We have it all to prove - Furyk
GO TO PARIS WITH A CHIP ON YOUR SHOULDERS
US Ryder Cup team haunted by 25-year winless run in Europe.
American Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk has called on his team to go into next year’s clash against Thomas Bjorn’s Europe in Paris with “a chip on their shoulder”.
The United States ended a run of three straight defeats with victory at Hazeltine last year, before an impressive young outfit crushed the Internationals 19-11 at the Presidents Cup earlier this month.
Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas all won Major titles this year, while Dustin Johnson is the world No 1, but Furyk wants his side to feel they still have plenty to prove, having not won on European soil since triumphing at The Belfry in 1993.
“I don’t want (them) going in there being overconfident that they are the greatest team,” the 47-year-old told reporters.
“I want them going in with a chip on their shoulder that they have something to prove.”
Furyk also downplayed talk of the US dominating the Ryder Cup for years to come, saying: “I think that would be putting the cart before the horse right after the bat.
“We lost the three Ryder Cups previously to Hazeltine if I remember correctly. We haven’t won on foreign soil in 25 years.
“So right now, that would be like trying to play the 14th hole when we are on the first tee, right. Let’s take one at a time.”
Golfing legend Tiger Woods appears set to play some part at Le Golf National.
Furyk, who won his only Major title at the 2003 US Open, hinted that he would ask Woods to be a vice-captain should he not make the team as a player.
The 14-time Major champion was a vice-captain to both Davis Love III at the 2016 Ryder Cup and Steve Stricker at the 2017 Presidents Cup.
“He’s been a great, great resource for Davis Love, for Steve Stricker. He’s very close with both of those players,” Furyk said.
“Tiger and I are good friends, as well ... I would think and hope that he would want to be a part of it and that his schedule, that everything, would allow it.
“But I would love to have him as an asset, as well.”
Europe struggled with six rookies in their loss at Hazeltine and the likes of world No 5 Jon Rahm and England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who has won back-to-back tournaments in the last fortnight, look set to make their debuts in France.