Topgolfgears Morning 9: What went wrong for the U.S.? Here’s the list… | Reed sounds off
1 Throw out the drawing board
Golfworld’s Dave Shedloski with some of the best Ryder Cup postmortem writing…”It’s back to the drawing board for the U.S. Ryder Cup contingent after another miserable effort in Europe. Maybe they should throw out the drawing board, too.”
However, Shedloski also curates some of the explanations/excuses for the U.S. thumping.
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2. Furyk
…but Captain Furyk is happy with the doodle.
Golf Channel’s Jay Coffin on Captain Jim…”Furyk split up Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed. He put Reed with Tiger Woods and Spieth with Justin Thomas. Furyk thought he took one dynamic duo, split them up and formed two dynamic duos. Only Thomas and Spieth performed well. Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka gelled well together, but only played together once, and lost.”
3. Tiger
ESPN’s Bob Harig…”One of golf’s great mysteries continues: Why is Woods’ Ryder Cup record so lousy?”
Of course, there may not be an overarching explanation for Woods’ entire body of Ryder Cup work. This year, he simply looked gassed and struggled to keep the ball in play off the tee. Facing energized opponents who are having no such issues is tough.
4. The mystery remains
PGATour.com’s Mike McAllister…”Jim Furyk – who stands to garner most of the criticism, as Captains generally do when their teams lose – said he will work with the PGA of America and the Ryder Cup committee to improve on areas that were lacking for this week. “I’ll definitely go through things that are in my head,” said Furyk, who did not reveal the specifics of those things.”
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5. Le Ryder Cup National
Geoff Shackelford writes Le Golf National sets a new standard for Ryder Cup venues.
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6. Explanation for the Spieth/Reed split…or not?
While Jordan Spieth and Captain Furyk toed the party line, Patrick Reed did otherwise following the U.S. side’s defeat.
The Woods/Reed team failed to earn a point. However, Spieth/Thomas won three of their four matches.
7. Time for Tiger & Phil to go?
Here’s a hot take from the AP’s Paul Newberry…the soccer national team example…
8. Sergi-oooo!
Golf Channel’s Will Gray on Sergio’s Ryder Cup resume-capping week…”Sergio Garcia came to Le Golf National this week as the most scrutinized combatant on either side. He left as the most prolific winner in Ryder Cup history….Garcia’s addition by Thomas Bjorn received plenty of scorn given his lack of form over the last few months and the strength of other possible candidates left at home. But the Spaniard delivered in a big way, going 3-1 while helping Europe to a 17 ½ to 10 ½ victory.”
In other words: Nice pick, Captain Bjorn.
9. Do the Europeans just care more?
Not the first time the suggestion has been made, certainly, but our Ron Montesano has some thoughts.
“Who wants it more?” is a common commentator cliche, and a bad one at that. But in this article, I’m talking about really care, as in, if your backs are up against the wall you’ll do anything to win, including provide energy and spark even when getting trampled. Not just maintain acceptable body language despite losing, but acting in ways that inspire teammates. Fight and claw until the bitter end. And it starts at the top, with the veterans and future hall-of-famers, who know who they are….The United States needs more care in them, it seems.”
“I’m going to call it the “Larry Nelson Curse.” Until the PGA of America publicly apologizes to Larry Nelson, the last guy to go 5-0 before Moli-Moli-Moli-Moli-Moli-Moli MOLINARI, for not giving him his richly-deserved captaincy, Team USA will never again win on foreign soil. Sad part is, it doesn’t seem they care. Very few players showed urgency, passion, zeal or enthusiasm this week in France. Take note of the “Or” and not the “And” in the preceding sentence; to hope for more than one of those adjectives was asking too much of Team USA.”
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