Ryder Cup storylines
Europe and the United States will play the 43rd Ryder Cup Friday through Sunday this week at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wis. Here’s a look at some facts and storylines:
■ Europe owns the cup right now, having won it in 2018 outside of Paris. The 2020 Ryder Cup was postponed to this week because of COVID-19.
■ Europe has won nine of the past 12 Ryder Cups, including seven of the past nine and four of the past five.
■ Because of COVID-19 travel restrictions, most European fans cannot travel to the U.S. So the “ole, ole, ole, ole’’ European contingent will be much quieter than usual.
■ The U.S. side has eight of the top 10 players in the world rankings while Europe has one, Jon Rahm, who’s No. 1.
■ All eyes will be on Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, the lightning rods on the team who do not like each other. Who will U.S. captain Steve Stricker pair with DeChambeau?
■ Koepka is coming off a wrist injury that knocked him out of the Tour Championship just two weeks go, so his fitness will be in question.
■ Six of the 12 players on the U.S. team are Ryder Cup rookies, so Stricker has gone with a lot of new blood in an effort to change the Americans’ fortune. The six rookies are the most the U.S. team has had since 2008, when it won at Valhalla. Stricker noted that U.S. rookies have a 40-29-17 record at Ryder Cups since 2008.
■ Stricker is a native of Wisconsin and has been earmarked as the captain for this Ryder Cup for years.
■ Stricker’s most scrutinized captain’s pick will be Scottie Scheffler, who hasn’t yet won a tournament nor has he played in a team event as a pro. But Scheffler has been in good form for a couple of years and is long, which Stricker was looking for at Whistling Straits. He, too, may be the one player on the team Stricker can pair with DeChambeau, a fellow Texan.
■ Among the no-brainer pairing will likely be Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, who’ve had terrific success together.