2014 Ryder Cup Discussion Thread

[Dave2512]

Phil was 2-1 and Phil/Keegan were 1-1.

With no positive impact. Got lucky Rory/Sergio were flat on Fri and not much of a rally to beat Gallacher, probably the weakest of the Euro squad. That should happen most every time. I'd be surprised if Phil feels like that is a feather in his cap.

[Silent]

That would make more sense if the actual European Team played on the European Tour more. Most of them are full time PGA members.

They all started at the European Tour, You know that right? So they do have the experience to play at all. Also most players dont play exclusively on the PGA. And even if some of them do, the Euro team will always be a mix of both (at least 4 players from the Euro list qualify).

[mvmac]

With no positive impact. Got lucky Rory/Sergio were flat on Fri and not much of a rally to beat Gallacher, probably the weakest of the Euro squad. That should happen most every time. I'd be surprised if Phil feels like that is a feather in his cap.

Ok, I'm just pointing out 1-1 isn't "flat out sucked". And for the way Phil played this year, 2-1 ain't bad, regardless of who he played.

[ChrisP]

They all started at the European Tour, You know that right? So they do have the experience to play at all. Also most players dont play exclusively on the PGA. And even if some of them do, the Euro team will always be a mix of both (at least 4 players from the Euro list qualify).

I know that, but I'm not sure that makes much of a difference. All our guys play on the PGA Tour yet we can't win a Ryder Cup on our own soil.

Btw, if you lose 14.5-13.5 or 15-13, you can second guess Watson's moves here and there. But when you lose 17-11, it's not about the captain. It's about their team simply being a lot better than ours.

[Spitfisher]

In a short post ryder cup interview with PHil, he eluded to. 2008 strategy, any one know what he meant by that?

[Silent]

True. Ofcourse talent and quality is most important. But I believe it might make a difference. I like how Brooks Koepka did it.

[Dave2512]

Ok, I'm just pointing out 1-1 isn't "flat out sucked". And for the way Phil played this year, 2-1 ain't bad, regardless of who he played.

I get it. Point is leading up to the RC there was a lot of talk about KB/PM being the engine of the team. It appeared KB was picked specifically because of this. I am certain they wanted to play better but the media made it sound like it was destiny. Despite gettingthe point on RM/SG it felt like RM/SG lost more than KB/PM won. Wasn't a dagger to the heart or anything. It's just golf, it happens, can't be marvelous all the time. But I feel KB was a wasted pick based entirely on what happened at Medinah rather than how is playing right now.

[mvmac]

In a short post ryder cup interview with PHil, he eluded to. 2008 strategy, any one know what he meant by that?

Azinger's pod system

But I feel KB was a wasted pick based entirely on what happened at Medinah rather than how is playing right now.

Yeah, the captain's picks didn't pan out.

[ChrisP]

I get it. Point is leading up to the RC there was a lot of talk about KB/PM being the engine of the team. It appeared KB was picked specifically because of this. I am certain they wanted to play better but the media made it sound like it was destiny.

Despite gettingthe point on RM/SG it felt like RM/SG lost more than KB/PM won. Wasn't a dagger to the heart or anything. It's just golf, it happens, can't be marvelous all the time. But I feel KB was a wasted pick based entirely on what happened at Medinah rather than how is playing right now.

Same was said about the Webb Simpson/Bubba Watson team who had success in the past. Tom Watson eluded to that in his picking Simpson and yet they pulled the plug on that duo after just one match. But at the same time, we all sat here and debated the Captain's picks after the BMW and most were on board with Mahan/Simpson/Bradley. Of course we would have all changed our opinions after the TOUR and so would have Tom, but after the BMW, there was no one outside of the top 10 on the US team that was playing good, consistent golf. It was kinda like picking 3 guys who sucked the least this year instead of picking the best 3 players.

[mvmac]

[ChrisP]

Wow....and Mickelson fires the first blow. Not saying it would have made a difference....when you lose 16.5-11.5 it's a matter of one team simply being a lot better.....but I do think Mickelson is frustrated and makes some valid points.

[mvmac]

[Chilli Dipper]

Finally, someone has asked the $64,000 question: if the blueprint to defeating Europe was laid out in 2008, why have the last three American captains been so unwilling to follow those plans?

[Silent]

That Watson bashing doesn't seem fair. Like ChrisP also said, it's not like they just lost by halve a point... Europe was just much better, as predicted up front.

[mvmac]

That Watson bashing doesn't seem fair. Like ChrisP also said, it's not like they just lost by halve a point... Europe was just much better, as predicted up front.

Faldo just said Europe was -110 (or something close to that) under par while USA was -78 for all the matches. Pods or not, Europe played better.

[newtogolf]

With no positive impact. Got lucky Rory/Sergio were flat on Fri and not much of a rally to beat Gallacher, probably the weakest of the Euro squad. That should happen most every time. I'd be surprised if Phil feels like that is a feather in his cap.

Bubba, Zach and Webb flat out sucked, Phil at least won a few points for us.

[newtogolf]

Faldo just said Europe was -110 (or something close to that) under par while USA was -78 for all the matches. Pods or not, Europe played better.

I agree, the quality of golf was quite lopsided in favor of Europe, but we all know that golf is as much mental as it is physical.  Watson imo did nothing to rally the team to help them overcome talent deficit.   While Webb, Watson, Bradley and Johnson were outplayed, Watson made very poor decisions as captain.

I think Phil and others are finally speaking their minds about their displeasure with the way Watson acted as captain.

I'd like to see Larry Nelson or Couples as next Captain.

[ChrisP]

Bubba, Zach and Webb flat out sucked, Phil at least won a few points for us.

Webb only played two matches and halved against a guy who was 4-0-0 in singles, so I'll give him at least that. I thought Bubba played really bad and Rickie had a terrible last two matches. I also thought Keegan played very poor despite a good last few holes on day one.

Today was winnable, though. There were matches out there that we could have won and given ourselves a chance. If Spieth wins that first match and Furyk and Mahan don't choke as bad as they did, it changes things. Those 3 matches today were most disappointing.