'Golf War' Unfolds at the Ryder Cup
Europe Seeks Back-to-Back Titles with a Stable Roster
Rasmus Hojgaard Makes His Debut as the Only New Face
Meticulous Preparation: Early Course Reconnaissance and Intensive Training
United States Revamps Its
It is a "golf war."
On September 26 (local time), top golfers from the United States and Europe will gather at the Bethpage State Park Black Course in Farmingdale, New York, to compete for pride. The Ryder Cup, a golf competition between the United States and Europe, is held every two years. The event is named after British businessman Samuel Ryder, who donated the trophy. There is no prize money, but national and continental honor is at stake. The United States team, led by captain Keegan Bradley, and the European team, led by captain Luke Donald of England, are both confident of victory.
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler (right) and No.2 Rory McIlroy will engage in a pride battle at the Ryder Cup golf competition. Photo by PGA Tour
Since its inception in 1927, the United States team has dominated the Ryder Cup, with an all-time record of 27 wins, 2 draws, and 15 losses against Europe. However, in the 2000s, Europe has performed better. The defending champion European team has achieved 8 wins and 3 losses in the last 11 tournaments. Over three days, there will be a total of 28 matches, including four-ball (8 matches), foursomes (8 matches), and singles match play (12 matches). A win earns 1 point, and a draw earns 0.5 points. As the reigning champion, Europe needs 14 points to retain the cup, while the United States needs 14.5 points to claim victory.
The psychological warfare has already begun. Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, the ace of the European team, stated, "Winning the Ryder Cup away from home would be the greatest achievement." McIlroy made a significant contribution to the European team's victory at the 2023 tournament in Rome, Italy, by playing in five matches and earning four points. If Europe wins this year, it will be their first away victory in 13 years since defeating the United States 14.5 to 13.5 in Chicago, Illinois, in 2012. Captain Bradley, aiming for a home victory, responded, "I laughed to myself when I heard McIlroy's comments," expressing his determination.
Europe, aiming for a second consecutive win, has opted for stability. Captain Donald has finalized the 12 players who will compete in the Ryder Cup. The top six players in the selection points ranking-McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton (all from England), Robert MacIntyre (Scotland), and Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark)-secured their spots on the team, and Donald announced his six captain's picks as well.
There were no surprise selections. Shane Lowry (Ireland), Jon Rahm (Spain), Sepp Straka (Austria), Ludvig Aberg (Sweden), Viktor Hovland (Norway), and Matt Fitzpatrick (England) were chosen to join Team Europe. Captain Donald commented, "It is true that nearly the same squad as two years ago is returning. It is rare for so many players to compete in consecutive Ryder Cups. That speaks to their excellence."
As Donald noted, 11 of the 12 European players competed in the tournament held in Rome, Italy, two years ago, showing little change in the roster. The only new addition is Rasmus Hojgaard. However, two years ago it was his twin brother, Nicolai Hojgaard, who played. The last names of the 12-man squad remain unchanged. Rasmus is the only European player making his Ryder Cup debut.
Europe is cheering immediately after winning the 2023 Ryder Cup held in Rome, Italy. Photo by Ryder Cup
The European team is meticulously preparing. Ten days before the tournament, they will conduct a group inspection of the Bethpage State Park Black Course. Captain Donald, his vice-captains, the players, and support staff will fly directly to New York on a chartered plane immediately after the DP World Tour BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club near London, England, on September 14.
The European team plans to spend two days playing rounds on the Black Course to familiarize themselves with the layout and develop their match strategies. After this inspection, they will remain in the United States for local acclimatization training until the Ryder Cup begins, rather than returning to Europe. McIlroy expressed his confidence, saying that he even learned "how to handle hostile crowds" from tennis star Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
The United States team is determined to secure a decisive victory at home. To overcome the humiliation of losing 16.5 to 11.5 in Rome, they have adopted a strategy of major changes. Compared to the previous tournament, they have replaced half of their 12-man roster. The Ryder Cup is influenced by course characteristics and the passionate support of fans, making home team victories highly likely. In fact, in the past 20 years, the only time the home team lost was when the United States was defeated in 2012.
The top six players in the selection points ranking-Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English, and Bryson DeChambeau-earned automatic spots, while Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young, Patrick Cantlay, and Sam Burns were chosen to complete the roster.
The team impressively balances experience and youthful energy. Notably, several "big names" who were regulars at the Ryder Cup-Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Patrick Reed, Maverick McNealy, Chris Gotterup, Rickie Fowler, Max Homa, and Tony Finau-have been left out.
Captain Bradley is repeatedly showing his players a video clip of McIlroy stating, "We will win the Ryder Cup away from home." To sharpen their competitive edge, 10 of the 12 United States team members will participate in the PGA Tour Procore Championship at Silverado Resort in Napa, California, starting September 12. Only Schauffele and DeChambeau will not take part in the Procore Championship.
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