The smell of champagne mixed with Michelob Ultra and that of cigars, I remember like it was yesterday that crazy and incredible American press conference after the victory in Whistling Straits. In the post-Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson era, this strong core heralded a bright Ryder Cup future and dark years for the aging Europeans. Until…
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Still image at 11:05 a.m. local time, two years later.
The Europeans are the new champions and holders of the precious Ryder Cup. It’s a pretty painful wake-up call for those who partied to the limits of confidence and outrageousness in September 2021.
How is it possible that this almost promised American dynasty, with seven returning golfers and an almost intact core, suffered such a defeat in Rome? What reasons can explain this?
AFP
The configuration of Marco Simone’s route? Surely.
Captain Zach Johnson’s ineptitude and lack of passion? Oh yeah !
Johnson’s questionable decisions? No doubt.
American captain Zach Johnson. AFP
The poor performance of America’s big guns? Yes.
The absence of Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau? Possibly. But DJ has posted a record of +22 in his four major tournaments this season.
Too strong
We can add several other reasons and examine the smallest actions. The fact is: the Europeans delivered brilliant performances. The American big guns simply weren’t producing the desired results.
On paper they were weaker than the American clan. But they arrived in Rome in top form, with a knife between their teeth, ready to outshine the competition with new blood.
A photo of a message displayed in the European dressing room circulated on the networks this weekend following its breakthrough.
“If you ever feel sorry for someone on a golf course, you better go home. If you don’t kill them, they will kill you. »
These words come from the great Seve Ballesteros, the Spanish icon of golf and the European team, who died of illness in May 2011.
Luke Donald’s Warriors applied Seve’s concept. They gave their rivals no chance from the first goal on Friday morning.
A major hurricane
After the defeat, in a sober collective press conference, Jordan Spieth made some interesting comments explaining the American debacle. He called it a perfect storm.
One that takes careful time to form and develop in order to be able to strike with great force when the time comes.
“The Europeans played really big golf before they showed up here. They continued their pace, the Texan initially explained in response to a question about the long period of five weeks of inactivity for nine of his teammates.
“You missed a lot of shots,” continued the man who left Rome without a win. They blocked a number of cutting approaches and played solid golf all week.
AFP
“And they stepped on our heads right at the start of the competition and dragged the crowd behind them. Their recruits saw all of this, which made their transition easier.
“Suddenly we were in a hole. We had to fight to get out. »
A new era
Much has been said in the last 18 months about the path to European conquest. The arrival of the controversial LIV golf course had torn the Blue and Yellow camp apart, with Garcia, Poulter, Westwood and Co. leaving. The former captain, Henrik Stenson, was stripped of his title when he moved to the nemesis in July 2022.
Garcia wanted to finally repay his debts so that he could attend the meeting with Marco Simone – in vain.
The Europeans are undergoing a generational change like the Americans two years ago. Their big challenge will be to prove their supremacy in September 2025… at Bethpage Black, a field undermined by its ferocious New York crowd.
“For six or seven years I’ve been telling anyone who will listen that the greatest achievement in golf right now is winning a Ryder Cup in enemy territory. That’s what we’re going to do in Bethpage,” Rory McIlroy said confidently.
Hostilities have already begun.
In order to appear in top shape, the Americans will rehearse for the Presidents Cup in Montreal next September.