SHEBOYGAN, Wis. (AP) – Padraig Harrington had a tight grip on Ryder Cup trophy Monday as the European captain walked through a white-tented corridor toward the stage for the opening press conference.
Europe is the defending champion, a winner of nine of the last 12, and it doesn’t want give up possession of that 17-inch trophy.
“Obviously, there will be plenty of unknowns during the week,” Harrington said. “But at this stage, we are prepared for everything and ready to go.”
U.S. captain Steve Stricker has been preaching the importance of being even more prepared, though his unknowns are a little more obvious.
Brooks Koepka injured his left wrist again during the final round of the Tour Championship, and then he attracted the wrong kind of attention from a magazine interview that raised questions how much he really enjoys the Ryder Cup.
He has cooled his spat with Bryson DeChambeau, who has been training as much for a Long Drive competition right after the Ryder Cup.
Issues? Only one matters to Stricker, and it’s wrestling away the Ryder Cup from Europe.
“Europe brings a strong team and they play well and are tough and we always have tough matches that seem to have gone their way more times than ours lately,” Stricker said. “But we look to try to change that this week and move on.”
The Americans have six rookies, their most for a Ryder Cup since winning at Valhalla in 2008, and Stricker likes the enthusiasm. He also doesn’t mind that so many of his players – six rookies and three players having played only once – haven’t accumulated too much scar tissue from a long history of losing.
Harrington counters with experience. Europe has half as many rookies, and Harrington filled out his team with Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter, who have combined for 15 Ryder Cups and a 42-18-9 record.
“That’s quite relevant when you’re playing an away match,” Harrington said.
The matches were scheduled for the final weekend of September in 2020 until being postponed one year when it was clear the coronavirus pandemic would not allow for spectators.
