The Round Table: Final thoughts on the Ryder Cup

Each week, we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.

With two successive Ryder Cup wins, European captain Luke Donald would be the odds-on favourite to lead the team again in 2027 if he wants it. Keegan Bradley, on the other hand, was on the losing side and it was almost a blowout of epic proportions. Only a spirited rally by the Americans on Sunday kept it close. What grade would you give Captain Bradley for his leadership at Bethpage?

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): I don’t see anything that Bradley did wrong. He wasn’t the guy hitting the shots or missing the putts on Friday or Saturday, nor making the putts on Sunday.  I suppose you could say he didn’t motivate his team sufficiently, but how do you measure that? Certainly, his players were full of praise on Sunday night, so I think he can hold his head high.  I’d give him an A, and Luke Donald an A+.

Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): I give a C- to Bradley as a grade for the week. The Harris English/Morikawa pairing was a head scratcher, BOTH TIMES! The second time was perplexing because they were already down, they needed a spark, and you’re not likely to get it from two players who played mediocre at best.

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: An active player shouldn’t be considered for the job. This is big business! It takes time to do it well. Bradley deserves a medal for his level of play during the last two years. As for the ‘come back’, in sports, it isn’t over until it’s over. On Sunday, Europe started playing for ties in the hope they had enough points to outlast the USA, which is what happened. The USA was on an uphill path when they appeared at the Opening Ceremony wearing tennis shoes. To all the armchair quarterbacks, what if Henley sinks and Lowery misses on 18, or Burns sinks? 1500 +/- shots were played, and it comes down to two or three; what could Bradley have done differently?

TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ): He has the passion, drive and determination to lead the team, but maybe that passion got in the way of tactical decisions when it came to matchups.  The US team has historically been stronger in singles than team matches, and that was more on display this year than any other year.  He clearly didn’t pick the right matchups on the first two days, and got lucky that they played well in singles, which had nothing to do with his decisions.  I would give him a D at most for his captaincy.  Luke Donald schooled him.

Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: One of the crowning moments, for me, was when Bradley was asked how things were going and he said, on TV, that Air Force One was flying overhead so that was a good sign. That he thought that is all you have to know about the Cup and his team. Guaranteed it never crossed what’s under his ill-fitting cap what it cost the US taxpayers to have Drumpf invade that airspace, pay all that overtime for security, let alone all that jet fuel for Ego One and the chopper that touched down for the last leg of the me-me-me- white shoes show. Keegan gets a D minus for that alone but a Capital F for his envelope response.

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine (@FairwaysMag): By his own admission, Bradley goofed on the course set up. He couldn’t find a winning partner for Scottie Scheffler, and he sent Morikawa and English out two days in a row, when all evidence indicated they didn’t work. With five assistant captains, you’d think someone would have had a better idea or at least killed the repeat pairing. Bradley gets a D in my books.

Viktor Hovland had to withdraw from the Sunday singles and as per the rules, a player on the opposing team also had to sit out, with the match being declared a draw. The “Envelope Rule” has come under intense scrutiny since those half points were almost a factor in the outcome. Do you like the Rule, or should the Ryder Cup find a better way to deal with a player that has to be scratched?

Deeks: I think the rule and procedure is perfectly fair.  What else are they supposed to do?  Penalize the injured for being injured?  Flip a coin?  Make them arm wrestle or have a putting contest?  It’s unfortunate, especially for Mr. personality (H. English), but nobody wins unfairly and nobody loses.

Loughry: They need to find a better way to accommodate injuries. Halving the match without hitting a shot is very odd. Time to upgrade this outdated rule from 1979.

Schurman: Until I hear other options, I like it! It’s a tough situation, and the enthusiasm adds to it. BTW, Hovland underwent an MRI, so he must have had something fairly serious.

Rule: I don’t love the rule, but I’m really happy that Sam Burns missed that last putt so that the 0.5 point didn’t make any difference in the final result.  They still would have had 14.5 pts if Hovland had to default his match. It’s a tough scenario, as you feel for Hovland, who no doubt wanted to play desperately.  But I think health should be a factor in the overall competition, so if someone can’t play, they lose their match.  That seems the most fair to me.

Quinn: It’s worked for 45 or so Cups and has never been an issue. But Trump is president, and the American right is roiled — don’t think Bradley voted for Kamala — so of course a long-standing gentlemen’s rule would be challenged.  Seems like it’s been fair, but after two losses and a loss on home soil, the Yanks will probably have the weight to change it.

Mumford: I have no issue with the Rule as it stands. It’s fair for both sides. I suppose one possibility would be for each team to carry an alternate, who could be another assistant coach if he wasn’t required to fill in.

Much has been written about the crowds at Bethpage being too big and out of control and taking the cheering to a new abusive level. Some put it down to partisan enthusiasm while others bemoan the lack of civility and decorum that traditionally has defined golf and these biennial matches. Has the Ryder Cup lost its way?

Deeks: I was appalled but not the least bit surprised at the behaviour of the New York fans.  I don’t think the Ryder Cup has lost its way at all, but America certainly has.  Gee, I wonder why.  I was disappointed that none of the US players had the courage to urge the fans to show more respect for the opponents or the spirit of the competition, but again, I’m not surprised.

Loughry: Nah, I feel like there were just a good chunk of overzealous New Yorkers that indulged too much and were loud enough to be considered a majority. By no means do I feel like there was a heavy verbal war waged on the Euros every shot of every hole, it just may have seemed like it. But I bet the Ryder Cup doesn’t make a Northeast/NY appearance for quite some time (I do not include Maryland as Northeast which is in 2037).  At times it was out of hand, those were just a few idiots as they say.

Schurman: Much of this has to do with the climate outside the ropes. I feel so strongly about it, it’s best if I don’t answer this question.

Rule: The competition itself hasn’t lost its way, but it was a mistake putting the event in NYC in my mind.  It was disgusting to watch, and this is why I much prefer watching the event in Europe.  The fans there are so intelligent, loyal and respectful.  They create chants that are hilarious, and they cheer good shots from both teams.  The fact that drunk idiots were just shouting profanities without any intelligent thought or relevance was just annoying and embarrassing.  I’m looking forward to watching proper golf fans at the 2027 Ryder Cup in Ireland.

Quinn: The Ryder has found its way away from Bethpage. That’s it! No more catering to the moronic middle. The PGA has to finally recognize that the game they protest to honour and protect should also be honoured and protected on American soil. The new America is too much with us. Hopefully, there will be enough blazers in the PGA to recognize that.

Mumford: Many Americans have apologized for the crude and appalling behaviour of their fans, but it shouldn’t have come as a shock to anyone. When the President of the United States is leading the daily charge with insults and threats to anyone who isn’t American, why should it be a surprise when alcohol fueled citizens follow suit? When the PGA of America hires a comedian as an emcee who leads chants of F**k You Rory, is there an acceptable explanation that we all missed? Rude, crude behaviour may have a place in politics — although that too is debatable — but golf demands a higher standard, where respect and civility are not only expected, but required. The miscreants at Bethpage may have been fans, but they weren’t golf fans.