World No.13 Harris English was forced to sit out the dramatic final day at Bethpage Black after Europe’s Viktor Hovland pulled out with a neck injury on the eve of the singles
Harris English has revealed his “hurt” at missing the Ryder Cup singles(Image: PGA)
Harris English has revealed his “hurt” at missing the thrilling climax to the Ryder Cup because of the controversial envelope rule. “It just sucks it happened this year,” he said.
The world No.13 sat out the final day singles after Europe’s Viktor Hovland pulled out with a neck injury.
The envelope rule sees each captain put one of his players’ names in a sealed envelope and it is only opened if an opposing player withdraws because of injury or illness. It was only the third time it has been used in Ryder Cup history.
English had lost both his foursome matches with Collin Morikawa and was effectively judged the USA’s weakest player by captain Keegan Bradley.
Five-time PGA Tour winner English, 36, admitted: “It hurts my ability to play for my team on Sunday, and it’s something I’ll never get back. And I know that I might not ever play a Ryder Cup again. So it definitely hurts the other player who is able to play and loses the opportunity to play.”
Europe had led 11.5 to 3.5 after Saturday’s play – and Hovland’s withdrawal gave Luke Donald’s team another half point to leave them only two points from retaining the trophy.
It was still a nail-biting final afternoon and it needed Shane Lowry to seal the 14th point by halving the eight match with Russell Henley. “It was tough, it was tough,” English told CBS Golf’s In Between Shots.
Harris English lost both of his foursomes matches with Collin Morikawa against Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood at Bethpage Black(Image: Getty Images)
“I was in the locker room warming up, getting ready to play. I knew Viktor wasn’t playing well from the day before. Yeah, it was tough to get that news. I had to kinda get over it as quickly as I could and change and go: ‘OK I am not playing today but I am going to be the best team-mate I can and go cheer on my team and watch them play’. We almost had an unbelievable comeback. Every single guy was playing some really a good golf and we nearly had an all-time epic comeback.
“Did I think we would pull it off? 100 per cent. I was looking at the pairings and I could see a scenario where we won every single match. It almost happened. I know the Europeans were probably getting nervous. We were getting a lot of momentum going. It could easily have flipped to where we won every single match.”
Viktor Hovland missed the final day Ryder Cup singles with a neck injury but later celebrated the European win with Jon Rahm (Image: Getty Images)
US skipper Bradley called for the rule to be changed in the emotional aftermath of his team’s home defeat.
“I think it’s obvious to everybody in the sports world, in this room,” he said. “Nothing against Viktor. But that rule needs to change by the next Ryder Cup.”
But the Open runner-up English said: “It is a tough question. “Viktor was hurt. I know that. He came up to me. I know he couldn’t play,”
“I don’t know how they should change it. I get they don’t want an alternate up there all week. But it’s tough. I know that rule has been in play a long time and they have only had to use it a couple of times. It just sucks it happened this year.”