Derrick Coyle
Lets face it, the Americans can no longer compete with the Europeans in the Ryder Cup golf matches.
After a 16½ to 11½ point drubbing in last week’s event at Gleneagles in Auchterarder, Scotland, it’s clear who now dominates the biennial competition. This was the third straight win for the Euros and the 10th triumph (plus a tie) in the past 15 contests, since 1985.
The Americans may be reluctant to admit they need help. After all, they once dominated the competition, launched in 1927 by English businessman, Samuel Ryder, when he pitted the best professional golfers of the United States against their United Kingdom counterparts. A record of 21-3-1 over the first 25 encounters – for even the most modest of nations – can lead to an attitude of confidence and superiority that is difficult to shed when the tide of dominance turns. The United States have – to the best of my knowledge – rarely been described as modest.
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In the aftermath of the most recent rout, there will be no shortage of Golf Channel analysis about how the absence of Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson factored into the outcome. There will be fresh discussion about the comparative player attitudes and team dynamics. And there will be rampant second-guessing over Captain Tom Watson’s playing and pairing decisions.
But there were some positives to take away for the United States. Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth, and Jimmy Walker posted outstanding records in their rookie appearances. Although Reed may have to learn that shushing a partisan gallery on the strength of individual achievement – while his team is being trounced – may be short-sighted. In fact it lends credence to contentions that it’s that very self-before-team predilection that lies at the root of failure.
Photo by Ross Kinnaird / Getty Images
In contrast, would rookie Victor Dubuisson have posted his stellar 2-0-1 record without the guidance and support of veteran Graeme McDowell? McDowell understood his role for the team and fed off that to guide his charge to success and raise his own game to a perfect 3-0-0 record with a spectacular comeback win over Spieth in the opening singles match.
In the end, it probably just came down to talent. Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, Graeme McDowell, Sergio Garcia, and Ian Poulter make for formidable foes. These guys just find a way to get it done at Ryder Cups.
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Olive branches have been extended before in the history of the Ryder Cup. It was with conciliatory intent and a quest for more level competition that introduced Continental Europe to the mix in 1979 – a move that expanded the pool of European talent and set in motion the power shift we’ve seen since.
Clearly it is time to reciprocate with the mercy shown the once fledgling European team and save the Americans the continued torment and embarrassment they are destined to otherwise endure.
Fortunately for the United States, I have the perfect solution. It’s time for the Americans to accept a little help from their International friends.
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Excluded from the Ryder Cup competition as it currently stands is: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, and all of Asia. These countries, and others, compete in a competition known as The Presidents Cup – an event conceived in 1994 involving the United States taking on the rest of the world (except Europe) in a similar set of biennial golf matches scheduled in alternate years to the Ryder Cup.
In the 10-year existence of The Presidents Cup, the United States has dominated with an 8-1-1 record. It’s an event that compares disfavourably to the Ryder Cup, in terms of public interest, and is one unlikely to ever see competitive balance, as currently structured. The International line-up has star quality players, right enough, but not nearly the depth of the American field.
The clear solution is to scrap The Presidents Cup outright and build a more competitive Ryder Cup. A global event where the existing European team competes against the rest of the world – or the new International team. It’s hard to imagine that the talents and attitudes of Gary Player, Ernie Els, Greg Norman, Mike Weir, and Angel Cabrera would not have delivered more success, looking back. And, it is very likely Adam Scott, Jason Day, Graham Delaet, Hideki Matsuyama, and Charl Schwartzel, would strengthen the team and influence the outcome, going forward.
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I suspect we’re a long way from hearing the word “uncle” from Uncle Sam and an agreement to draw on outside talent to better compete at the Ryder Cup, but like many of us who play the game of golf over a long enough period of time, we eventually accept we’re just not as good as we once were.
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