2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National - Paris, France

[saevel25]

30 minutes ago, iacas said:

Turns out… everyone in golf these days is pretty good, and switches can be flipped on a weekly or even daily basis, partly because that gap is so small.

Captains look good or bad based entirely on how their players play, and the Euros played significantly better. The end.

The only questionable pick for the US was Phil. I didn't think he looked sharp at all. He did enough to show himself on the leaderboard on the weekends, but never really was consistent.

The Europeans just ended up catching fire.

[NZ Golfer]

Francisco Molinari -interview after the HUGE win ...(interviewer) how do you rate the win in your career

FM> the best better than the US open win!!   Pure Passion for the Team Passion wins Ryder Cups 

Euro team + Crowd just Huge 

Tiger world best player ....but looked out of sorts whole weekend ...doesn't have the passion for the USA Vs Euro ? Vs winning another major ...would tiger take a British open over Ryder Cup win who knows ..

 

Personal I think for many players a Ryder Cup Win is the best of their careers (even if they have Majors)

 

 

[Bucki1968]

It seems to me that the home course advantage is becoming more of an issue. All I have heard is that the courses are set up to favor the home teams advantages. That being said, maybe that should factor into the captain's picks a little bit more than it did this time. 

[Zeph]

20 minutes ago, NZ Golfer said:

Francisco Molinari -interview after the HUGE win ...(interviewer) how do you rate the win in your career

FM> the best better than the US open win!!   Pure Passion for the Team Passion wins Ryder Cups 

Euro team + Crowd just Huge 

Tiger world best player ....but looked out of sorts whole weekend ...doesn't have the passion for the USA Vs Euro ? Vs winning another major ...would tiger take a British open over Ryder Cup win who knows ..

Personal I think for many players a Ryder Cup Win is the best of their careers (even if they have Majors)

Molinari might rank the RC higher than his major, but I don't know if asking him just after winning the RC is the best time. He might be compelled to answer like he did just because of the circumstances. Winning a major is huge, he was even the first Italian to ever win one. There might be players out there that would put a major over the RC, but Tiger? No way. He would take a major over the RC any day of the week.

It's of course difficult to measure two events up against eachother. A major and a RC/PC are two different beasts.

[Groucho Valentine]

I didn't have much interest in this, but i wasn't expecting the US to get walloped like that. I read that it was the argument the best team the US has ever sent to the ryder cup. But is clearly obvious the competition means alot more to the europeans than it does the US. Either way, i think the guys put the probably whole week in the rear view the moment they got on the plane. 

[gogolfing]

9 hours ago, DeadMan said:

Oh man, Reed going in hard on Spieth here: 

 

 

Reed criticizing his captain for sitting him....no mention by him of the fact that in Saturday's 4 ball match with Tiger that Tiger carried him and that he would not have broken 80 in stroke play that round, or that the Speith-Thomas pairing was the team's best. Reed seems to have no ability to for self-assessment or to be a good teammate. 

Edited October 1, 2018 by gogolfing

[RussUK]

3 minutes ago, gogolfing said:

Reed criticizing his captain for sitting him....no mention by him of the fact that in Saturday's 4 ball match with Tiger that Tiger carried him and that he would not have broken 80 in stroke play that round, or that the Speith-Thomas pairing was the team's best. Reed seems to have no ability to for self-assessment or to be a good teammate. 

Players like who criticize their captain, throw a paddy for not being played or just generally act like a petulant child need to be careful in team comps like the RC. Just like in other team sports, if you start to build a bit of a bad rep you're likely to lower the chances of getting picked/played then next time round.

I know Reed was an automatic pick, but is there anything in the rules for the RC that allow a captain to "drop" a player who is an auto pick if they are deemed to be detrimental to the team?

[ScouseJohnny]

21 minutes ago, Groucho Valentine said:

But is clearly obvious the competition means a lot more to the europeans than it does the US.

If that's now true, then it's a sad situation.

It sure as hell meant a lot to Americans like Payne Stewart, 20 years ago.

Edited October 1, 2018 by ScouseJohnny

[lastings]

8 minutes ago, RussUK said:

Players like who criticize their captain, throw a paddy for not being played or just generally act like a petulant child need to be careful in team comps like the RC. Just like in other team sports, if you start to build a bit of a bad rep you're likely to lower the chances of getting picked/played then next time round.

I know Reed was an automatic pick, but is there anything in the rules for the RC that allow a captain to "drop" a player who is an auto pick if they are deemed to be detrimental to the team?

Moreover, he was an automatic pick this time, but it’s not like he’s a lock to be automatic pick for the next.   He’s a fringe top 8 guy.  And, if he handled it all with a bit more class, his reputation as a good Ryder cup player may well earn him a captains pick.  Now, I simply can’t see a captain taking him.  Even if he’s #9.

[rehmwa]

Target golf course in beautiful condition.  The euros clearly were hotter this week than the US players, was hoping it would be tighter.  But it's always about who is playing hot that week vs who's not - just like every tournament every week....

I felt terrible for Rory on the 18th in singles (I still wanted a JT win, just not like that, JT stuck the approach close and might have taken it regardless).  The Brooks/Casey match was fun.  DeCham stuck that 18th approach close for a half and having it taking was such a coffin nail after the fact - hey kid, welcome to the cup.

Saw some good sportsmanship and friendliness - I know some of you hate that, but I think that's what it's all about.

[Moxley]

10 minutes ago, lastings said:

Moreover, he was an automatic pick this time, but it’s not like he’s a lock to be automatic pick for the next.   He’s a fringe top 8 guy.  And, if he handled it all with a bit more class, his reputation as a good Ryder cup player may well earn him a captains pick.  Now, I simply can’t see a captain taking him.  Even if he’s #9.

I agree, I think it was a mistake to say what he did, especially in the manner that he did. He's always been his own worst enemy, unfortunately. Definitely reduced his chances of getting a wildcard pick for future tournaments. 

[DeadMan]

1 hour ago, NCGolfer said:

I try to like Reed...I really do.  That's just not good.

Yeah, that's how I'm feeling. His Lady Macbeth of a wife went off on twitter all weekend, too: https://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/2018/09/30/patrick-reed-wife-justine-twitter-spieth/. He's not good enough to be a prima donna at the Ryder Cup. Sorry, you can't fail to break 80 in a round and then complain about pairings and boast about your record.

As disappointing as this was, I really have a hard time hating on the European team. Besides Poulter and maybe Casey a bit, I like all them. This is just awesome:

Hats off the Euros. Really wish we didn't have to wait 2 years to get revenge for this.

[ghalfaire]

7 hours ago, Mozgolf said:

Some random thoughts from a neutral observer. I kinda thought the Captains picks were to even the team out and pick guys in form. Finau actually turned out a reasonable pick. 

The course was clearly not suited to errant drivers, the automatic choices already had Bubba, Brooks, even Dustin; picking Phil, Tiger etc only compounded the problem.

Also playing those wild off the tee in alternate shots seems illogical. It makes it tough for their partner. Particularly if you pair them with a slighter finesse type player that's not used to gouging out of the rough.

At least in four-ball (best ball) they can contribute on sporadically when they stay in play and the other guy at least has a chance to cover / contest the hole when they go awry.

I think make making more effort to play the course ala JT would make a difference. After all they had two years and only had to do it every 4 years.

With the power of hindsight the likes of Kyle Stanley was perhaps a better fit to round or the team out.

Tongue in check, watching yet endless hacking out of rough I was thinking they would have been better off gaming their vice- captains (excluding DD).

And final random thought, at least consider changing the tour schedule so there is another week between the end of FedEx and the RC?

For a set of random thoughts, I assume that was tongue in cheek also, you're pretty much on the mark in my non-professional opinion.  I would add that for some reason the Euro's seem to be able to raise their game for the RC, especially in Europe.  My conclusion is that for some reason winning is more important to the European team than to the US team.  I'm not saying the US team doesn't care, just a matter of degree.  If this isn't true how can one explain how the dominance of the European team over the US teams recent years when on paper they often are the lesser talented team? 

I really liked your comment on playing the course.  No reason the big hitters don't hit irons off the tee to keep in on the short grass. The distance penalty wasn't nearly as severe as penalty for being in the rough.

[3jacker]

You'd think they'd have thought of some of this stuff, being the best golfers in the world.

Maybe they should read this board to get their head on straight.  It's shocking to me that Jim Furyk knows less about the players, the sport and the venue than a bunch of guys on the internet. 
I guess my eyes have been opened.  I hope our future captains' are as well. 

[Sandy Divot]

All these guys making excuses. How about this one; Europe played better, and kicked our butts!

[3jacker]

Yeah they did.

Someone said it was like running into a buzz saw.  From Fri PM on, it was a beat down.

I sure would like to attend one over there.  Even though it'd be one we probably lose... the crowds there are incredible. Here, our crowds get more nasty.  Over there they were against us but in a fun way.

The ridiculous stuff like the sounds they made on the practice swings to the soccer-style chants... that is sports at it's best.

[Groucho Valentine]

1 hour ago, ScouseJohnny said:

If that's now true, then it's a sad situation.

It sure as hell meant a lot to Americans like Payne Stewart, 20 years ago.

Maybe. But my feeling is that the USA is ambivalent towards the Ryder Cup outside of the golf world. Im ambivalent towards it. It seems like the Ryder cup enters the mainstream in Europe. Not so much here. Maybe if it did this generation of US players would care more. As it is now, its really no consequence to them win or lose.

[NM Golf]

1 hour ago, DeadMan said:

Yeah, that's how I'm feeling. His Lady Macbeth of a wife went off on twitter all weekend, too: https://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/2018/09/30/patrick-reed-wife-justine-twitter-spieth/. He's not good enough to be a prima donna at the Ryder Cup. Sorry, you can't fail to break 80 in a round and then complain about pairings and boast about your record.

I think the crazy runs deep in the Reed household, and it begins with his wife. He is not well liked on Tour anyway and this is not going to help. His wife has caused him to cut off ties with his family, maybe she is working on him cutting ties with everyone on Tour as well.