The 2016 Ryder Cup tees off on Friday (Sept. 30) at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, and there are plenty of things that will be settled on the course.
But the entire event is going to be played under a bit of a shadow, in the wake of the death of Arnold Palmer. Truly an all-time great, Arnie’s impact on the lives of so many people, both within and outside the sport of golf, has been apparent from the outpouring of support and praise.
But the Ryder Cup is still on, and that’s likely exactly what Arnie would have wanted. He’s probably the best American Ryder Cup player ever, even serving as the last playing captain on the 1963 team. This is going to be a big storyline all week and through the weekend. American captain Davis Love III was careful to note that Palmer meant a lot to members of both teams, and indeed Palmer was beloved overseas in addition to the obvious affection he received stateside.
But it’s important to not go too far. Again, Palmer loved the Ryder Cup, holding the American record for most matches won with 22, and it’s reasonable to think that he would feel most honored by an entertaining, competitive event. Look for a few nice, small touches like pins on hats or shirts, and probably a moment of silence or recognition. But just because guys are focused on the golf at hand doesn’t mean they aren’t thinking about Arnie. After all, Arnie and golf are pretty much inseparable.
Here are five key Ryder Cup questions that will be answered this weekend.
1. How will the course play?
Well, long, first and foremost. Hazeltine National is a big course, stretched out to about 7,600 yards, and there’s a chance it could play soft as well. Storms and flooding have hit the upper Midwest, and though the course is reportedly in good shape, and the weather forecast looks good for the weekend, it’s always possible something pops up out of nowhere. Even an excessively windy day could prove eventful for the players.
The Americans are also hoping for fast greens, believing that to be an advantage over their European counterparts:
Tim Rosaforte on Live From saying the USA task force has asked for green speeds in the range of 14-15.
— Brendan Porath (@BrendanPorath) September 27, 2016
Putting should be an advantage for the U.S. team as it is, though that’s certainly not a guarantee. Every little thing helps, and if the Americans can gain any bit of home field advantage, they’re wise to go after it.
2. How will the USA handle their status as favorites?
It might seem odd to see the United States favored in a Ryder Cup, considering they’ve only won two of the past 10 events. Vegas has them favored, although that’s obviously not everything. (Unless you’re Phil Mickelson.) But if you thought the American team would project an air of humility and try to capture the underdog mentality, you’d be wrong. Last week, Davis Love called the Americans “the best golf team, maybe, ever assembled.”
What could possibly go wrong?
Now, that was a bit out of context, as he was asked what he’d say to fire up a team in the locker room. Love didn’t just bring it up unprompted, or in response to being asked about how the team stacks up in a historical context. Love’s tactical decision to play up the confidence in the team, which might actually be the way to go. It offers Europe bulletin board material, of course, but that’s not going to matter if a pumped-up American squad rolls over them, a la 2008.
3. Can Rory McIlroy carry over his FedEx Cup form?
Rory went off during the FedEx Cup playoffs, turning around what had been a disappointing season by his high standards. Dueling with Ryan Moore in a four-hole playoff with $10 million or so on the line for Rory had to be fantastic prep for the Ryder Cup pressure. Of course, the true key to Rory’s season may very well have been Nike Golf’s withdrawal from the equipment business. While Rory hasn’t had any issues with most of his clubs, he did switch out his Nike putter for a Scotty Cameron, and that comfort factor certainly hasn’t hurt him.
4. Was Ryan Moore the correct choice for the final captain’s pick?
Yes. Heading into the Tour Championship, I ranked Moore very highly in my power rankings, saying this:
That’s right. After a season-long campaign featuring me ranking Ryan Moore fairly highly for all four majors (he made the cut in three, but failed to contend) Moore took time off this summer around the birth of his second child, and then played some fantastic golf after the PGA Championship, including a win at the John Deere Classic and two top-ten finishes to start the playoffs, vaulting him into contention for a Ryder Cup spot.
He fell off a bit at the BMW, but that was his seventh week in a row playing, and when he was last at the Tour Championship in 2012, he finished T3. He does have a shot at the $10 million, though even with a win he’d need a bit of help, but a win would mean either a trip to Hazeltine next weekend for the Ryder Cup or a public outcry if he was snubbed Sunday night.
That actually came true! Moore forced Love’s hand, and in the end forced the correct choice.
Even though it meant leaving Bubba Watson off the roster, Moore has had a career season, capping it off with a captivating performance at the Tour Championship. Paired with Rory, Moore shot a 64 to force a playoff. (Not incidentally, had Rory and Ryan been playing match play, Moore would have won 2 & 1.) Moore outplayed the other contenders for the final spot (reportedly Bubba, Justin Thomas, and Daniel Berger) and has done so since the PGA Championship.
He probably should have been on the team in 2014, and has the perfect mentality, playing style, and perhaps most importantly the hot putter, to contribute to the team. It’s tough on Bubba, who actually asked for and received the nod as a vice-captain, but Moore makes the most sense.
But if Moore, or any of the other captain’s picks (Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar, and J.B. Holmes) plays poorly, he’ll face backlash for leaving the world’s seventh-ranked player in Bubba off the roster.
5. Can the Americans pull it off after all the time and effort they’ve put into it?
Well, that’s the one thing we really won’t know until the matches end. Europe basically always wins. The Americans have set themselves up for disappointment, in a few ways. From the creation of the task force after the 2014 debacle all the way through Phil Mickelson criticizing the Tour Championship for not being set up like the Ryder Cup, while also using one of the biggest events on tour to experiment with driver setups, they’ve come across at times as the guys who take intramural basketball way too seriously.
There are a few reasons for that, though. Phil does not like losing, and he’s only played on two winning teams despite having been on the team from the 1995 Ryder Cup onward. He approaches the game clinically, analytically, and constantly. Tiger Woods is the same way, and he’s reportedly been doing a ton of game-planning in his role as vice-captain. Phil can be easy to laugh at from time to time, and there’s nothing wrong with poking a few holes in the self-seriousness the American team has displayed in the build-up.
But Phil knows he doesn’t have many of these left. He’s already 46. He’s qualified for every Ryder Cup in which he’s played, and undoubtedly he plans on continuing to do so, but there are only so many. He’s seemed more cognizant than ever about the dwindling time he has at the top of the sport. Remember his shattered interview after his lip-out for 62 at the British Open?
“We’ve seen all these highlights, and yet I feel like crying. (laughs) I don’t know what to say, I don’t know how that ball missed, because it was perfect speed and in the center with a foot to go…as great a round as this was, I mean, I’m not going to have a chance to something historical like that again, maybe if I’m lucky one other time, and to miss it that way…at least I could have hit a big flail and not even have a chance, but that ball was right in the center. It’s heartbreaking.”
When you look at how he’s approached this event, going all the way back to calling out 2014 captain Tom Watson right after the event, at a press conference, seated next to Tom Watson, it comes into focus a bit more. He just wants it badly, and this is the only way a guy like Phil Mickelson knows how to do it.
That’s good, though, as it shows just how much the players care. And that’s what makes the Ryder Cup one of the best parts of the sports calendar.
