Nobody – and I’m as guilty as anybody else – was talking about this Ryder Cup going down to the wire when Europe took a seven-point lead into the final day, but what was served up on Sunday at Bethpage was nothing short of remarkable. It was sporting drama of the highest order, and for all the flak that was thrown their way over the first two days, you have to take your hat off to the United States team.
Bradley’s message
Exactly what Keegan Bradley’s message to the United States team on Saturday evening actually was, we might never know, but the one he was willing to share with the media was “28-3.” For those unfamiliar, that was how much the New England Patriots trailed the Atlanta Falcons by midway through the third quarter in Superbowl LI back in 2017. The Tom Brady led Patriots came back to win in overtime.
On paper, it was possible, but after the crushing nature of the first four sessions – all of which went in Europe’s favour – it required a complete flipping of the script and the task was made so much harder when a half-point was added to each side’s tally before a ball had even been struck (more on that later).
Whether any of the Americans truly bought into the idea that they could turn things around and complete the greatest comeback in team golf history is up for debate, but by the time there were only four matches remaining, there wasn’t a single person watching or playing who couldn’t envision it happening.
They came up short, but they put up one hell of a fight.
The first three matches set the tone
In theory, it could’ve all ended right here. Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick had the chance to ice the contest, but Cameron Young, Justin Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau had other ideas.
Having lose a 3UP lead over the course of three holes down the closing stretch, you can only stand back and appreciated the nerve Young showed to birdie the 18th and take down Justin Rose. Young was the standout American player over the first two days, and, for a player who was criticised for wilting under the bright lights of contention, it was incredible.
Justin Thomas has made a habit of coming to the fore in Ryder Cup singles – he’s now 4-0-0 – and, like Young, to stand up and sink a putt at must’ve felt like a ‘life or death’ moment was insane, and the half-point Bryson rescued from being 5DOWN felt like a win because any European glancing at leaderboards throughout had that one mentally chalked down as a win.
Lowry’s contribution
The way Shane Lowry came to the fore in the Saturday fourball session alongside Rory McIlroy will go down in Irish sporting lore. In that match alone, he justified his selection, but the enduring memory will be his wild celebration after holing the Ryder Cup-retaining putt on the 18th on Sunday.
Statistically, nobody played better than Russell Henley on that final day, but Lowry was a close second. To birdie three of the last four holes – and make an excellent two-putt par on 17 – under the sort of pressure he was feeling showed incredible character.
Had the United States secured a full point there, then they were within touching distance of pulling off the greatest of escapes and, for the first time since Friday morning, may just have been favourites to win.
Lowry ended the week with a 1-2-0 record, securing 66.6% of the points he could’ve earned. But that doesn’t do justice to the magnitude of the full point on Saturday and half-point on Sunday.
The hardest week of Rory’s life
I didn’t think anything could come close to matching the resolve that Rory McIlroy showed on that final day at Augusta National back in April, where he had to battle every single golfing demon that has been following him for a decade-plus, but this week pushed it all the way.
As the focal point for the vast majority of the crowd’s ire, it would’ve been easy to retreat into his shell but he continued to battle long after his energy reserves were depleted.
There’s no shame in losing to the world number one in singles, especially when you’ve put 3.5 points from a possible four on the board over the first two days. He’s now played in eight Ryder Cups and been on the winning side in six of them, but even though he put more points on the board in Rome, this week was his greatest contribution to a European team.
The ‘envelope rule’
For the third time in a Ryder Cup – and the first time since 1993 – the ‘envelope rule’ came into play, and it was a horrible situation to put Keegan Bradley in as he was forced to tell Harris English that he was effectively the player he trusted least and would have to sit out.
Bradley called for an immediate rule change, and he’s got a point. It’s unfair, particularly in a situation where one side needed to stage a massive comeback and this took an additional half-point off the table.
Should a player have to forfeit a match if they are injured? In that case, then Hovland would’ve played because he’d have felt he was letting his entire team and continent down if he hadn’t, and he’d run the risk of aggravating the injury. The Ryder Cup might be the greatest event in golf, but it’s not fair to ask players to risk a long-term injury for it.
Instead, I believe that in instances such as these, a vice-captain (or captain) should step into the breech. If the teams were picked a week later, Alex Noren may well have been playing rather than assisting anyway, and if the rule were changed in advance then each captain would ensure they have at least one vice-captain who they can lean on to step up on the final day if needs be.
But rules are rules, and Bradley went into the Ryder Cup knowing that the ‘envelope rule’ was in play.
Two years’ time
The attention now turns to Adare Manor in 2027. Yes, that’s the power of the Ryder Cup, and the events of the final day at Bethpage only serve to whet the appetite. “Two more years” was the call from the European team members in the immediate aftermath of Rome, and Luke Donald answered the call. “Two more years” was the call again last night.
Donald didn’t say ‘yes,’ but he didn’t say ‘no’ either. He wouldn’t be the first captain to serve for three consecutive terms – Bernard Gallagher and Tony Jacklin both did it – but he would be the first to captain three successive winning sides if he takes the reins again and Europe complete a hat-trick.
As for the United States…. Will Keegan get another bite at the cherry? Does he deserve another bite at the cherry? Does he even want another bite at the cherry? Tiger Woods is waiting in the wings, and if not in ’27, then when does Tiger ascend to the throne?
We’ve got several months before any announcements are made on captaincy, but one thing we can start working towards is ensuring that the players who turn up in blue and yellow, and in red-white and blue are treated with the respect they deserve.
That didn’t happen in New York. Let’s leave that behind us and move on.
Leave a comment