Ryder Cup Final Post-Mortem: Why Europe Is Good & The USA Isn't - Dog Leg News

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Tom Edrington

Tom Edrington spent the first 10 years of his misguided youth as a sports writer for the Tampa Tribune. His career brought him face to face with many of sports greatest stars -- Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Muhammad Ali, Don Shula, countless Hall of Fame NFL stars, more PGA Tour players than he can count. In 1980 he was honored by the Golf Writers Association of America for writing the best news story that year, his coverage of Jack Nicklaus' U.S. Open victory at Baltusrol. Today, 36 years later, golf is still a great part of his life, thanks to competitive playing days and the wonderful people he has met on this fabulous journey.

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8 Comments

  1. 1

    titleist718

    Tom,
    Great assessment of the US Ryder Cup team. Though many of the US players came from colleges where they were teammates, I has become clear they have forgotten those days and how to be good teammates. And it seems that individual egos are driving the team. Very sad to see.
    Thank you.

    1. 1.1

      Tom Edrington

      Main cancer is Patrick Reed, who had a ton of problems in college, they tried to downplay that stuff, but with his actions in France, you can probably believe he was a total jerk in college as well…..this is a case of a leopard not changing his spots….

  2. 2

    baxter cepeda

    First you are a little late to the bash party on Wednesday morning Tom. Everything has been said already. But you bring good issues.
    As you have mentioned the PGA Tour sets up courses easy for Phil and Tiger and it does cost them in Europe.
    Of course, American golf leadership needs to learn to get small ball guys in Cups held in Europe already. Heck a lot of the American captains should have been substituted in for some bombers and we could have won (Jim, Zack, Steve).

    The USGa at least tries under all the golf politics to challenge the best.

    I’m not one to blame the captain, any competence should be enough, and Jim Furyk seems to have confidence in spades. Still, at the end of the day he was terrible. Even his interviews patented with every answer beginning with “weeeell…” just felt like the losing team. He clearly made a lot of well documented strategic mistakes, most iconically playing this version of Lefty in fourball.
    Meanwhile Bjorn, whom seemed outsmarted was anything but. That man is smart and I’m glad this Cup confirmed that.
    Europe were unlucky with Tonys lucky bounce in the first session otherwise they could have split. Bjorns foursomes pairings are a thing of legend and really the biggest difference maker in the cup. Bjorn was then able to adjust his four ball well before simply sending his foursome studs out again. Seems easy but ask Jim how easy it is. The foursome are the biggest key to winning this event and they know how to get it done.
    Again the answer to Americas woes in Europe is to send a steady eddie team over there and keep the top ranked bombers at home. Imo. We are now way better at home, thanks in part to the task force and continued efforts for unity. But rah rah kumbaya is not enough to finally win one over there. And now Americans have to wait 4 years to get that chance once again.

    Tiger was fried and cold, never great. Dechambeau was just fried, but not in a good way. Due to the PGA tour demands The US team has either out of form guys like Jordan or Reed, or in form but exhausted guys like Tiger and Bryson. Sometimes both exhausted and not in form: Phil.
    These are issues for sure.

    Reed and his wife have made some mistakes on medias but they are right spieth should have played with him.
    Yes, spieth and JT got some results but
    Reed and Tiger did not. They needed to mix that up but the lifelong buddies seemed selfishly set on establishing their record as a duo.
    Aside from Phil and Bubba playing foursomes this was The captains biggest issue he could have improved. Bryson and Reed with Tiger was intriguing options but I mostly felt —with spieth-reeds history— JT could have been the perfect partner for Tiger all along. I am most frustrated we never got to see that obvious combination.

    Phil and Bubba are two guys who can only play Ryder Cups in the US. DJ seems like another. DJ looked uninterested once the team leaders showed nothing. He may be number one but lacks leadership, in fact needs more of it. His relationship with the Gretskys seems to both help and hurt him.

    Brooks seemed like he might go into Major focus for the Ryder Cup. He also has all that Euro tours history. He was alright but not great. His relationship with DJ is fascinating too because it also seems to both help and hurt him. The bromance does not seem in turmoil despite the issue that happened.

    Tony was awesome but Mr. Sports guys should know soon being likeable and getting yours is not enough.

    The task force has rekindled the USAs ability to win…at home. This team desperately needs to look at the cups over there in a different strategical way. Americams should literally have 6 captains picks for Cups over the pond and pick veterans with great accuracy, again mostly our captains. It may not have worked out as a W, but im sure it could have been better. Couldn’t be worse.

    As for Europe, they do everything right, from passion to strategy. It is almost boring.
    Europe especially at home are like a boring fairways and greens guy who always shocks everyone with the putter. Its not exciting, but horses for courses.

    America simply need to match horses for courses.

    1. 2.1

      Tom Edrington

      Baxter: Try to keep it to a few paragraphs, please!

      1. 2.1.1

        baxter cepeda

        Normally i can do thay for you Tom. But I cartainly cannot opine on US Ryder Cup (and Mess Up Cup) woes in so few words. No one can. We don’t have to worry about either for a while.

        1. 2.1.1.1

          Tom Edrington

          I’ll sum it up for you quickly: Team USA is a community with no unity thanks to Patrick “Call me Dez Bryant” Reed. Poor decisions by captain who made decisions by committee. The Cup means more to Europe than USA plus if you want to hamper American players — Throw some thick rough at them. There, that’s the “Cliff Notes” version.

  3. 3

    guiltyhd

    Like I said they tanked in east lake for woods to win ,it was a shame tony was the only one to show up and ^&%$ reed

    1. 3.1

      Tom Edrington

      Love Tony Finau’s heart, ability and great attitude. Smiles a lot as well.

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