It may not be the only show in world golf this week, but it might as well be.
Since Scottie Scheffler tapped in from about a foot on the 72nd hole at Royal Portrush, the Ryder Cup has been the metaphorical elephant in every elite men’s golfing room, and we’re now just 24 hours from the opening tee shots being hit.
The teams are long picked, the uniforms decided, heads measured to ensure that all hats fit, and the overall golf course setup finalised.
So, what remains to be picked over?
Well, in this series we’ll take a look at the big questions that remain to be answered.
4. Who wins the battle of the captains?
While the 12 players on each team ultimately decide the fate of every Ryder Cup, anybody who’s been in either team room will tell you that the captains’ influence is considerable.
Luke Donald may not have been the first choice candidate to lead the European side in Rome – that honour was first bestowed on Henrik Stenson before LIV came calling – but it may have been a blessing in disguise and the players he led to victory were fairly clear that they’d welcome him being at the helm again at Bethpage.
Keegan Bradley wasn’t on the radar for U.S. captaincy until Tiger Woods’ late withdrawal from the race – and it wasn’t much of a race – but he’s a man who bleeds red, white and blue, and made sense for many reasons, most notably the passion he’s shown for the Ryder Cup.
But, having been harshly overlooked for selection for a playing role in Rome, there was always going to be the chance that he’d play well enough to either qualify automatically or be among the leading contenders for a captain’s pick. And that’s exactly what happened.
Had any of Bradley’s five vice-captains been in the big seat, it’s highly likely he’d be at Bethpage with his clubs and caddie and no earpiece this week, but that’s not the way it panned out. He could easily have picked himself and had good grounds to justify it, but by selecting six others and putting the good of the team ahead of personal agendas, he’s earned the respect and loyalty of his troops.
And that counts for something. How much, we’ll have to wait until Friday, Saturday and Sunday to find out.
Donald played the game with near unrivalled poise and composure, so it’s little surprise to see him carry those same traits into his second captaincy.
No points are awarded at the Opening Ceremony, but he struck the right tone, played all the right notes, and adequately conveyed the true meaning of the Ryder Cup for Europeans. “It is not about prize money or world ranking points,” he said. “It’s about pride. It’s about representing your flag, your shirts, and the legacy you leave behind.
“We play for our families, our teammates, our countries, our continent, and for the generations before us who made this event what it is today.”
Later, he added: “We are fueled by something money cannot buy: Purpose, brotherhood, and a responsibility to honor those who came before us, while inspiring those whose time is yet to come.”
It was a subtle jibe to the fact that the American players are getting paid an additional $200,000 stipend to be there – the ones who’ve been asked have all said they’re giving it to charity – whereas the Europeans are not.
It’s a stretch to suggest that this might in any way turn the New York crowd in Europe’s favour, but by reinforcing it, he’s reminding the fans that the visitors are worthy of their respect, if not their support, and if that’s enough to stop one or two fans from heckling in a player’s backswing, then it will have counted for something.
The Americans have often been accused of not caring enough about the Ryder Cup, but nobody can accuse this year’s captain of that, and it’s hard to believe that the enthusiasm won’t be infectious.
Donald was branded a hero after the exploits in Rome and it would’ve been easy to walk away satisfied with that, but he answered the players’ call again and that won’t be lost on them.
We might never know who is definitely the better captain this time around, but in a contest as close as this one is shaping up to be – fingers crossed – every half-point is crucial. Captains don’t put literal points on the board, they put figurative ones up behind the scenes.
And Sunday’s leaderboard will tell the final tale.
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