The 41st biennial Ryder Cup matches are now in the record books. When we look back upon the three days of play at Hazeltine National Golf Club, we will look back at the 2016 edition of the matches in a most memorable way. True, Team USA broke its eight-year drought with a 17-11 victory over Team Europe, but more importantly the Ryder Cup took another step forward as arguably the game’s most entertaining and dramatic competitive format.
The American win at Hazeltine was the first time this side of the pond has held the Ryder Cup since the Paul Azinger-led triumph at Valhalla in 2008. It was the first time since 1975 that every member of the American squad contributed to the team effort by winning a point. The Ryder Cup featured spectator crowds of 45,000 each day and it was loud and crazy throughout all three days of competition. The participants, most notably Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlory, were amped up all three days, showing a whole lot more emotion than one normally sees during the course of a 72-hole stroke play tournament.
Two weeks ago we asked three-time Ryder Cup winner Johnny Pott to give an appraisal of this year’s matches. At that time, Pott predicted that the six European Team rookies would struggle under the glare of the Ryder Cup spotlight. When one reviews last weekend’s results, you can see that Pott was spot-on with his assessment. The six European rookies played in 17 matches during the three days of competition. They earned a total of 7 ½ points with Thomas Pieters leading the way with a team-high four points. The two American rookies, Ryan Moore and Brooks Koepka, played in a total of seven matches and accumulated five points. Add the struggles of Euro veteran Lee Westwood and two-time major champion Martin Kaymer and you have the formula for a losing effort.
Earlier this week, Pott acknowledged to me that “The matches were very exciting. In fact, I think I was as nervous watching as when I played. It was a great win for the United States with our stars having to play some fantastic golf to hold off the Euros. I’m already thinking that our guys will have a tough time in ’18. At least we have the cup for two years.”
Pott also gave a big pat on the back for the efforts of Team USA captain Davis Love III. Pott stated that he “would also give Love III an A-plus for setting up the course. No rough, pins in the middle of greens and reasonable green speed. I think this plan took a lot of pressure off the United States as some aren’t straight drivers. This is why we saw such fantastic golf with plenty of birdies and several eagles. Maybe the PGA should name Love III captain right now so that he can start putting the 2018 team together soon.”
Pott’s commentary about the birdies and eagles points to the fact that the American team had an interesting combination of power players and brilliant putters. Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka found the par-5s reachable in two, setting up reasonable chances to one-putt for eagle or two-putt for birdie. The sixsome of Brandt Snedeker, Zach Johnson, Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth, Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson were nothing short of dynamic with the flat stick on Hazeltine’s greens. There also was a lot of positive team chemistry on Team USA.
Whether it was intentional or just because it was time for a change, the American team also seemed more at ease during these matches. I was especially impressed when the television camera panned the stands Saturday afternoon. There amongst the loud crowds were two men wearing long pig-tailed wigs with Viking horns and Team USA sweatshirts. Upon closer observation, one could see that the two “fans” were none other than Brandt Snedeker and Zach Johnson, winners of their alternate shot matches earlier in the day. Assistant captain Bubba Watson also took turns sitting in the stands while leading cheers for Team USA. This time around, the American team appeared a whole lot looser than they have in previous years.
The golf was pretty outstanding but I believe history will forever remember the Patrick Reed-Rory McIlory singles match that kicked off Sunday’s final round as well as the Phil Mickelson-Sergio Garcia match that featured some of the finest Ryder Cup golf I’ve ever seen. The Reed-McIlroy match was riveting. There was a point on the front nine where Reed made three birdies and an eagle and yet was unable to take the lead on McIlroy, who answered with three birdies. The Mickelson-Garcia match deservedly ended up in a tie. Both golfers shot 9-under-par 63,s with Mickelson making 10 birdies and Sergio adding nine more. It was truly fitting that both men birdied the 18th hole. So why can’t Sergio putt like this in majors?
On a semi-sad note, it was tough watching European Tour veteran Lee Westwood miss three makeable putts on the final nine Saturday afternoon to throw away his better ball match. Westwood, a captain’s pick who was a longtime Ryder Cup partner of European captain Darren Clarke, struggled with his ball striking and short distance putting Friday morning. He asked to sit out the next two matches to get his game in shape and returned to action Saturday only to miss a crucial 3-footer on the 18th green, leading to a J.B Holmes-Ryan Moore 1-up victory. Westwood is nearing the end of a rock-solid career and sad to say he was unable to provide the experienced golfer leadership to the young Euro team. It sort of reminded me of an aging Curtis Strange in the 1995 Ryder Cup at Oak Hill in Rochester.
Finally, it wouldn’t be a Ryder Cup without Phil Mickelson interjecting his own version of the truth regarding the Ryder Cup Task Force, his issues in Scotland two years ago, and even his problems with the captaincy of Hal Sutton at Oakland Hills a mere 12 years ago. Phil just might be the closest golfer of the modern era to Arnold Palmer with regard to his aggressive play on the course, his friendliness to the fans, and his willingness to endlessly sign autographs. If only he didn’t feel the need to, every now and then, open his mouth and insert his foot. We’re just a mere 104 weeks away from the next Ryder Cup Matches, which will be contested at LeGolf National in Paris, the longtime home of the French Open. Until then, Team USA gets to hold on to Samuel Ryder’s Cup. However, as Johnny Pott stated, it’s only a matter of time before the likes of Matthew Fitzpatrick, Chris Wood, Andy Sullivan and the other Euro 20-somethings find themselves more hardened to the pressures of the Ryder Cup. I do believe we’re in the midst of an American and European Ryder Cup shake-up with the new breed ready for center stage.
