup. That is quite strange because they are so dominant in the Presidents Cup which carries much of the same formats without quite the same intensity.
Davis Love III returns as America’s captain. He has unfinished business with this competition having been on the wrong end of the Miracle in Medinah four years ago. Ultimately he lost the competition that year but it shouldn’t be forgotten that deep into the Saturday afternoon his side were in a near unassailable position only for Ian Poulter’s heroics to turn the Ryder Cup on its head. He is a good choice as captain.
The positives for the Americans are clear for all to see. They have the US Open champion and the US PGA winner while Phil Mickelson was only denied The Open crown by a sensational weekend from Henrik Stenson. Five of their side are in the top 15 in the world rankings and they only have two rookies.
The negatives are equally obvious. Six of the 10 players who have played in this competition in the past have losing records. They are excellent individual golfers but never seem capable of performing as a side and already Phil Mickelson has run another of his former captains under a bus this week after his infamous onslaught on Tom Watson after last year’s Ryder Cup. You get the feeling egos follow too many of this side into the team room with them and the inclusions of Tiger Woods and Bubba Watson as vice captains raise many an eyebrow.
Europe
If momentum is a thing then Europe have it in spades this week having won six of the last seven Ryder Cups. They have a formula that seems to work for them and it is much easier captaining a winning side as you don’t need to do too much.
Europe have five members of the top 15 in the world rankings in their side. They also have the current Masters champion, The Open champion and most recently of all the FedEx Cup champion in their side not to mention other illustrious tournaments like the BMW PGA Championship, the Olympic Games and twice major winner Martin Kaymer.
Negatives with this Europe side would be that they have six rookies although one of those rookies is Danny Willett who is a major champion so the tag is slightly overrated it must be said. Six of their players are outside the top 30 in the world rankings as opposed to just one from USA and he, Ryan Moore, nearly just scooped a huge prize.
Betting
There is no I in TEAM. You feel that is the overriding deciding factor on recent Ryder Cups and quite possibly the outcome of this tournament could be all about whether USA can leave their egos and individuality behind them and embrace what the Ryder Cup is like Europe do every time they meet up.
On the golf course, if this becomes a putting contest like so many matchplay events do then quite simply Europe have no chance. USA have some of the best putters in the world in their side and putting is a huge issue for just about every European in their side. That said we’ve seen some of the worst putters in the world hole everything in Ryder Cups – Colin Montgomerie, Bernhard Langer and Nicolas Colsaerts to name but three.
All the pressure is on the USA in this Ryder Cup. They have home advantage. They have set up a taskforce with the aim of recapturing the cup. Their captain has claimed this is the strongest side they have ever assembled and a leading Golf Channel analyst as said this is ‘the worst European team ever’ (it isn’t but that’s his opinion). The golf course suits them down to the ground. It will be interesting to see if they can come together and live with that pressure.
I’m really looking forward to this Ryder Cup and while everything appears in favour of America there is enough pressure in this competition without the added pressures they have had put on themselves. I think that plays into the hands of the Europeans along with a couple of other things not least the wet conditions which so many of Europe’s players have encountered in both Italy and Germany over the last two weeks.
I don’t think there will be a lot in this tournament but I think Europe’s camaraderie, freshness and winning experience will just about edge them over the line. We should recognise the potential fly in the ointment which is the sad passing of Arnold Palmer. If we think back four years Seve’s passing clearly had an influence on Europe and Mr Palmer’s sad death could prove an inspiration for USA but I think Palmer inspired the world of golf so Europe should be able to use that too. In a tight competition Europe to retain the cup looks the value call.
Tips
Back Europe to beat USA for a 3/10 stake at 3.25 with Betfred
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Ends 2pm Saturday.
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