The Perception Needs to Change

Nothing matters more to the Europeans than the Ryder Cup. To them, it isn’t an exhibition match they have to play every two years. It isn’t just another tournament.

For those boys across the pond, it’s life and death.

Playing for their colors. Playing for their continent. Playing for their brothers. This biennial event is their North Star towards a place in the history books. A spot next to names like Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Jose Maria Olazabal, and Seve Ballesteros.

We often pigeonhole someone’s place in the yesteryears of this game by merely looking at wins and losses, majors, and earnings. But for the Europeans, they're often remembered by the moments they collected while wearing blue and yellow across their chest.

There are few snapshots from the first two days at Bethpage Black that have been stuck in my head. The images of European pairs celebrating with each other after a win. Taking a moment to let it sink in with their brother.

You can’t manufacture this. It’s not something you can turn on and off for three days every other year. And the more I thought about it, the more Sunday made sense.

Yes, the Americans ran into a buzzsaw during the first four sessions. Team Europe was feeling it on the greens, and every time they needed a putt, they found a way to roll it in. But I don’t think it's a coincidence that Team USA utterly dominated the Europeans—Ludvig Aberg was the only player to earn a full point—once it was just mano a mano.

And no, I’m not suggesting Keegan Bradley’s boys don’t get along or don’t like each other. He said it himself that he’d never seen such a tight-knit team. But for whatever reason, we just haven’t seen that translate to on-course success.

Sunday was incredible theater, there’s no denying that. But I also think it exposed some cracks for the Americans.

For them to get the cup back Stateside in two years time, they have to find a way to elevate this event in their own minds. It’s not the Presidents Cup. It’s not “just this year’s biennial event.”

It’s everything—for the Europeans, anyway. And Team USA doesn’t stand a chance (with evenly-matched teams, of course) until every player on the roster feels the same way.