Monday, September 27, 2021
Ryder Cup Debate
Europe’s golfers pitted against America
The Ryder Cup is a prestigious event: the best golfers from Europe and the United States fight as a team for the title for their continent. It is always emotional, often exciting too. This year, however, it has been clear from the start. And it will be bitter for the defending champion.
Only 24-year-old Colin Morikawa won the 43rd Ryder Cup for the favorite US team on the 18th green at Whistling Straits Golf Course. To the deafening enthusiasm of nearly 40,000 fans, the Americans captured the gold trophy from the defending champions of Europe in a coveted continental comparison on Sunday. With Morikava’s draw against Norwegian Viktor Hovland, the challengers took an unassailable lead with 14.5 points before the end of all twelve individual matches.
Captain Steve Stryker’s favorite American selection began the final day with a clear lead of 11:5 in the final singles on the spectacular golf course on the shores of Lake Michigan in the US state of Wisconsin. With the success, the Americans improved their record in the most important team competition in golf to 27 wins, 14 losses and two draws. America’s young stars dominated in front of the domestic audience. The Americans, who were better placed in the world rankings on average, barely gave the defending champions of Europe a chance on all three days. In the end, the individual class of American stars won against the much-hyped team spirit of the Europeans.
lonely fighters get together
However, something like team spirit was also felt in the otherwise mostly focused lone fighters of the United States. The stars pulled themselves together and focused solely on winning the Ryder Cup. The best example of this was when the stalwart Bryson DeChambeau and four-time major winner Brooks Koepka put their individual feuds on hold for the Ryder Cup week and put all their skills in the service of the team.
The Europeans were denied the much needed “Miracle of the Whistling Straits” on the day of the final. Captain Padraig Harrington’s team lost huge after the first two days. In twelve Intel matches, world number one Jon Rahm’s players will need nine points to defend the title from Paris three years ago.
After this bitter defeat, the Europeans now have to think about how they want to position their team for the future. It is doubtful whether the three English stalwarts Lee Westwood (48 years old), Ian Poulter (45) and Paul Casey (44) will still be part of the 44th Ryder Cup in Rome in two years’ time. Another European giant made positive headlines at the Whistling Straits golf course. Spaniard Sergio Garcia, 41, celebrated his 25th match win in his 10th Ryder Cup partnership on Saturday afternoon. No other player in the history of the competition has achieved more victories.
