What made Keegan Bradleyâ€s opening ceremony blooper, when he muddled surnames, so outstanding was not the basic fact Justin Rose is an Englishman who could not possibly have sunk the winning putt for the USA in the 1999 Ryder Cup. Instead, this was simply such a much-needed antidote to the micromanagement that now dulls the buildup to a biennial joust between a continent and a country. Golfers who ordinarily have plenty to say and who revel in the rarity of team combat find themselves delivering anodyne soundbites. Bradleyâ€s blunder was such an endearing reminder of days gone by, when the Ryder Cup was more open to rogue elements. The whiff of cordite was never far away.
The Ryder Cup needs a little more fizz. That may well be provided by a volatile New York crowd, the arrival of a US president who polarises opinion and stars such as Rory McIlroy or Bryson DeChambeau who should not be backwards in coming forwards when the proper stuff starts. The shadow boxing is now over. What is so striking and impressive is that golfers who bump into each other on Floridian school runs somehow manage to summon the spirit of a great rivalry for one week out of every 104.
More pertinent, the Ryder Cup requires even the occasional away win. This is the weekend for Europe to seize that opportunity, with Luke Donaldâ€s class of 2025 the best-placed team since 2012 to hand the US a bloody nose in their own backyard. That European win in Medinah was dubbed a miracle. In 2016 and 2021, just as in 2008, Europe were trounced. Home wins in 2014, at Gleneagles, 2018, in Paris and 2023, in Rome, were similarly comprehensive. The Ryder Cup has grown – perhaps too much – as an event and corporate attraction. For it to remain competitively valid, home teams cannot prevail time and again.
Keegan Bradleyâ€s opening ceremony blooper was an endearing reminder of days gone by. Photograph: Vaughn Ridley/Sportsfile/Getty Images
“It has been pretty one-sided either way,†said McIlroy. “So whatever team, whether thatâ€s Europe or America that is the one to break that duck, I think honestly is going to go down as one of the best teams in Ryder Cup history.
“Luke said it in his opening [ceremony] remarks but we are playing for history and weâ€re playing for the players that came before us and the people that basically laid the foundations for what the European Ryder Cup team is.
“We are also playing for the guys that are going to come behind us, as well, the young boys that are dreaming of becoming European Ryder Cup players. We want to try to leave a legacy for them as well. We have a wonderful opportunity this week but we also understand itâ€s going to be very difficult.â€
McIlroyâ€s status has only been enhanced by his triumph at Augusta National in April. Donald is calling upon only the sixth man in history to complete a career grand slam. The European team supposedly exist without hierarchy but McIlroyâ€s approach here, with arms round teammates throughout the Ryder Cup lead-in, is of a true leader. Europe are so lucky to have him. “Heâ€s gone from obviously being an incredibly good player to a great Ryder Cup player to now being, I would say, the cornerstone that Europe needs,†said Jon Rahm of McIlroy. “Itâ€s special to have him around. Heâ€s a heck of a superstar. My respect for his game only grows the more time I spend with him.â€
The consistency Donald sought from the team that prevailed in Rome has been delivered. There was a scouting trip to Bethpage last week. The level of detail and preparation attached to this European side gives cause to ponder when they might ever win on the road if Sunday does not deliver the legacy McIlroy dreams of.
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Scottie Scheffler is a dominant force but there are questions surrounding some of his US teammates. Photograph: Harry How/Getty Images
Bradley has Scottie Scheffler, so imperious and dominant in individual golf. Questions hover, though, above other members of the US team. Four are rookies, which in theory is less of an issue at home but could be significant if the backdrop is febrile. DeChambeau could be terrific or terrible, Xander Schauffele has been out of sorts all year and Collin Morikawa wobbles more than a 3am drunk. The unlikely star of this US team could well be JJ Spaun. Bradleyâ€s contingent have been irked by questioning about the move to pay them to perform here, which is a live and legitimate issue despite protestations to the contrary.
Bethpage, once regarded as an X-rated venue, has been tamed by heavy rain. Soft greens combined with a lack of truly punishing rough offers scope for excitement. There are half a dozen par fours where players will require only a wedge for approach shots if tackling them boldly. Europe have the talent level, camaraderie and confidence to shatter American hopes. The Ryder Cup generally would benefit from that outcome. Every serious sporting competition needs jeopardy.
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