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In the Harvard Business Review, Michael Schrage, a researcher at MIT, wrote on the "team quotient," exploring the idea of quantifying team chemistry. If he was in Paris last weekend, he would have placed Thomas Bjorn's men at the top of this quotient. The National Golf has become the last showcase for another passionate performance by the Europeans, who have won nine of the last twelve Ryder Cups. Almost no one left a chance to the hosts, against a formidable American team. Tiger Woods had also contributed to the tidal wave of expectations of the defending champions when he put an end to a five-year drought with a comfortable victory at the TOUR Championship.
True to themselves, the United States made Friday morning a dominant golf match to set the tone for the defense of the title. They won three of four games, with only one loss for Patrick Reed and Tiger Woods against Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari.
Fleetwood was making a rookie appearance. Open champion Molinari was playing his third Ryder Cup, but he had never won a match, winning two halves in his first outings in 2010 and 2012. Europe needed unlikely heroes. their team needed it the most. It's their overwhelming victory over Reed and Wood that has dampened the rising tide. The Americans went 3-0 with Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau, who have done everything to eliminate a deficit of two holes in the last six holes.
Fleetwood and Molinari also lost two points, with eight holes to play. Europe was in the throes of a flood like the fate of Darren Clarke's men in Hazeltine. In an inspired turnaround, Fleetwood and Molinari battled for a massive 3-1 win, which strengthened the spirit of their team.
The Europeans came out with their tail stirring after lunch, pushing the Americans with renewed vigor. The crowd found its voice after a mild morning and the champions were overwhelmed by a wave that not only faded in the afternoon but also left them soaked and sulky for the rest of the weekend. Europe won ten of the next eleven games from 0 to 3 to seal the result well before Sunday afternoon, at least between the ears.
Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have combined for a lonely point. The highly touted Reed, a man with the pedigree of the Ryder Cup, won his first point Sunday, well after the horse's departure. Conversely, even Bjorn's wildcard pawns were en masse to their team and captain.
Sergio Garcia missed the cup of four major tournaments this season, but made his weekend memorable with a 3-1 record. Henrik Stenson also contributed three points to the European cause. "The four jokers, when I saw the attitude with which they arrived, I thought we had a chance here because they were in the right state of the art." mind, "said Bjorn. "In the team room, they bring experience and understanding because they have already done so many times. I am extremely proud of these four guys. They stood up and showed what they were worth. On paper, America was the favorite. They had eleven of the top 20 players against only six for the Europeans. But the rankings barely mattered, everything rested on temperament and team spirit. So much so that eight of the twelve simple points went to the player ranked at the bottom of the hierarchy.
And for researchers like Schrage, the answers to chemistry could be partly in the culture of the country. The European team is made up of a motley group of golfers from across the continent. The lives of these actors coincided with the evolution of the European Union. Most of them are golfers who spend a lot of time on the road, mainly on the PGA Tour. And they bind themselves off the course, even when they do not play together.
European golfers also have a mythical affinity with the spirit of Seve Ballesteros. And the character that the great Spaniard has offered to the Ryder Cup keeps in the minds of these team members.
Through the pond, the individual business and the winner take all their mentality in life. Whether in Silicon Valley or in the bustling streets of New York, the United States thrives on feeding the alpha male. In a team environment, self-subordination is a prerequisite, and typical American heroes have not learned to respond to their desires for greater harmony. It is a cultural element that may prevent their success at the Ryder Cup for many years.
The author is a columnist for Golfing Indian.
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