Let’s not beat around the bush here. One of Team USA’s most important players will be watching from the sidelines. Europe already have an advantage.
For so long, Europe were outranked on paper but made up for their apparent inferiority with togetherness, passion and pride etc. All the clichés.
Now if you said Luke Donald’s men were favourites heading to Bethpage Black, you wouldn’t say it was an outlandish statement.
When LIV Golf appeared on the golfing landscape and took Europe’s old guard with them in Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter and Paul Casey many wondered if Team USA were set for a period of dominance both home and away.
However, it was a blessing in disguise for the Europeans, allowing them to replenish their side with young and hungry players while USA have lost big personalities if not necessarily their best players.
Although home advantage has dominated the Ryder Cup – Europe not winning away since 2012, USA not since 1993 – there really shouldn’t be any intimidation factor for the Europeans heading to Bethpage Black.
All twelve of the team ply the majority of their trade on the PGA Tour, European players making the transition from the DP World Tour travel in packs. The European Tour vs PGA Tour element of the Ryder Cup is gone. Hence why Donald has leaned on representing your country and your continent to get the best out of his players.
Much has been made of the volatile crowd expected in New York but what has been overlooked is the fact that the New Yorkers can easily turn against the hosts.
The VR headsets from the Europeans might have been a waste of time.
Certainly plenty to be wary of outside the ropes, but inside there is nothing to fear with this US team.
Team USA might have Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and Xander Schauffele but below them is a catalogue of players who have an aptitude for buckling under pressure.
Collin Morikawa is without a victory since 2023 while Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay, Ben Griffin and Cam Young have proven to buckle under the cosh despite winning seasons.
There is a degree of knackerism to having to play Russell Henley, JJ Spaun and Harris English but USA lacks one of its key pairings from recent years with Jordan Spieth not around to partner Justin Thomas.
And, as mentioned at the start, Keegan Bradley, one of USA’s best twelve players this season, has a watching brief.
There is nothing to fear in much of this USA team and they are lacking big characters in Patrick Reed, Brooks Koepka and Bradley himself.
Three players who aren’t necessarily the best players in America but are three of their most intimidating particularly Reed and Bradley who have come alive in Ryder Cups of the past.
The young whippersnappers of Steve Stricker’s 2021 side who trounced Europe in record breaking fashion has been stripped apart leaving USA with a host of unproven players at this level.
Should USA struggle, the abuse expected to be hurled at the Europeans could be diverted towards the home side. The visiting fans are expected to gather 20% of the ticket allocation but such is the large Irish and GB contingent living in the US and New York in particular, such an intimidating and partizan atmosphere might not come to fruition.
Europe have opted with continuity heading Stateside while it could be argued that USA don’t have their best matchplay team.
