Both Stricker and Harrington agree that Ryder Cup needs fans present

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European Captain Padraig Harrington and United States Captain Steve Stricker pose together after an axe throwing competition during the Ryder Cup 2020 Year to Go media event at Whistling Straits Golf Course (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images,)

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European skipper Padraig Harrington and his U.S. counterpart Steve Stricker can agree on one thing at least; the Ryder Cup can’t take place behind closed doors this year.

Organisers seems adamant to ensure the September event goes ahead at Whistling Straits with or without spectators after reports of talks taking place discussing the idea of a spectator-free Ryder Cup in Wisconsin.

Always fierce rivals whenever the biennial event rolls around, the bipartisan atmosphere created by a Ryder Cup is unrivalled in the sport but foes are united as allies ahead of this year’s proposed renewal suggesting that without said atmosphere, the event simply wouldn’t be the same.

“In another two months we will know a lot more,” Harrington said speaking on the Today programme.

“There’s been some talk about playing it behind closed doors. The general feeling is that nobody wants to play behind closed doors – it wouldn’t be a normal Ryder Cup.

“But nobody feels they need to make that decision at the moment. For me and Steve, neither of us would like a situation where the fans don’t turn up.”

With the PGA Tour expected to resume spectator-free from June 11th, golf’s sure going to have a different feel to it this year but then again, what hasn’t felt different since COVID-19 showed up unannounced to our shores?

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