2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National - Paris, France

[iacas]

3 hours ago, Big C said:

I think this is only partially true. The past can definitely tell us that it is really difficult for the United States to go into hostile European territory and win a Ryder Cup. The US is 0-5 in their last 5 "away" matches. Those teams weren't exactly filled with scrubs - in fact, they likely had the talent advantage in many cases. But aside from Celtic Manor in 2010, the U.S. has never really mounted a serious run at the Cup when playing in Europe.

There's more to it than that.

They were having trouble winning in the U.S., too. Thing are different now.

I'm not saying they'll win (though that's what I predicted). I'm just saying people are giving too much weight to the location of the course, IMO.

[Moxley]

18 hours ago, iacas said:

 

• Average: 27.17… and still 17.6 if we leave out Garcia and Oleson.

The U.S. has 7 of the top 8, and nobody ranked lower than 36th (and 11 of 12 are ranked 21st or higher).

Europe has 1 of the top 8 (admittedly, yes, #1), and has two players ranked outside of the top 50, and six (half the team) ranked worse than the 11th best American ranking.

 Hmmm, while typing that up, Dan made similar points, though I may have done some math badly as my averages are slightly different? Or maybe he did. Whatever… they're close.

Things are patterns until they're not. The past doesn't predict the future. Europe was winning in the U.S. until recently, too, yet very nearly lost the last three here in the U.S.

Things are patterns until they're not. The past doesn't predict the future.

 

Agree with most of this - people are too keen to look at historical patterns without giving consideration to whether there was a known reason for those patterns that would still apply. 

It's hard to look past the difference in team strength this year-  Euro team not too bad, but the US team is excellent, and I would expect this difference to trump most other factors. 
 

[lastings]

You guys keep looking at the difference between the #30 golfer vs. a top 8 golfer like it’s iacas vs. myself.

These guys are all the best of the best professional golfers.  Any one of the 24 has the potential to be the best golfer of the weekend. 

Its not going to be talent that separates them, nor is it going to be current form as of today.  It will be some unknown team intangible, or just the luck of which team has more hot golfers and gets better bounces that weekend. 

[SPJr]

4 minutes ago, lastings said:

Its not going to be talent that separates them, nor is it going to be current form as of today.  It will be some unknown team intangible, or just the luck of which team has more hot golfers and gets better bounces that weekend. 

Yeah - that's why it makes for a great discussion. 

[DeadMan]

Of course, effing Sergio has found some form apparently. Last 5 rounds have been 66-65-67-70-66. Jerk.

[Moxley]

2 hours ago, lastings said:

You guys keep looking at the difference between the #30 golfer vs. a top 8 golfer like it’s iacas vs. myself.

These guys are all the best of the best professional golfers.  Any one of the 24 has the potential to be the best golfer of the weekend. 

Its not going to be talent that separates them, nor is it going to be current form as of today.  It will be some unknown team intangible, or just the luck of which team has more hot golfers and gets better bounces that weekend. 

 

Of course it's true that any player has the potential to be the best player over the weekend, but it doesn't mean that talent isn't a big factor. 

2 things : 

a) The more talented, on form players have a better chance of having a great weekend than the ones that only just made it. 

b) Those differentials, over 24 players and 28 ties, will be realised to a fairly significant extent.

Talent won't be the only factor at play, but it will be an important one. 

[MonkeyGolfer99]

3 hours ago, DeadMan said:

Of course, effing Sergio has found some form apparently. Last 5 rounds have been 66-65-67-70-66. Jerk.

  Probably done his confidence a world of good getting picked!  Key word there for me is form.  As said above,  they are all top class golfers so form and team spirit is everything.

When the Euro WC picks were announced I was skeptical; time will tell but he may have made the right call, although more balance between experience and form would have been my choice.

I've not put a ££ bet on but were I too I'd back the USA to at least retain.  Think they're due a win (in Europe)  though and they undoubtedly have the more talented squad, what little difference there is.

[iacas]

5 hours ago, lastings said:

You guys keep looking at the difference between the #30 golfer vs. a top 8 golfer like it’s iacas vs. myself.

These guys are all the best of the best professional golfers.  Any one of the 24 has the potential to be the best golfer of the weekend. 

Its not going to be talent that separates them, nor is it going to be current form as of today.  It will be some unknown team intangible, or just the luck of which team has more hot golfers and gets better bounces that weekend. 

Yes, but they're #1 and #30 and #68 for a reason.

[MacDutch]

Ok, back to the RyderCup. Statistics mean nothing when n=1 @iacas 👹

[nevets88]

Here's the viewing schedule:

Quote

Thursday

Opening Ceremony: 11 a.m.
TV: Golf Channel (11 a.m. – Noon)

Friday

Morning matches: 2:10 a.m., 2:25 a.m., 2:40 a.m., 2:55 a.m.
Afternoon matches: 7:50 a.m., 8:05 a.m., 8:20 a.m., 8:35 a.m.
TV: Golf Channel (2 a.m.  – 1 p.m.)

Saturday

Morning matches: 2:10 a.m., 2:25 a.m., 2:40 a.m., 2:55 a.m.
Afternoon matches: 7:50 a.m., 8:05 a.m., 8:20 a.m., 8:35 a.m.
TV: Golf Channel (2-3 a,m,); NBC (3 a.m. – 1 p.m.)

Sunday

Singles Matches: 6:05 a.m., 6:17 a.m., 6:29 a.m., 6:41 a.m., 6:53 a.m., 7:05 a.m., 7:17 a.m., 7:29 a.m., 7:41 a.m., 7:53 a.m., 8:05 a.m., 8:07 a.m.
Trophy presentation: 12:45-1 p.m.
TV: NBC (6 a.m. – 1 p.m.)

https://golfweek.com/2018/09/24/how-and-when-to-watch-the-2018-ryder-cup-this-week/

[iacas]

1 hour ago, MacDutch said:

Ok, back to the RyderCup. Statistics mean nothing when n=1 @iacas 👹

Sure they do.

If I gave you one chance to hit a longer tee shot than Dustin Johnson, the statistics still carry weight.

Sure, he could theoretically top it or injure himself on that one swing, but the stats - his driving distance versus yours - still carry weight.

Now, yes, you have a better chance of beating DJ over one hole of golf than over 18, or 72… and the stats mean less over shorter time spans… but they're not meaningless.

[MacDutch]

 

8 hours ago, iacas said:

Sure they do.

If I gave you one chance to hit a longer tee shot than Dustin Johnson, the statistics still carry weight.

Sure, he could theoretically top it or injure himself on that one swing, but the stats - his driving distance versus yours - still carry weight.

Now, yes, you have a better chance of beating DJ over one hole of golf than over 18, or 72… and the stats mean less over shorter time spans… but they're not meaningless.

Sure, but no, I’m not talking about me. I wouldn’t stand a chance. But when Dustin is playing against Henrik at the Rydercup in Europe n=1 says nothing. It will be the form of the day and some luck during that round.

 

And we have the Poultergeist!

[Zeph]

I don't care too much who wins, but I do want it to get interesting on Sunday.

This will be Tiger's first appearance in the RC since 2012, and his first team event since PC in 2013.

He’s back. @rydercup pic.twitter.com/hJbPOGJBpP

— Tiger Tracker (@GCTigerTracker) September 25, 2018

What happens happens. Doesn't matter who one would statistically give the edge before the cup starts. Especially in golf, where a player can shoot 63 one day and 73 the next.

[iacas]

6 hours ago, MacDutch said:

Sure, but no, I’m not talking about me. I wouldn’t stand a chance. But when Dustin is playing against Henrik at the Rydercup in Europe n=1 says nothing. It will be the form of the day and some luck during that round.

No, it still matters. It just matters less when the gap is smaller. But there's still a gap.

[Groucho Valentine]

1 hour ago, Zeph said:

I don't care too much who wins, but I do want it to get interesting on Sunday.

This will be Tiger's first appearance in the RC since 2012, and his first team event since PC in 2013.

What happens happens. Doesn't matter who one would statistically give the edge before the cup starts. Especially in golf, where a player can shoot 63 one day and 73 the next.

I don't really care either. I dont think I've never had more than a passing interest in the ryder cup. But the golfing press and the tv networks keep trying to force it on me like its some monolithic event. Give me a break. Ill watch some sunday singles if its close like you said, but i dont care much about the result either way. Im more interested in seeing what this course is about on TV than the golf itself. 

Edited September 25, 2018 by Groucho Valentine

[iacas]

15 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

But the golfing press and the tv networks keep trying to force it on me like its some monolithic event. Give me a break.

It may not be a big deal to you, but to deny that it's a big deal is just ignorant. It is a big deal in general.

[Moxley]

23 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

I don't really care either. I dont think I've never had more than a passing interest in the ryder cup. But the golfing press and the tv networks keep trying to force it on me like its some monolithic event. Give me a break. Ill watch some sunday singles if its close like you said, but i dont care much about the result either way. Im more interested in seeing what this course is about on TV than the golf itself. 

 

Umm, my experience living in a country that is involved, is that it's akin to football world cup in terms of relative importance. It gets attention from those that don't even watch majors.

[rehmwa]

30 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

I don't really care either. I dont think I've never had more than a passing interest in the ryder cup. But the golfing press and the tv networks keep trying to force it on me like its some monolithic event. Give me a break. Ill watch some sunday singles if its close like you said, but i dont care much about the result either way. Im more interested in seeing what this course is about on TV than the golf itself. 

Good for you.  Odd that this is the only event coming up and you think the media is 'trying to force it on you' - change the channel.

I really enjoy it a ton.  Match play events are few and far between, let alone 4somes/4ball formats.  It's a lot of fun.  Although I really hate the chant "USA!!" - it's comes across really dumb and low brow - I wish we'd come up with something better.

Lastly - like a previous poster - I refuse to utter the words "Le Golf".

Edited September 25, 2018 by rehmwa