By Rahul Banerji
The 43rd edition of the Ryder Cup, the bi-annual golf-fest between the United States and Europe, will be played this week at Whistling Straits after it was put back by a year by the Covid pandemic.
The 7,790-yard par 72 Straits Course at the Wisconsin site in Haven is a Pete and Alice Dye design laid out along Lake Michigan and literally cut out of two lines along the lake’s edge.
Having lost the last edition in France, Team US will be thirsting for Ryder Cup revenge and have fielded a strong team led by Wisconsin native Steve Stricker.
On paper, the US look hard to beat with the likes of Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Jordan Speith, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau in the ranks.
They are backed up by Ryder Cup rookies Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Xander Sahcuffele, Collin Morikawa, Patrick Cantlay, Harris English and Daniel Berger.
They will be taking on an experienced Europe team keen to extend the devastation caused by the 17 1/2-10 ½ scoreline at Le Golf National near Paris three years ago.
Captain Padraig Harrington leads a team that will include Padraig Harrington in his 11th Ryder Cup, Sergio Garcia in his 10th Ryder Cup appearance, Ian Poulter in his seventh and Rory McIllroy in his sixth.
The venue
The Whistling Straits’ website describes the course thus: “Open, rugged and windswept terrain defines the walking-only, links-style Straits course sculpted along two miles of Lake Michigan shoreline.
“A masterpiece in the world of golf created by Pete Dye, The Straits at Whistling Straits® was ranked number 3 in Golf Digest’s 2019-2020 America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses, number 5 in GolfWeek’s 2018 Best Resort Courses, and 21st in Golf Digest’s 2019/2020 America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses.”
The layout was inspired by the links of Ireland and boasts rugged, wind-swept terrain. It hosted the PGA Championship in 2004, 2010, and 2015 plus the U.S. Senior Open in 2007.
Interestingly, Whistling Straits is the first public course to host a Ryder Cup competition in the last 25-odd years. It has an almost 100-foot elevation change and lies open to the winds whipping in from Lake Michigan.
The teams
Europe: Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Bernd Wiesberger, Viktor Hovland, Paul Casey, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Lee Westwood and Shane Lowry.
USA: Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth, Harris English, Daniel Berger, Collin Morikawa and Scottie Scheffler.
Format
Friday, September 24 to Sunday, September 26
Friday: Morning session foursomes (alternate shot). Afternoon session fourballs (each player hitting his own ball). Four matches per session.
Saturday: Morning session foursomes (alternate shot). Afternoon session fourballs (each player hitting his own ball). Four matches per session.
Sunday: 12 singles matches. All 12 players on either side meet in this showdown.
First team to score 14.5 points wins the Ryder Cup. Outright wins are a point each, each halved (drawn) match is a half point.
Past record
The US has won the Ryder Cup 26 times in all from the time it was first played at the Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts in 1927, initially against Britain and Ireland.
Since then Britain/Europe have won it 14 times with two encounters undecided including four of the last five editions.
In Paris, Francesco Molinari became the first from Europe to earn all five points individually contested. Sergio Garcia is the all-time points leader in the Ryder Cup.
Where to follow
In India, the Ryder Cup will be telecast on all three days on Eurosport, 8 pm to 4.30 am on Friday, 8.15 pm to 4.30 am on Saturday and 9.30 pm to 3.30 am on Sunday. The telecast will be sponsored by Hero MotoCorp.
Also read: Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup postponed by a year each
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