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PARIS – One of the hardest things to understand every two years in preparation for the Ryder Cup is that match play and stroke play are different animals. These are almost different sports. Stroke play is about consistency and concentration, blocking your environment. The match play concerns the emotion, the energy, a flair for the drama. If you are excellent in stroke play, you can be excellent in match play, but that's not a matter of course. In stroke play, 90% of the time, you are competing against the course.
The tiger is hot. But should the United States be careful with it or do everything possible? Who could shine (or falter) for Europe? And, most importantly, which side wins?
Of course, there are golf balls and tees as well as gloves and rain gear. But you would be surprised what you will find elsewhere in the golf bag of a professional.
Playing against Tiger Woods has always been intimidating. Playing with him at the Ryder Cup has not been easier. Will this time be different?
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In match play, you look at an opponent to see who blinks first. This is one of the reasons why, despite less accomplished players, Europe has won seven of the last ten Ryder Cups. World rankings, mainly determined by the quality of the game, have little meaning here.
The tide may have changed in the past two years at Hazeltine National Golf Club. The United States seems to have understood how to play as a team instead of playing with 12 people. But it is not a coincidence that the Americans have not won on European soil since 1993 at the Belfry. Unlikely events happen every time this event takes place in Europe. Companions like Jamie Donaldson and Costantino Rocca become magicians. Sergio Garcia remembers how to put. Tiger Woods seems deadly and Ian Poulter looks like the biggest putter that ever lived. If you expect the Americans to win in a rout, you may want to cover this bet. The Americans were strongly favored in 1997, when the Ryder Cup went to Valderrama – the first time the cup was played outside of Britain and Ireland – and that victory from Europe was the first of five consecutive cups.
Who is most likely to help their team secure the cut? We decided to rank the 24 players, not in terms of skills, but in terms of value for their team. The player at the top of our ranking is not the best player in the world, but in this case it could be for a week every two years.
1. Justin Rose, Europe
I can not help but think that Rose is both underestimated and overestimated, in a way. He feels both a stone killer and an underachiever, if it makes sense. Why is there only one major, and why is it only thanks to another fade of Phil Mickelson on Sunday at a US Open? How not to have Ernie Els's career in terms of majors? He is so good! It has one of the most intimidating looks of golf. And yet … it seems odd that he was one of the best players in the world for 15 years and Justin Thomas had the same number of victories on the PGA Tour until Rose won the BMW Championship. Rose should have just won more, yet he has resurrected his career three times already. There was not a good putter a year ago. He is now back among the best putters of the Tour. I would not be surprised to see him play 4-0-1 and lead Europe to victory.
2. Patrick Reed, United States
On the one hand, this ranking assumes that he continues his incredible run in the Ryder Cups and does not regress to the average. On the other hand, all available evidence indicates that Reed could have been born for this event. It could even be the American Seve Ballesteros, the man who did not care if he rubbed people the wrong way and lived for this event every two years. After what he did against Rory McIlroy in singles two years ago, when the two men clashed in one of the epics of Ryder Cup history, the top place in those rankings is Reed's . He won it. He does not drive him further, he's not the best iron player in the world and he's not the best putter. In this case, it does not seem to matter. He is not afraid of the moment. It will be interesting to see who is American Captain Jim Furyk with Reed. Obviously, Reed and Spieth have had a lot of success together (they lost only once in seven games together) but with Spieth in trouble, it seems unlikely that he's playing five times, which means Reed will need to 39, a new partner for at least one match.
3. Brooks Koepka, United States
The bigger the event, the more Koepka seems engaged. With two major wins this year, he has emerged as the world's worst golfer – anyone who cares little about weekend tournaments but who could rack up majors for a decade as he does. did. readers and putts. Not only did Koepka win 3-1 in his last appearance at the Ryder Cup, but he is unlikely to qualify in Europe early in his career, as he was looking for his card PGA Tour. (He has won four European Challenge events, won the Turkish Airlines Open in 2014 and finished second at the Dunhill Links Championship in 2015.) There is a good chance that we will one day return by confusing that the United States have passed once on Koepka and Thomas in international events in favor of Ryan Moore and Bill Haas, but no matter now. Both should be a mainstay of these teams for years to come.
4. Rory McIlroy, Europe
Let's take a second and remember how good and fun McIlroy was in Hazeltine in 2016. It's really one of the most entertaining performances we've ever seen in a lost effort. He made an eagle and bowed to the fans; he sang with false joy when the crowd tried to serenate him with Sweet Caroline (a reference to his ex-fiancée, tennis player Caroline Wozniacki); He made a splash with Patrick Reed in one of the big singles matches on Sunday. He encouraged the Americans to take off after the United States won the Cup because he felt that it was too quiet for what they had accomplished. He embodies everything that makes the Ryder Cup fun: intensity, humor, excellent golf, sportsmanship and grace in defeat. Will he be the same player in Paris? He hits the ball as well as he has for years, including short irons, but his putter still tends to be iced on Sunday. This is less like a mechanical issue than a question of trust. Remember before the US Open in Chambers Bay, when McIlroy did not hesitate to compare LeBron and declare that it was a fact, not an opinion, they were both the best players in their sport? Can we have this guy, please?
5. Justin Thomas, United States
All due respect to Ryan Moore, but the fact that Thomas made his Ryder Cup debut should be considered a defect in the American system. I am a big supporter of the last selections on the list, almost always going to young players, especially if they are potentially excellent. Brooks Koepka could be the best player in the world when conditions are the most extreme, but on a weekly basis, Thomas deserves the crown as the best. The only concern I have with him in Paris is that he will be too strong. It would have been great for the United States if it had been wet in Hazeltine. Alas, he did not do it, so he will probably have rookie nerves at least on the first day.
6. Tiger Woods, United States
Still a little surreal to see him back in the team as a player, is not it? Strange fact but true: Woods only played on one winning team in the Ryder Cup in 1999. I've always thought that all the narration that Woods did not like the Ryder Cup was a not unfair. All you have to do is go back and see how he jumped in the air when Justin Leonard put the Brookline putt to complete the US return. (His feet are above Tom Lehman's waist in the photo.) Woods has not always played his best in this event, but all the records of the Ryder Cup are not equal. Take, for example, what happened in 2012. He shot about 65 in four balls, but Steve Stricker and he lost their 1-down match because Nicolas Colesaerts went bonkers and eight eagle (Stricker and Lee Westwood were essentially spectators). Hard to pin it on The Big Cat. Even with his recent win, it seems likely that Woods will only play three games this time, which is the perfect amount for a 42-year-old guy. Despite all the worries about his overall record (13-17-3), he remains one of the best American players in singles (4-1-2) and Furyk would be wise to use early in the lineup Sunday for the Momentum instead of saving it for when that might not matter. If the list takes into account what each player hears both as a player and as a quarterback, Big Cat would definitely be number one. You can bet that Furyk will party every night in the bedrooms. Tiger hotel. .
7. Dustin Johnson, United States
There is no doubt that Gleneagles was a disaster for the United States, but it's easy to forget one of the reasons why Americans have been so overwhelmed. This team Johnson (3-0 in Medinah), who was in the midst of a "mental breakdown", was missing. Johnson was not very bright in Hazeltine, he lost twice to McIlroy-Thomas Pieters, but he won two points (only three American players won more), which reflects the depth of the American team . Looks like DJ should have five majors now, but like Rose, he's basically what he's up to at this point. A great player who probably could have won more, but for some reason did not.
8. Tommy Fleetwood, Europe
Fleetwood is probably the No. 1 of all players that I am delighted to see debut at the Ryder Cup. He is such a pure ball striker that you can sit and watch him hit for an hour and be fascinated. He is not afraid to go very low, as evidenced by his 62 consecutive years at the BMW Championship. Fleetwood has also won the Open de France on this golf course in 2017, so do not be surprised if he feels good at home.
9. Ian Poulter, Europe
Poulter is clearly one of the people we will always associate with the Ryder Cup. It will be an absolute pleasure (borrow a phrase in English) when he will be the European captain one day. But here's an interesting question about Poulter, the player: Will he be the player he was in 2012, when he went 4-0 and probably caused the European return on Saturday afternoon by catching five holes in a row? Or will we see the player that he was in 2014, when he went 0-1-2 to Gleneagles and that he was one of the least effective players in the game. Europe? There is no doubt that Poulter has the perfect mentality for the Ryder Cup. But at 42, does he still have the game? You would be stupid to write to him. It's exactly the kind of feeling that would give him fuel. But it would be surprising to see the grandeur too.
10. Francesco Molinari, Europe
You can make a decent case that Molinari is the best player in Europe to enter this Ryder Cup. This is not a very good putter, but from tee to green, he was the second best PGA Tour player this year. He was certainly the best player in Europe during the summer, when he won twice (Quicken Loans and Open Championship) and finished second at the John Deere Classic for three weeks . He also achieved an excellent record at Golf National, having finished second in the French Open three times. Remember when he and Tiger Woods played this very tough game in Medinah, where the Cup ended and neither of the men wanted to be there, but nobody knew how to proceed? (Woods finally recovered Molinari's play on the 18th green instead of putting it on a putt.) Happy that this is not the last game of Tiger's career at the Ryder Cup.
11. Jon Rahm, Europe
This Ryder Cup, the first of Rahm, will be an excellent case study in patience. His temper is hot in situations where he only plays for himself. How will he react when he plays for all of Europe and that he sprays a disc or launches a bunker shot? Maybe that will relieve some of that pressure and he will rely on his teammates to keep his cool, but he could also become a volcano if he does not play well. A small request concerning Rahm: Enough with comparisons of Seve Ballesteros simply because they come both from Spain. Rahm's game is nothing like Seve's game. Rahm drives him a mile and a half and has the lower body of a rhinoceros. Seve was an artist who has never seen a fairway with a driver. Find a new point, please.
12. Rickie Fowler, United States
This will be Fowler's fourth Ryder Cup, a fairly impressive feat, knowing he is only 29 years old. What can we say about Fowler in the previous three Ryder Cups? He's really good at halving matches, something he's done five times. It is difficult to say whether this has a broader meaning. In 2010, at Celtic Manor, he made a birdie putt to win a half-point in foursome and another birdie to earn a half-point in singles. But in 2014, Jimmy Walker halved an apathetic Fowler against Martin Kaymer and Thomas Bjorn. Fowler then left an eagle putt on 18 (who would have won the match) against Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy, causing another half-point. It would be great for the United States if Fowler played well to put some of those games away.
13. Phil Mickelson, United States
There has been a surprising amount of criticism about Mickelson who has made the team a captain choice this year, which is a bit odd, given that he's had his best season, statistically in several years. He is fourth on the PGA circuit in terms of gain and fourth on average. Nobody on the Tour has been better this year at the approaches of 150-175 meters, which is a pretty significant distance. Mickelson has been very critical of US captain Tom Watson at Gleneagles, but in reality, the US now has a consistent plan for every Ryder Cup. This is not a strategy that is slapped on a towel five days before the event. Yes, it was cruel to play the role of Brutus in Julius Caesar of Watson as he did, just after the United States once again crashed into European soil. But what is sometimes lost in the memory of this moment is that Mickelson told the truth. The players were not involved in any decision under Watson. Now, Mickelson and Woods, backstage, have almost as much input as Furyk. It's a good thing. Despite all his worries about his Ryder Cup general record, he is going 7-3-0 in the last three games.
14. Bryson DeChambeau, United States
Does DeChambeau never bother you? You are not alone, but from the American point of view, think about how much it will annoy the Europeans. I am so happy that he made the Ryder Cup team from the point of view of content because it could be a huge hit or he could easily have an epic crisis of club launching. he is out of his game. Even though the Americans are not yet able to win in Europe, the fact that DeChambeau, Reed, Jordan Spieth, Thomas, Koepka, Fowler and Tony Finau are all in this team, and expects to be pillars for years to come, none of them is still 30 years old, it is pretty amazing. You know how much less than 30 years the 2006 American Ryder Cup team had? Zero. The 2004 US team had a guy under 30 – Tiger Woods.
15. Tony Finau, United States
Here's all you need to know about Finau: he's making tons of birdies. Sometimes he throws a triple boguey, but it does not matter in match play. In four-ball bullets, it could be an integral weapon for the United States, especially if it's paired with someone who can do a lot of pars. You could argue that this place should have been awarded to Xander Schauffele (or to Keegan Bradley, if you feel nostalgic for his duet and Mickelson's in Medinah), but Finau was the right choice. With a place in the Ryder Cup, he shot 12 consecutive rounds in the 1960s in the playoffs of FedExCup. It's a guy you want on your team. He would have wrapped this up earlier had he played the hair better in the last round of the US Open, where he started the day tied in the lead and shot 72 to finish fifth. But he still made five birdies during this round, further proof that if you give him the right partner, he can be a huge asset.
16. Paul Casey, Europe
Is Casey a good player? Certainly. Is it so good that it has earned Bjorn and European Tour CEO Keith Pelley to beg him to reorganize his life so that he is eligible again to play in Team Europe? I'm not so sure. His record in three appearances at the Ryder Cup (3-4-2) is pretty unimpressive. Maybe Casey will play well and validate Bjorn's decision, but if that's not the case, it will be hard to ignore Bjorn's choice with Sergio against Thomas Pieters and Rafa Cabrera-Bello, the two best European players from Hazeltine.
17. Webb Simpson, USA
Of course, it's hard to forget Simpson's last appearance at the Ryder Cup in 2014. First, he texted the team by calling on Tom Watson's bravado, then pulled out a 3-wood on his first tee shot. He and Bubba Watson did not birdie between themselves in 14 four-ball holes, and then sat down until Sunday, where he halved a useless Ian Poulter match. I will go on a limb, however, and predict that it will be better this time. He seems to be a more complete and confident player than he was in 2014. Unlike some guys who had to give up the long putter, he is deadly with his new shot. Simpson has been very good this season in all categories except driving, where he is below average. It could be a smart game in the foursomes, where it will only have to hit five or six drivers.
18. Jordan Spieth, United States
Based on the resume and experience, it deserves to be ranked higher. He has three majors. It's his third Ryder Cup. He was the # 1 player in the world not so long ago. But ask yourself the following question: do you have faith that he can do a 4-foot in a decisive moment to extend a match? It is possible, perhaps even likely, that he will find magic playing with Reed (the Batman at his Robin at the Ryder Cup). But will he be one of the American heavyweights? Maybe the fact that he missed the Tour Championship is a good thing for Spieth, because he may have time to mentally recharge and work with his trainer, Cameron McCormick. He still manages to hit the ball (26th in winning strokes) but he was one of the worst putters on the PGA Tour this year, ranking 136th in strokes. Frame.
19. Henrik Stenson, Europe
If you've ever found yourself next to Stenson and you've heard him hit an average iron in a green, you understand what the golf nirvana looks like. That's music Fleetwood and Woods are perhaps the only players able to produce a similar sound when they hit. Unfortunately, as Stenson has aged, so is his putter. Statistically, he is actually worse than Spieth this season (ranking 187th in terms of number of wins, mostly because he did not do anything outside of 10 feet). Europe can associate it with Justin Rose, or sit in the foursome, while getting something during the week. But Sunday, when he will be alone and will have to birdies, he will be vulnerable.
20. Bubba Watson, United States
What can you say about Gerry Watson? If the United States decided to hold the Ryder Cup at the Riviera Country Club or Augusta National, you could score at least four points. Outside these friendly boundaries? It's a mystery. Watson, certainly eccentric, is sure to hear the mockery of fans, who will remember his last trip to France in 2011, when he was playing badly and was blamed by the lack of strings in the gallery. Watson confessed that he was a team mate of the "selfish" Ryder Cup in the past, claiming that he only wanted to be paired with his friends, which limited the options of the American captains. But he says he learned from these mistakes and has a new attitude, which are the main reasons he was left out in 2016 despite being ranked seventh in the world. Would be a nice redemption story if he played well. He is 1-6 in the Ryder Cups played in Europe.
21. Alexander Noren, Europe
No player better represents the imperfect methodology of the official world golf ranking than Noren. It's not that Noren is bad – he's really very good! – in 2016, he inexplicably climbed to ninth place in the world, when he barely made it onto the PGA circuit that year. This did not help that he seemed to play badly in major events, major tournaments and world championships golf. Some of these changes took place this year, with Noren having 17 wins on the PGA Tour and almost winning the Farmers Insurance Open. (He could have won if J. B. Holmes had not chilled him for eight minutes while he was thinking about his somewhat meaningless approach when regulating). He's ranked 6th on tour this year by earned strokes. He also proved that he could play well on this course, after winning the Open de France at the beginning of the year. (This was not a particularly strong pitch, but Justin Thomas finished T-8 in the same event, so he beat some heavyweights.)
22. Tyrrell Hatton, Europe
Thorbjorn Olesen has won more on the European circuit, but Hatton was arguably the best player. He finished 6th in the United States. Opened this year and 10th in the PGA Championship, an impressive feat considering the quality of the rankings for each event. Statistically, he is rather average compared to his peers, especially at the beginning. It ranks 70th in terms of the number of laps won.
23. Sergio Garcia, Europe
Of course, this ranking is potentially controversial. Garcia is one of the best Ryder Cup lions of all time. But he has been – frankly – completely lost this season. And it has not been particularly good in the last Ryder Cup, not exceeding 6-7-4. Who can forget Anthony Kim who wants to face him all week in 2008, then beat Sergio in singles – 5 and 4? If Europe wins, it will be because Sergio has regained some of his magic from before 2008. With all that he has accomplished before, I have no problem getting a free pass this time, which recent results do not necessarily support. Every big Ryder Cup player deserves at least one more dance. It will be fun to see him as captain one day in this event, but you have to wonder if this could be the last time we will see him as a player.
24. Thorbjorn Olesen, Europe
Give credit to Olesen. Euro-Captain Thomas Bjorn has made it clear that this summer, it would be really embarrassing to use one of his captain's picks on Olesen, a fellow Danish and close friend. He wanted Olesen to make the team on points, and Olesen delivered, taking eighth place in automatic qualifying. How will Olesen be in the spotlight of the Ryder Cup? Europe has gotten used to getting points at the bottom of its roster, especially on European soil, but Olesen will be competing in the Ryder Cup as one of the least accomplished players on both lists. Of course, he has five wins in Europe, but he has not played in The Masters since 2014, which means he has not been ranked in the Top 50 of the world's official ranking. golf. (He is currently 44th)
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