will add as i go along this week, played this yesterday early, and the more im looking at these 2 teams, yes the US TEAM is about as good as it sounds on paper, YES ON PAPER, we'll see if they can prove it as the RYDER CUP is totally different style of playing than any other week on tour. vague memory of FURYK at 14 RYDER CUP, needing an up and down late in round in afternoon team match on friday, FURYK was past the green in 2 on fall off from green no more than 5yds away, somewhat ho hum up and down for FURYK in any other tournament of the year, but it was opening day of RYDER CUP, and i remember the announcer say, FURYK was the #1 scrambler all year as he was lining it up, well on that particular chip FURYK goes numb in the hands and blasts it past the pin and the tier that the pin was on and finished twice as much away. just 1 shot, but to me a reminder that this event is like nothing else and cant assume anything.
so what about the EURO team? 1 of the youngest teams the EUROs have had, and it may be the thing that holds them back. players like WILLETT, BELLO, SULLIVAN, WOOD, FITZPATRICK and PIETERS will be exposed to something they havent seen. in that group is a MASTERS CHAMP and a US AM CHAMP, and certainly a fast collection of wins by this group have gotten them to this event, but it hasnt been pretty by this group at times late in tournaments. while the US TEAM has their fair share of rookies as well, they will have the home crowd to cheer them on. guys like WOOD, SULLIVAN, and BELLO are going to be the weakest part of this EURO team.
so when you cut the fat and get to it, its going to come down to the RORYs, SPIETHs and DJs. sure you might just say well you have SPIETH and DJ vs RORY so US should have the advantage right? well, ROSE and GARCIA are a combined 27-12-7 in the RYDER CUP all time. its going to be ball striking that sets the tone for the matches, it will be putting late that wins the match. if you start early on piling on FAIRWAYS HIT and GIRs, especially on this course then that will be tough to overcome.
weather should be clear rest of the week but there was rain earlier on in week so may slow things down and give a bigger advantage to the longer hitters, but dont think it will be that wet by FRIDAY. by end of week should be more roll out for shorter hitters. this HAZELTINE course was used for the 2006 US AM CHAMP which was won by RICHIE RAMSAY, DJ participated in this and had course low on HAZELTINE the 2days it was played as stroke play. DJ didnt play in the 2014 RYDER CUP due to the off course stuff, has played in 2 RYDER CUPS and with the last 3months hes had, hard to think he doesnt want to step it up for the US team this year.
HAZELTINE has hosted many major championships, 2 of which were PGA CHAMPIONSHIPS, both won by complete long shots in RICH BEEM and YE YANG, and who came in 2nd both times, TIGER. also will throw in that the last englishman to win the US OPEN, til ROSE did 3years back, was TONY JACKLIN. plenty of history on this course, but 1 im leaning while distance matters on this monster course, you cant overlook which side of the hole your ball ends up because the greens are well protected as well and are bigger than average. so all day while you can bombing it 320, but if you arent on right part of fairway, while it doesnt matter as much when you have wedge in your hand at that point, i sort of think it does when you have any club in your hand when its during the RYDER CUP.
to sum all of this up, tons of pressure, tough to react the way you want, total crapshoot who is ready for this event, does take great leadership to get your other partners over the hump when you may not have your best stuff or even as a captain seeing that your players dont, but at almost 2/1, this EURO team wont lay down easily and should make things tough on this talented US TEAM.
RYDER CUP(-3.29u)
1.8/1 EURO team(2u) -- to win L
3.75/1 D. JOHNSON(.5u) -- top US scorer L
6/1 J. ROSE(.5u) -- top EURO scorer L
mcilroy/sullivan(-115) / mickelson/fowler(.5u) -- day 1 foursomes L (1up)
garcia/kaymer(-125) / walker/z. johnson(.5u) -- day 1 foursomes L (4&2)
stenson -.5(+102) / spieth(.5u) -- day 3 singles W (3&2)
garcia(-111) / mickelson(.5u) -- day 3 singles H
rose -.5(-115) / fowler(.5u) -- day 3 singles L (1up)
pieters(-102) / holmes(.5u) -- day 3 singles W (3&2)
kuchar -.5(-105) / kaymer(.5u) -- day 3 singles L (1up)
d. johnson -.5(-159) / wood(.5u) -- day 3 singles W (1up)
moore -.5(-119) / westwood(.5u) -- day 3 singles W (1up)