Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss the importance of Ryder Cup prep, Rory McIlroy’s Irish Open win and more.
The Ryder Cup doesn’t start next week, although 21 of the 24 players competing in it will be teeing it up anyway. Eleven of the 12 members of the European Ryder Cup team are in the field at the BMW PGA Championship, while 10 of the 12 Americans will play the Procore Championship in Napa, Calif. Two years ago, only two U.S. Ryder Cup players competed in Napa and nine of the 12 had five weeks off between the Tour Championship and Ryder Cup, which was a move the Americans were heavily criticized for following their loss. How much does this week matter for the Ryder Cup? A little or a lot?
Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): I think it matters! Now, you could argue the Americans didn’t participate in Napa back in 2021 and yet still cruised at Whistling Straits, but if the option is one or the other and I’m the captain of this team, I’d elect to play. It’s good to get competitive juices going and I think the team-building aspect is important. A different conversation is the timing of the Ryder Cup and/or the Tour Championship, which makes the U.S. squad have to deal with this break.
Josh Schrock, news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): It certainly doesn’t hurt. The U.S. players were obviously rusty in Rome, although I’m uncertain how much that had to do with the shellacking they took. Credit to Keegan Bradley for getting most of his team to buy in, and to Scottie Scheffler, who sets the tone as World No. 1 and is clearly bought into making sure the Americans are much sharper this time around. Will it matter? We’ll soon find out.
Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): I think it matters a lot, but not necessarily in the ways you’d expect. I think it matters that J.J Spaun feels like he’s teammates with Bryson DeChambeau. And that DeChambeau feels like a teammate of Scottie Scheffler. This time last year, those two were suddenly Crypto.com Showdown opponents, and not exactly amicable that week. DeChambeau will be in Napa for team-related activities, and I think that’s important. Just as Collin Morikawa needs to keep grinding on his putting and Harris English grinding on his … whole game. Everyone needs to feel more comfortable, and next week can really help.
Luke Donald finalized his Ryder Cup team with six captain’s picks he made last Monday, and his roster consists of 11 of the 12 players who beat the U.S. in Rome. How much stock do you put in that experience?
Berhow: A lot, especially since it’s an away game for them. But what’s important here is that he didn’t reach for experience like what might have happened in years past with some of those long-time regulars. He’s got the 12 best players possible and I think there’s little debate about that, at least less debate than there is on the American side.
Schrock: Don’t see how you can’t put a lot of stock in it. Not only does he bring experience back, but its experience that isn’t past its prime. Team Europe knows how these guys play together and has a good feel for what pairings they want in what sessions. I think Josh made a good point in that Donald didn’t take experience for experience sake, but he took experience that is also still playing well and not past its prime as has been the case in the past (see: Europe, 2021).
Zak: It feels greatly important that Sepp Straka got his feet wet and Ludvig Aberg paired so well with Viktor Hovland and, well, that Matt Fitzpatrick felt whatever it feels like to deliver a match victory. It’s all important for feeling like you belong and not feeling the inverse — like you don’t belong. The Ryder Cup cauldron is different, and weird thoughts can arise.
At the Irish Open, Shane Lowry said he didn’t think the home Ryder Cup fans would be too tough on his European squad, saying: “We play week-in, week-out in America. We all live in America, or most of us do, anyway, and we have all got a lot of fans in America. … I don’t think they can turn on you that bad for one week.” You buy this?
Berhow: Oh no. No, no, no, no. It could get ugly. And it certainly won’t be tame. Ironically, this comment might not help matters, like in “Dazed and Confused” when Jodi Kramer told her friends to take it easy on her kid brother, Mitch Kramer, for the freshmen hazing. Jodi, you just made it worse!
Schrock: Oh, Shane. The American fans might love you at the artist formerly known as the Northern Trust, but things are not going to be friendly come the end of the month in Long Island.
Zak: Sorry, Shane. But you’re just wrong. Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm, to name just two, didn’t particularly love it when Americans were brutal to them at Whistling Straits. And that was in a mostly non-competitive Cup. If this thing is close — I’d like to think it will be — Lowry will not have many fans cheering for his ball-striking at Bethpage.
Rory McIlroy won the Irish Open on Sunday, his first victory since the Masters in April. An important win because…?
Berhow: Because the Ryder Cup is fast approaching and he needed a bit of his mojo back and to get out of this little funk. Every win for every player is important for some reason, even for these guys who pile them up more than others.
Schrock: Winning a tournament he holds in high regard in the manner he did is a good reminder for him, and us, that despite his post-Masters malaise, Rory McIlroy can still deliver moments that arguably no one else currently playing can. It’s another important trophy for a career year and shows he’s ready for the Ryder Cup.
Zak: Because it was his first win since the Masters. The next win is always important. That ensures something we weren’t really sure of a week ago: he’s going to be a problem for the Yanks.
Team USA won the Walker Cup on Sunday at Cypress Point Club, beating GB&I 17-9. While we got a chance to see several potential future stars, we also got a glimpse of Cypress Point, GOLF’s second-round course in the world. How important are venues for amateur events like this? And where else would you like to see a Walker Cup go?
Berhow: For all the regular PGA Tour events and majors that stop at venues that do little to excite the average fan, the Walker Cup gets it right. Old Course two years ago and Lahinch (look it up!) next year. These sites are important because they add juice to amateur events, which are often harder sells than pro events, and bring a little gravitas to an important two-day showdown that highlights some really stellar up-and-coming talent.
Schrock: Completely agree with Berhow. This is what it’s supposed to be about. Having this event at Cypress just added juice to one of the best golf events of the year, and the USGA/Walker Cup continues to do this the right way.
Zak: Would you be watching multiple YouTube videos about the creation of the course, the membership, the grounds crew, etc. if the Walker Cup was at … French Lick? Or Streamsong? Or even the Cypress-adjacent Spanish Bay? With ALL due respect to those lovely venues, they’re not Cypress, and they’re not close. And with all due respect to the amateurs in the field … they’re still just amateurs! Every golf event on TV needs some special combination between field, stakes and site — and this was as good as you can get for site. That helps push you past anything else that might be lacking. TL;DR: Venues for this event matter so, so much.
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