In late September, the world’s best golfers from both sides of the Atlantic renew their fierce rivalry in golf’s only major team competition, the Ryder Cup. The historic Gleneagles Club will be the backdrop from September 26-28 as Team Europe looks to maintain its dominance in this event against an American side desperate to bounce back from their historic collapse two years ago.
Read on for a complete preview of this event and while you’re at it, you can check out our feature on how the Ryder Cup works as the start of this biennial event draws ever closer.
Ever since Martin Kaymer sank the winning putt that doomed the United States to another Ryder Cup defeat back in 2012, there’s only one thing running through the minds of Team U.S.A. – redemption.
[sc:Golf240banner ]To boost their chances this year, the PGA of America decided to name Tom Watson as their Ryder Cup captain. The 65-year-old is the first repeat captain for the U.S. since Jack Nicklaus in 1987 and his experience in handling links golf is what the Americans are counting on the most when they face the Europeans this September.
Watson is banking on his team’s desire to exact revenge this year. That’s the main reason why he selected Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley as his captain’s picks alongside Hunter Mahan. Both Simpson and Bradley were members of that 2012 squad but some are already questioning their selections as the two of them are struggling at the moment.
Webb Simpson finished 53rd at the BMW Championship and has missed the cut in three of his last eight tournaments including the British Open and the PGA Championship. Keegan Bradley hasn’t won in two years and has finished outside the top 15 in his last four tournaments including a withdrawal at the BMW Championship that caused his elimination from the season-ending Tour Championship.
With that being said, Watson is relying on their experience in this type of setting to carry the United States through at Gleneagles later this month.
Simpson formed a solid partnership with two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson two years ago, recording two 5&4 victories in the four-ball event. Bradley’s passion for the Ryder Cup is what sets him apart and his pairing with Phil Mickelson at the 2012 event was a huge success with the duo going 3-0 in their three matches together at Medinah.
Speaking of Mickelson, the mantle of leadership in the U.S. camp rests mainly on his shoulders with the absence of 14-time major winner Tiger Woods in this year’s tournament. Mickelson has been playing some solid golf, finishing second in the PGA Championship where he engaged world No. 1 Rory McIlroy in a dramatic final-round shootout.
Lefty, alongside fellow veterans Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar, will be the stalwarts of a U.S.A. side looking for its first Ryder Cup victory on European soil since 1993. They are priced at +155 to win the Ryder Cup for the first time since 2008.
There’s something about the Ryder Cup that for some reason it always brings out the best out of every European golfer who plays in this event. Ever since the United States won the 1993 Ryder Cup at Belfry for its last victory in its opponents’ backyard, the Europeans have dominated this event, winning seven of the last nine tournaments.
The last one was its most famous as they recorded a stunning 14.5-13.5 victory at Medinah two years ago. Trailing 10-6 heading into the final day of singles, the Europeans staged a major comeback, winning 8.5 points out of a possible 12 leaving the Americans in a total daze.
There were plenty of heroes in that team but the main star was Ian Poulter. Poulter scored four points for Team Europe, none more important than the final two when it seemed the United States were going to pull away and win the whole thing. He has a 12-3 record in the Ryder Cup all-time and has never lost a singles match in this event.
That’s why it wasn’t a complete surprise that he was selected by Paul McGinley as one of his captain’s picks alongside Lee Westwood and Stephen Gallacher. Even though Poulter hasn’t had a win this year and hasn’t had a top 10 since June, his past Ryder Cup performances have guaranteed his spot in the lineup.
He will join a formidable European squad that includes four of the top five ranked players in the world today, namely world No. 1 Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose. McIlroy has been playing lights-out golf this season, winning the British Open and the PGA Championship to hike up his major tally to four.
Sergio Garcia is also playing some of the best golf of his career, recording six top-5 finishes in the PGA Tour this year. His record with the European Ryder Cup team has been exceptional as well, posting a 16-8-4 record for a .643 winning percentage, the fifth-highest among European golfers who have played at least 15 matches in this event.
The Europeans are pegged at -155 to win their third straight Ryder Cup title.
Writer’s Prediction
The United States (+155) avenge their 2012 defeat and win the Ryder Cup on European soil for the first time in 21 years.
