HAVEN, WISCONSIN - It is finally here, the long awaited 43rd edition of the Ryder Cup. This time, the infamous Straits course at Whistling Straits, located on the coast of Lake Michigan, plays host.
This is golf's flagship event, the pinnacle of professional golf, on display for us this week.
The Europeans are the defending champions, after an impressive performance at Le Golf National 2018, but are in enemy territory, as the Americans look to break what has been a Europe-dominated event since the start of the millennium.
Let's get right into our preview of the 2020 Ryder Cup.
THE FINAL ROSTERS COMPARED
The rosters and captains picks were only finalized just a few weeks ago, with captains watching player performance right until the end of the 2021 FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Captained by Steve Stricker, the US roster features Collin Morikawa (r), Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay (r), who automatically qualified for the tournament and Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele (r), Jordan Spieth, Harris English (r), Daniel Berger (r) and Scottie Scheffler (r), who were chosen as captains picks by Stricker.
On the European side, Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Bernd Wiesberger (r), Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland (r), Paul Casey, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Lee Westwood all qualified for the event, with captain Padraig Harrington picking Shane Lowry (r), Sergio García and Ian Poulter, to fill the team. Hovland (Norway) and Wiesberger (Austria) are the first players to represent their respective countries.
At first glance, the
European team as a whole is much more experienced in Ryder Cup play,
something they will need to rely on heavily playing on US soil. Six of the nine non-rookies on the team have winning records and three of those six (Fleetwood, Garcia and Poulter) have records above 60%. Garcia also holds the records for most career Ryder Cup points at 25.5. Westwood follows closely in 5th place with 23 points (incidentally tied with Arnold Palmer). The European team has an average age of 35 and world rank of 31st.
The American team is younger and theoretically stacked, featuring some of the best players in the world who hit the ball very far. Their average age is 29 and world rank is 9th (the lowest ever rank for a US team), with Dustin Johnson being the oldest on the team at age 37. On paper, the Americans have an advantage here, but as we've seen in Ryder Cups past, this does not always translate into success.
We also see some stark differences in the captains picks. Stricker opted to go with younger players with his picks, most of which are rookies, but great players in their own right. Harrington, albeit with less picks, opted for experience in Garcia and Poulter and Lowry, who is the lone rookie pick, but a links veteran. Historically, European picks have fared better in competition, with Europe's picks going 21-19-3 and the US picks going 16-29-2 in the last four Ryder Cups.
Another thing to consider is team chemistry. Typically, Europeans who play on the European Tour are more tight-knit and naturally spend a lot of time with each other, as a result of having to travel across the world for tour events. This is not the case as much for PGA Tour members. How much will this influence team performance this week? Who knows, but as we've seen in the past, having great chemistry is a key advantage at the Ryder Cup.
WHISTLING STRAITS: WHO HAS THE ADVANTAGE?
The iconic Straits course at Whistling Straits is no stranger to high profile events, having hosted the 2004, 2010 and 2015 PGA Championships. The course was designed by Pete and Alice Dye and opened in 1998. For the tournament, it measures a staggering 7,790 yards and par 72.
The design of the Straits course was meant to replicate the iconic links courses found in the UK and Ireland. Special features include vast elevation changes, undulating tricky greens, and a lot of bunkers/dunes. The course is heavily influenced by the wind and the elements also, being on the coast of Lake Michigan and exposed due to a lack of trees.
Whistling Straits is a unique pick for a Ryder Cup, especially for an American host, given its links design. The course demands accurate ball-striking and accuracy off the tee, with thick fescue surrounding the holes and numerous bunkers dotted all over the place. Landing the ball on the green is only half the battle, as many of the holes feature tough slopes and tricky pin positions. There's also something to be said about the length of the course, in particular the long par 4s, which can favor longer hitters. Previous golfers, such as Jason Day at the 2015 PGA Championship and Martin Kaymar at the 2010 PGA Championship, all found success at Whistling Straits by excelling in these categories.
But perhaps the biggest variable in course difficulty is the weather. Whistling Straits is very much a course that must be played in the air, in typical Dye fashion. Given the location of the course however, the winds can pick up at any time and in any direction, making the course virtually unpredictable and increasing difficulty.
WHO DO WE THINK WILL WIN?
It is tough to say whether one team outright has a clear advantage or not, there's just too many variables.
I think it will be very tricky for both sides. Statistically (and according to betmakers), the US have been given the advantage, with theoretically better players in terms of rankings. But as we've seen in past Ryder Cups, this means nothing unless individual skill can be converted into team success.
I believe Europe has the slightest of advantages overall however. It looks to me like their team is more unified and comfortable around each other, plus the experience they bring with their veteran players like Garcia, Westwood and Poulter cannot be overlooked.
I believe the weather will also play a huge factor, particularly the wind. I think that the Americans tend to flight the ball higher, which could negatively affect them if the winds picks up. On the other hand, strong winds may aid the Europeans, who see these conditions more often. Perhaps this is why Padraig Harrington chose Shane Lowry as a captains pick, for his expertise in links-style conditions. But if the wind is not a factor, I think the Americans can take advantage of the course in some spots with their length. As of now, the weather is forecasted to be cloudy with temperatures around 20 celcius and winds between 10-20mph.
Our pick therefore is Europe to win, by a slim margin, perhaps 15-13.
***
Play kicks off early Friday morning with the foursomes matches. Team captains have not released their groupings yet, but all we know is that both teams will be looking to start off strong.
Since this is a special event, we'll be having daily recaps of the day's action. Also be sure to check out our Twitter feed for live-tweeting during the matches.
-Nick
Toronto Golf Reviews
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