Being captain of a Ryder Cup team is a huge honour. But with that honour comes great responsibility, and a number of headaches.
Keegan Bradley might have had the biggest of them all ahead of announcing his wildcards: to be a playing captain or not to be a playing captain?
He opted not to be, but what issues are still causing him to scratch his head?
Let’s take a look.
Team USA has won only four of the last 14 Ryder Cups
In the era of Great Britain, and then Great Britain and Ireland, versus the United States of America the Ryder Cup was hopelessly one sided.
The American won 18 of 22 matches, tied another – and two of the defeats came before the Second World War.
Since Europe became the opposition it is a more balanced competitive event with USA winning nine, Europe 12 and one match being tied.
However, more recent results will worry Keegan Bradley because Team USA has won just four of the last 14 Ryder Cups.
It’s also won just three of last 11 and only two of the last seven.
It was telling that after his final round at the Open in Northern Ireland Bryson DeChambeau was asked about Ryder Cup prep.
His eyes narrowed as he said: “This year’s no joke. We’re tired of it. We’re tired of losing.”
They are determined to change the tide of history.
Only three USA players have won more than 50% of their Ryder Cup points
On the face of it, Europe hold the aces in terms of Ryder Cup experience.
They have just one rookie (Rasmus Hojgaard) and he was in the Rome team room so he’s not entirely raw.
Team USA, in contrast, has four newcomers.
But arguably the gulf goes deeper.
Europe has six players who have won more than 50% of the points they have played for.
The Americans have just three players in profit (Patrick Cantlay 69%, Justin Thomas 62%, Collin Morikawa 56%).
Bradley will point to the fact that Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele are both bang on 50% so not far off.
Scottie Scheffler’s team record is poor
Team USA’s trump card is Scottie Scheffler, right?
He’s the World No. 1. He’s won six times this year. He’s won two major championships this year. And he’s a former World Match Play champion.
Ah, yes, but…
When he played the Walker Cup in 2017 Scheffler lost in the opening foursomes sessions and was benched by his captain until he had no choice but to play him in the final singles (when he sneaked past Connor Syme 1up).
He was ignored for both foursomes on Ryder Cup debut in 2021, but did win 1.5 points in the fourballs and thumped Jon Rahm 4-and-3 in the singles. So that was a fine start.
But in the 2022 Presidents Cup he and best friend Sam Burns could manage only half a point from three matches and he lost to Sebastian Munoz in the singles.
He was much improved in the 2024 Presidents Cup, winning two of three matches with Russell Henley, another with Collin Morikawa, but Hideki Matsuyama toppled him in the singles.
But demons lurk after the 2023 Ryder Cup.
In Friday’s foursomes he and Burns lost 4-and-3. He managed half a point with Brooks Koepka in the afternoon but the pair were creamed 9-and-7 next morning.
He hung tough to halve with Rahm on Sunday but memories of Saturday afternoon will hurt and he was seen in tears after the morning humbling.
His overall record representing Team USA reads 6-8-4.
Bryson DeChambeau has never won a foursomes match
Early in his career Bryson DeChambeau was a prickly character and unpopular with his team mates.
Brooks Koepka was so indifferent to his charms he famously rolled his eyes when he overheard his patter.
It made him an awkward fit in his early forays into team golf, most obviously in foursomes.
On debut in the 2018 match in Paris, it was the superstars who were asked to find something in common with DeChambeau and it didn’t work.
He lost 5-and-4 with Phil Mickelson and 5-and-4 with Tiger Woods.
He was then left out of both sets of foursomes in the 2019 Presidents Cup and also the 2021 Ryder Cup.
There’s absolutely no doubt that he is now a much more social character but his game remains unique – as does the ball he uses.
Captain Bradley will be desperate to send DeChambeau out early in the match which would mean the Friday morning foursomes. It would generate huge home crowd energy.
But who can take on the challenge of being his partner?
Fleetwood and Rahm have won every foursomes match they have played
Tommy Fleetwood won both his foursomes with Francesco Molinari in Paris in 2018 and both alongside Rory McIlroy in Rome in 2023.
Somewhat oddly, he didn’t play a foursomes match in 2021.
Nor is he Europe’s only alternate shot expert.
Jon Rahm is also 4-for-4 in that format.
He was left out of them on debut in 2018, but in 2021 he went 2-for-2 with Sergio Garcia.
In 2023 he had no fellow Spaniard to play with but instead tallied for two points with Tyrrell Hatton who since then has become his team mate at LIV Golf.
The importance of these two stalwarts of foursomes golf is vital.
Foursomes will again be the format used in the opening session. It is also the format which statistically most favours the home team.
Bradley won’t want to make a mess of the start and he needs to overcome Europe’s stars to do so.
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Article Link: Ryder Cup: Shock Scheffler and Dechambeau stats will worry US