The 2020 Ryder Cup Thread

[RichmondRedskin88]

Ryder Cup week is here!

 

For golf newbies

 

What is the Ryder Cup?

 

Ryder Cup is a joint event through PGA of America and PGA Europe that features USA vs Europe.  It is played every 2 years however covid postponed it.  USA dominated early editions but Europe has won the last 9 out of 12.  While on paper USA usually is the favorites the team usually has drama or egos interfere which spells doom.  USA will try to put their drama aside for a week and attempt to reclaim the cup at the world class links of Whistling Straits in Wisconsin that sits on Lake Michigan.

 

The Course

 

Whistling Straits is a link style course modeled off courses from the UK.  The courses require precision but also have ever changing conditions especially wind.   It remains to be seen if this course that the Americans choose will be a advantage as traditionally USA uses powering hitting vs Europe who leaned on its accuracy. 
 

How to win?

 

To win you must hit 14 1/2 points.  If neither team does the team holding the cup retains.  1 point is awarded for winning a match. 1/2 are awarded for ties.  Friday and Saturday feature variations of foursomes.  Sunday is single 1 v 1 matches. Very rarely does a team trailing by many points come back on Sunday.  

USA

Collin Morikawa

Dustin Johnson

 Bryson Dechambeau

Brooks Koepka 

Xander Schaufele

Jordan Speith

Tony Finau

Harris English

Daniel Berger

Scottie Scheffler

Justin Thomas

 

Europe

Rory McIlroy

Jon Rahm

Paul Casey

Matt Fitzpatrick 

Tyrrell Hatton

Tommy Fleetwood

Victor Hovland

 Lee Westwood

Bernd Weisberger

Sergio Garcia

Ian Poulter

Shane Lowry

 

[SkinInsite]

Shouldn't UK golfer play for the US now since they are our **** according to the French government.

[skinswillwin06]

I bet on Europe +225 last week but I'll still be rooting for USA. Really not sure if they'll be able to overcome the dysfunction and Brooks's comments last week didn't help things. That said, USA is clearly the deeper team and they are going to set up Whistling Straits to favor them as much as possible.

 

The Ryder Cup is easily in my top 3 sporting events to watch. Even though NBC is going to try and ruin it with endless commercials, I still can't wait!

[goskins10]

6 minutes ago, skinswillwin06 said:

I bet on Europe +225 last week but I'll still be rooting for USA. Really not sure if they'll be able to overcome the dysfunction and Brooks's comments last week didn't help things. That said, USA is clearly the deeper team and they are going to set up Whistling Straits to favor them as much as possible.

 

The Ryder Cup is easily in my top 3 sporting events to watch. Even though NBC is going to try and ruin it with endless commercials, I still can't wait!

 

 

Europe has it's own problems, although not as recent: https://www.the-sun.com/sport/3694278/ryder-cup-harrington-garcia-dechambeau-koepka/

 

They are now on the same side. As for Brooks and Bryson I would be shocked if Stricker didn't call them ahead of time and tell them both they need to put their disagreements aside or he can't use them. And for Poulter to pick Garcia says a lot. 

 

Honestly I do not think any of it will matter once they start hitting golf balls. It's always a fun match to watch. Looking forward to it. 

 

[RichmondRedskin88]

For those not familiar with Ryder Cup crowds they are raucous and heckle.  Players pump them up or taunt them. The walk to the first tee is called one of the most intimidating walks in sports and the most intimidating shot in golf. 

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

24 minutes ago, goskins10 said:

As for Brooks and Bryson I would be shocked if Stricker didn't call them ahead of time and tell them both they need to put their disagreements aside or he can't use them. And for Poulter to pick Garcia says a lot.

The issues stem a little further from that for Brooks.  Not sure if you heard about his interview last week where he basically said without saying, that he’s incapable of playing as a member of a team. Was a really bad look but probably just being blunt about what some others won’t say.

[Hersh]

Shouldn't it be Ryder Cup 2021? I mean, I get that the Olympics didn't want to change all their signs cause of cost, but this is just the Ryder Cup. 

[goskins10]

4 minutes ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

The issues stem a little further from that for Brooks.  Not sure if you heard about his interview last week where he basically said without saying, that he’s incapable of playing as a member of a team. Was a really bad look but probably just being blunt about what some others won’t say.

 

I realize that but when the Poulter and Garcia thing went down it will just as ugly then. Anyway, in the end I don't think it actually will matter when the golf balls start flying. 

[RichmondRedskin88]

9 minutes ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

The issues stem a little further from that for Brooks.  Not sure if you heard about his interview last week where he basically said without saying, that he’s incapable of playing as a member of a team. Was a really bad look but probably just being blunt about what some others won’t say.

The problem is Europe PGA relies on the money from the Ryder cup to function.  PGA of America and its golfers are loaded.  They have a lit note to lose and it shows in their play and team work 

 

7 minutes ago, Hersh said:

Shouldn't it be Ryder Cup 2021? I mean, I get that the Olympics didn't want to change all their signs cause of cost, but this is just the Ryder Cup. 

The Ryder Cup kept 2020. It did cause a shift on the years it’s hosted though. Also people underestimate how much money is in the Ryder cup.  The event is taken very serious by USA and European media as well as sponsors

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

12 minutes ago, goskins10 said:

 

I realize that but when the Poulter and Garcia thing went down it will just as ugly then. Anyway, in the end I don't think it actually will matter when the golf balls start flying. 

I didn't mean in regards to his feud with Bryson, but just his overall attitude towards playing team events in general.  It provided some color to why it seems the US doesn't perform so hot in team events.

[Hersh]

38 minutes ago, RichmondRedskin88 said:

The problem is Europe PGA relies on the money from the Ryder cup to function.  PGA of America and its golfers are loaded.  They have a lit note to lose and it shows in their play and team work 

 

The Ryder Cup kept 2020. It did cause a shift on the years it’s hosted though. Also people underestimate how much money is in the Ryder cup.  The event is taken very serious by USA and European media as well as sponsors

 

I'm not suggesting the Ryder Cup isn't big money. The difference with the Olympics is that they had numerous venues that they'd have to change vs one in golf. 

[skinsmarydu]

https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/32220700/can-us-ryder-cup-team-get-one-week

[goskins10]

45 minutes ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

I didn't mean in regards to his feud with Bryson, but just his overall attitude towards playing team events in general.  It provided some color to why it seems the US doesn't perform so hot in team events.

 

Fair enough. And I get it. That has been a discussion for several decades actually - why do to the Europeans play so much better together. I was just saying that at the time that feud was pretty major, similar to this feud.  

[RichmondRedskin88]

 

 

 

[RichmondRedskin88]

Bryson finally speaks 

 

There was, first and foremost, the matter of his appearance at all. Asked what has gone into the decision not to speak to media, DeChambeau was brief and direct. “This is a team event,” he said. ‘I’m focused on helping Team USA to a victory, and that’s honestly the reason why I’m here.'”

In other words, if he didn’t have to be here, he wouldn’t be. DeChambeau has clearly made the calculation that the potential costs of facing the media — like backlash after he expressed frustrationover his driver at the Open — outweigh the potential benefits. He might be right.

 

But DeChambeau did take the opportunity to correct the record on a couple matters. A story on his Long Drive training and his “wrecked hands” drew attention, but DeChambeau wanted it known that the training he’d referred to had actually taken place before the FedEx Cup Playoffs and shouldn’t be considered a Ryder Cup distraction.

“Leading up into this event, I’ve put full-force focus into this event, and I think hitting it far is some of why I’m so successful,” he added, deflecting any potential criticism about his participation in the Long Drive Championship the following week.

 

He addressed the Koepka in the room, too, saying the two had some “great conversations” during a team dinner at the Tour Championship and added that they saw each other at dinner last night, too, and all was well.

“I think there may be something fun coming up here moving forward, but won’t speak too much more on that,” he finished. DeChambeau likes a tease. 

He also made it known that despite speculation on how his game would mesh with others, he thinks he can play either foursomes (alternate shot) or fourball (best ball).

 

“I’d say first off I feel like I’m a player that can adapt to anything if I have to,” he said. “I could comfortably say that I have no issue playing either format. I think best ball has its benefits to my style of play, and alternate-shot with the right person can be pretty deadly.”

 

He hinted at a couple holes where his tremendous length could represent a tremendous advantage, like No. 1, which he could turn into a drivable par-4, or No. 5, which is listed at 571 but with the right ball speed, wind direction and overall aggression could turn into driver-wedge.

 

 

The lightest moment of the presser came when DeChambeau was asked about last night’s ping-pong loss at the hands of Daniel Berger, which led to a grin. “Nice. Way to go, Daniel, whoever leaked that,” he said. “Yeah, I lost in ping-pong, which kind of stinks, to Daniel. He beat me. There are obviously excuses I could make, but I won’t. I’m pretty sour about it. I’m going to get him back.”

But the most revealing moment came when DeChambeau was asked about his treatment at the hands of fans, which ranges from adoration to full-bore “Brooksy!” heckling. The question was a simple one: Does it hurt? He gave the question a thought, and then he began his answer with what sounded like vulnerability.

“I mean, no matter what, we’re all humans at the end of the day, and I think there’s obviously a level of, I guess you could say, control that any human will ever have, and you can have a lot of armor and you can protect yourself with people around you and all
that,” he said. DeChambeau is obsessed with controlling variables, so it’s always interesting to see how he confronts the uncontrollable, like the actions of complete strangers. It seemed like his answer here was arriving at some version of, “Yes, it hurts, even though I try to block it out.” But public vulnerability does not seem to come naturally, so he redirected.

“Sure, there are times where it’s not comfortable, but there’s also times where it fuels me. I think this week is going to be an amazing example of it, and it’s going to be fun to be able to have the crowd behind us and pump them up and show them what I can hopefully do and what we can do as a team, more importantly.

“I’m not going to make this about me again. This is about a team event. I’ve got a brass chest. I’ve taken a lot of heat. But I’m okay with it, and I understand I’m in the place where I’m at, and it’s going to be that way moving forward.”

DeChambeau clearly thinks with some frequency about how he’s perceived. He has arrived at the conclusion that if he can show off his personality through social media — on Instagram, YouTube or his new TikTok account — he’ll have done what he can.

“It kind of opens it up to, ‘Whoa, this isn’t just this person based off what people think about me out on the golf course, this is actually a human being,” he said.

Still, he acknowledged, winning four or five points for the U.S. side couldn’t hurt his popularity.

In all, the session with DeChambeau ran some 15 minutes. He was measured, arms folded behind his back, clad in a navy RLX jacket and matching USA hat. He seemed to enjoy the questions more as he went along, because he likes to talk. But he seemed to enjoy leaving the room, too.

It’s not clear when he’ll be back.

 

 

[RichmondRedskin88]

USA leads 6-2 after first day

 

DJ looks like a top 3 player again.  Morikawa having a great debut.  Finau was just rolling.  JT was up and down but him and Cantley made a great rally. Xander is becoming a possible MVP.  Bryson looking good as well as Brooks. English was quiet but good.  Also Speith hit one of the most ridiculous shots in the history of the Ryder cup maybe just tourneys in general.   

[EmirOfShmo]

Incredible shot!

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

26 minutes ago, EmirOfShmo said:

Incredible shot!

 

 

I'm glad you posted this. That was a good angle to see it from his perspective, the replay on NBC showing just how high it went (75 feet) made it one of the most amazing shots I've ever seen.

 

I love the Ryder Cup, one of my favorite events in sports. Also agree the amount of commercials by NBC is off the charts.  That's why I watch it, and everything else for that matter, on DVR delay.  

[China]

Tom Felton of ‘Harry Potter’ fame collapses at Ryder Cup

 

British actor Tom Felton, known for his portrayal of Draco Malfoy in the “Harry Potter” movies, collapsed while playing a celebrity golf exhibition Thursday at the Ryder Cup.

 

Ryder Cup organizers said only that Felton experienced “a medical incident” at Whistling Straits and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. They provided no other information.

 

Felton was on the 18th hole when he went down. He was helped to his feet, placed on a stretcher and driven away in a golf cart. He turned 34 on Wednesday.

 

 

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