Viktor Hovland does not believe the Ryder Cup should scrap its controversial envelope rule despite feeling “really bad” that his injury forced Team USA’s Harris English to sit out the Sunday singles.
Hovland withdrew from the final day of action due to a neck issue, triggering the bizarre rule, where both captains select a player to bench before the event in case one of the opposition can’t compete.
Advertisement
English was the unfortunate member of Team USA to see his name pulled from the envelope, with the Ryder Cup rookie denied the chance to redeem himself after a winless first two days.
While branding how things unfolded as “upsetting”, Hovland feels that the “gentleman’s agreement” of the envelope rule is in keeping with the spirit of the fabled competition.
“The whole situation was pretty upsetting,” Hovland said. “Just the fact that I didn’t get to play and I felt really bad for Harris, who also didn’t get to play a match, even though there’s nothing wrong with him. He didn’t get to play and he was upset about that and I felt very bad for not being able to compete.
“It’s tough. We’re so used to in sports that if you can’t play because you’re hurt, that’s should be a loss of points. But I think in the spirit of the Ryder Cup and the history of it, knowing that this Ryder Cup is just part of many, many Ryder Cups to come, I think it’s more of a gentleman’s agreement that, okay, you were hurt this time, but maybe next time there’s a guy on the US team (who gets hurt), and we’re all kind of sympathetic about the person that’s hurt and not being able to play.
Advertisement
“I think there’s kind of a mutual understanding that if we were healthy, we would all go out there and play. I don’t think people are using that (the envelope rule) to really finagle the system and try to squeak by.”
Hovland also believes that changing the rule to one that would dock the injured player’s team a point could impact selection strategy.
“If you do change the rule and you give away a point, now there’s also the angle that knowing the other team is going to put out their best player in the first few groups, they can just put me out as a sacrificial lamb and take the L against their best player,” Hovland added.
“So there’s other ways around it and I don’t think there’s any ideal way to do it, but I think that’s just a better way overall to do it even though it’s just a tough situation. And at the end of the day, I think we’d all be wanting to go out there and play.”
Advertisement
The envelope rule has rarely been used, but did occur on two occasions prior to this year since its introduction in 1979.
