Ryder Cup Preview: Good, Old-Fashioned Controversy

KOHLER - What's the run-up to the Ryder Cup without a little Team USA controversy? While Team Europe seems to groove into its own special chemistry for each Ryder Cup event, the U S of A always approaches the match play tournament with a combination of complaining, griping, and theatrics.

This year the controversy started with comments by Brooks Koepka and were magnified with Paul Azinger did a media-only call to promote NBC Sports coverage of the event.

Let the commentary speak for itself:

“It’s tough,” said Koepka to Golf Digest. “There are times where I’m like, I won my match. I did my job. What do you want from me? I know how to take responsibility for the shots I hit every week. Now, somebody else hit a bad shot and left me in a bad spot, and I know this hole is a loss. That’s new, and you have to change the way you think about things. You go from an individual sport all the time to a team sport one week a year,” he said to a question about the differences between the PGA Tour and Ryder Cup (team) format.

"Brooks, I just read that article, I’m not sure he loves the Ryder Cup that much," Azinger said during an NBC Golf call with the media. "If he doesn’t love it, he should relinquish his spot and get people there who do love the Ryder Cup.

"Not everybody embraces it. But if you don’t love it, and you’re not sold out, then I think Brooks should, you know, especially being hurt, consider whether or not he really wants to be there," added Azinger.

"And then if you add the Bryson dynamic to that, that might be an easier decision for him. But Brooks is one of the most candid, most honest guys there ever ism and if he’s blatantly honest with himself and he doesn’t want to be there, he should come out and say it. But, I don’t know, I’m a fan of both players, and I just feel like it’s gonna be one or the other. They’re gonna put the weight of the team on their shoulders or they’re gonna be a pain in the neck," noted Azinger.

Ryder Cup News & Notes

• The September 24th golf tournament marks the beginning of the much-awaited 2020ne Ryder Cup competition, delayed a year because of the restrictions in travel for the COVID-19 global pandemic. There will be a combination of celebrity matches, practice rounds, a pre-opening ceremony, then the official Opening Ceremony at Whistling Straits’ Dye Plaza.

• It is customary for the two team captains to reveal their planned line-ups for Friday morning’s foursome matches.

• Aside from the constant controversy with Bryson DeChambeau and now former great and current TV commentator Paul Azinger, Brooks Koepka says he’s “ready to go” after a hand injury while hacking through the root of a tree at the TOUR Championship two weeks ago. “I’ll be there. I’m good to go,” he said via text message to Golf Week on Wednesday. “I’m feeling good. Been doing my rehab, doing everything I need to do to be ready for the Cup. I’ll be there ready to play.”

Team Rosters

Europe 🇪🇺

Team Europe Page (link)

Padraig Harrington Captain

Robert Karlsson Vice captain

Luke Donald Vice captain

Martin Kaymer Vice captain

Graeme McDonald Vice captain

Henrik Stenson Vice captain

Paul Casey Automatic qualifier

Matt Fitzpatrick Automatic qualifier

Tyrrell Hatton Automatic qualifier

Tommy Fleetwood Automatic qualifier

Rory McIlroy Automatic qualifier

Viktor Hovland Automatic qualifier

Jon Rahm Automatic qualifier

Lee Westwood Automatic qualifier

Bernd Wiesberger Automatic qualifier

Sergio Garcia Captain's pick

Shane Lowry Captain's pick

Ian Poulter Captain's pick

USA 🇺🇸

USA Team Page (link)

Steve Stricker Captain

Phil Mickelson Vice captain

Fred Couples Vice captain

Collin Morikawa Automatic qualifier

Dustin Johnson Automatic qualifier

Bryson DeChambeau Automatic qualifier

Brooks Koepka Automatic qualifier

Justin Thomas Automatic qualifier

Patrick Cantlay Automatic qualifier

Daniel Berger Captain pick

Harris English Captain pick

Tony Finau Captain pick

Xander Schauffele Captain pick

Scottie Scheffler Captain pick

Jordan Spieth Captain pick

Ryder Cup Odds (by Fan Duel)

USA (-195)

Europe (+175)

Draw (+1200)

(As of 9/15)

The Basics

COURSE: Whistling Straits - (Kohler, Wisconsin)

ARCHITECT: Tom and Alice Dye

YARDS/PAR: 7,390 yards/Par 71

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Team Europe (17 1/2 to 10 1/2)

PAST RESULTS: Last Ryder Cup at Le Golf National - France (Link)

SOCIAL MEDIA: #RyderCup @PGA #RyderCupUSA #GoUSA @RyderCupEurope #TeamEurope

OFFICIAL SITE: (Ryder Cup)

Ryder Cup: Schedule of Events

Thursday, September 23

Celebrity Matches

8:45 AM - 12:30 PM

9-hole scramble featuring celebrities from the United States VS. Europe.*

Ryder Cup Practice Round

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Players may practice at any hole during these times and may or may not play all holes.

Pre-Opening Ceremony

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Opening Ceremony

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

This ceremony marks the official start of the 43rd Ryder Cup and will feature live music, anthems and Team introductions. All spectators with a Thursday ticket are invited to attend this event located in the Dye Plaza.

*Competition will be played on holes 1, 9, and 10-18 and may be subject to change.

Match Days

Starting times as listed are considered approximate, and are based on the assumption that there are no delays, inclement weather, etc.

Friday, September 24

Morning Matches (Foursome)

7:05 AM, 7:21 AM, 7:37 AM, 7:53 AM

Afternoon Matches (Fourball)

12:10 PM, 12:26 PM, 12:42 PM, 12:58 PM

Play concludes at approximately 6:30 PM

Saturday, September 25

Morning Matches (Foursome)

7:05 AM, 7:21AM, 7:37 AM, 7:53 AM

Afternoon Matches (Fourball)

12:10 PM, 12:26 PM, 12:42 PM, 12:58 PM

Play concludes at approximately 6:30 PM

Sunday, September 26

Singles Matches

11:04 AM – 1:05 PM (11 minute intervals)

Play concludes at approximately 4:55 PM

Winning Team Trophy Presentation

Approximately 5:00 PM

The Winning Team Trophy Presentation Ceremony will take place on the 18th Green immediately following the end of play on Sunday.

USA Television/Online Coverage

Friday, September 24 (All times EDT)

Live Broadcast, GOLF Channel 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Streaming: Featured Matches, RyderCup.com & Official Ryder Cup App 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Saturday, September 25

Live Broadcast, GOLF Channel 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM

Live Broadcast, NBC 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Streaming: Featured Matches, RyderCup.com & Official Ryder Cup App 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Sunday, September 26

Live Broadcast, NBC 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Streaming: Featured Matches, RyderCup.com & Official Ryder Cup App 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Sirius XM Radio will offer comprehensive coverage of both the Ryder Cup. Check listings for exact times each day.

What They’re Saying:

Guide to the Ryder Cup (GolfChannel)

Behind the Scenes at Team USA Practice Rounds (PGACom)

Brooks Koepka Talks Ryder Cup, Catching Jack Nicklaus (GolfWeek/USA Today)

Azinger Calls Out Koepka (Golf Digest)

Teamwork Makes Dream Work (CBS Sports HQ)

Europe adds Garcia, Poulter, Lowry to Ryder Cup Team (ESPN)

Stenson added as Team Europe vice captain (ESPN)

#SportsBiz, Sports Gambling and Golf Industry News

Cantlay Voted PGA Tour Player of the Year (ESPN)

Zalatoris Voted PGA Tour Rookie of the Year (ESPN)

Predictions for the Ryder Cup (Golf Digest)

Just What We Need: Official Vodka for the Ryder Cup (RyderCupCom)

On This Day in Golf History:

September 16, 1994 - The President’s Cup competition, featuring a USA Team and International Team with non-Europeans, debuts at the Robert Trent Jones golf club in Gainesville, Virginia. The 38th President of the United States, Gerald Ford, served as honorary chairman. - Courtesy of Randy Walker, Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE

Parting Putt:

Ryder Cup @rydercup

There's no place quite like the Straits 🌅

September 15th 2021

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