Ryder Cup talking points: home comforts, DeChambeau v Koepka, McIlroy's time to shine

Delayed competition between the US and Europe ready for big tee-off this weekend

RYDER CUP 2021 PLAYER GUIDE: USA (automatic qualifers): Collin Morikawa. Age: 24. Caps: 0. Majors: 2 (2020 US PGA, 2021 Open) Started his PGA Tour with 22 consecutive made cuts, just three short of the record held by Tiger Woods. Morikawa became the first player to capture two different majors on the first attempt with his Open victory at Royal St George’s. PA

Dustin Johnson. Age: 37. Caps: 4 (2010, 2012, 2016, 2018). Record: Won 7 Lost 9 Halved 0. Majors: 2 (US Open 2016, Masters 2020) Won the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup title in 2020 and followed up by claiming his second major title in November with a record-breaking victory in the Masters, shooting 20 under par at Augusta National. PA

Bryson DeChambeau. Age: 28. Caps: 1 (2018). Record: Won 0 Lost 3 Halved 0. Majors: 1 (2020 US Open). Bulked up during the coronavirus shutdown and subsequently overpowered Winged Foot to win the US Open in September 2020. Has been subject to taunts from fans who have taken team-mate Brooks Koepka’s side in their ongoing spat. Lost all three matches on his debut in Paris. AP

Brooks Koepka. Age: 31. Caps: 2 (2016, 2018). Record: Won 4 Lost 3 Halved 1. Majors: 4 (US Open 2017-18, US PGA 2018-19) Since winning three points from four matches on his debut in 2016, Koepka became the first player since Curtis Strange in 1989 to win back-to-back US Open titles and also won the US PGA in both 2018 and 2019. AP

Justin Thomas. Age: 28. Caps: 1 (2018). Record: Won 4 Lost 1 Halved 0. Majors: 1 (2017 US PGA) The stand-out performer for the US on his debut in Paris in 2018, Thomas won four points from his five matches at Le Golf National. Only the star European pairing of Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari were able to get the better of Thomas and Jordan Spieth. Reuters

Patrick Cantlay. Age: 29. Caps: 0. Majors: 0 Claimed his place on the team in some style, shooting 27 under par in the BMW Championship before beating DeChambeau in a six-hole play-off to claim his third win of the season. Set to resume 2019 Presidents Cup partnership with good friend Xander Schauffele. PA

(Wild cards): Jordan Spieth. Age: 28. Caps: 3 (2014, 2016, 2018). Record: Won 7 Lost 5 Halved 2. Majors: 3 (Masters 2015, US Open 2015, Open 2017) Won two-and-a-half points from three matches with Patrick Reed in 2014 and the same from their four together in 2016, but partnered Thomas – much to Reed’s unhappiness – in Paris and claimed three wins from four matches. PA

Tony Finau. Age: 32. Caps: 1 (2018). Record: Won 2 Lost 1 Halved 0. Majors: 0 A five-year wait for his second PGA Tour title finally came to an end in the first FedEx Cup play-off event in August with a play-off win over Cameron Smith. A hugely-popular figure who shared 10th in the 2018 Masters despite dislocating his ankle when celebrating a hole-in-one during the par-three contest. AFP

Xander Schauffele. Age: 27. Caps: 0. Majors: 0 Made four straight birdies in the final round of the 2021 Masters to close within two of eventual winner Hideki Matsuyama, only to hit his tee shot on the 16th into the water and run up a triple-bogey. Had the consolation of claiming a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. AFP

Harris English. Age: 32. Caps: 0. Majors: 0. Fourth and third in the US Open in the last two years, English followed his strong showing at Torrey Pines in June by winning his fourth PGA Tour title the following week at the Travelers Championship. Also won the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January. PA

Daniel Berger. Age: 28. Caps: 0. Majors: 0 Won his fourth PGA Tour title in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February with an eagle on the final hole, but also impressed in the majors in 2021. Finished seventh in the US Open at Torrey Pines and eighth in the Open Championship at Royal St George’s. AP

Scottie Scheffler. Age: 25. Caps: 0. Majors: 0. Shot 59 in the second round of the Northern Trust in 2020 but went on to finish fourth and has yet to win on the PGA Tour. Scheffler recorded top-10 finishes in the US PGA, US Open and Open Championship this year and his length off the tee will be an advantage at Whistling Straits. AFP

EUROPE: (Automatic qualifiers): Jon Rahm (Spain). Age: 26. Caps: 1 (2018). Record: Won 1, Lost 2, Halved 0. Majors: 1 (2021 US Open) Won his first major title at Torrey Pines in June, just 15 days after being forced to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament when leading by six shots due to a positive Covid test. Won one of his three matches in Paris in 2018 - against Tiger Woods in the singles. Getty

Viktor Hovland (Norway). Age: 23. Caps: 0. Majors: 0 The first Norwegian to represent Europe in the Ryder Cup, Hovland has enjoyed a rapid rise up the world rankings since turning professional thanks to two wins on the PGA Tour and a maiden European Tour title in the BMW International in June. PA

Tommy Fleetwood (England). Age: 30. Caps: 1 (2018). Record: Won 4, Lost 1, Halved 0. Majors: 0 Made his debut in 2018 and partnered Francesco Molinari to four wins, three of them against an American pairing containing Woods. Looked to be hitting form at the right time with second place in the penultimate qualifying event in Italy. PA

Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland). Age: 32. Caps: 5 (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018). Record: Won 11, Lost 9, Halved 4. Majors: 4 (2011 US Open, 2012 US PGA, 2014 Open, 2014 US PGA) Won for the first time since 2019 at the Wells Fargo Championship in May. Had a chance to win the US Open at Torrey Pines before eventually finishing seventh. PA

Paul Casey (England). Age: 44. Caps: 4 (2004, 2006, 2008, 2018). Record: Won 4, Lost 3, Halved 5. Majors: 0. Returned to the side after a 10-year absence in Paris in 2018. Won one of his two fourball matches alongside Tyrrell Hatton and halved with four-time major winner Brooks Koepka in the singles. Won the Dubai Desert Classic in January. PA

Tyrrell Hatton (England). Age: 29. Caps: 1 (2018). Record: Won 1, Lost 2, Halved 0. Majors 0 Won for the first time on the PGA Tour in March 2020 at the prestigious Arnold Palmer Invitational and then claimed the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in October. Started 2021 with victory in Abu Dhabi. PA

Lee Westwood (England). Age: 48. Caps: 10 (1997, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016). Record: Won 20, Lost 18, Halved 6. Majors: 0 Set to equal Nick Faldo’s record of 11 appearances. Victory in Abu Dhabi in 2020 helped him win the Race to Dubai for the third time. Second in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Players Championship in March. PA

Matt Fitzpatrick (England). Age: 27. Caps: 1 (2016). Record: Won 0, Lost 2, Halved 0. Majors: 0 Endured an unhappy debut at Hazeltine in 2016 with two defeats. Won the DP World Tour Championship for the second time in December 2020 and lost out in a play-off for the Scottish Open in July. Getty

Bernd Wiesberger (Austria). Age: 35. Caps: 0. Majors: 0 Looked set to move into the automatic qualifying places by winning the Omega European Masters, only to double bogey the 72nd hole and lose by a shot. Went into the final qualifying event needing at least a top-50 finish to make the team and finished in a tie for 20th. Getty

(Wildcards): Ian Poulter (England). Age: 45. Caps: 6 (2004, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018). Record: Won 14, Lost 6, Halved 2. Majors: 0 Nicknamed ‘The Postman’ because he always delivers a point, Poulter was forced to settle for a vice-captaincy role in 2016 due to injury. Without a win since the 2018 Houston Open and missed the cut in the final qualifying event at Wentworth. AP

Sergio Garcia (Spain). Age: 41. Caps: 9 (1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018). Record: Won 22, Lost 12, Halved 7. Majors: 1 (2017 Masters) A talismanic figure for Europe. Was out of form when given a wild card in 2018 but justified it in style with three wins from four matches to become Europe’s leading points scorer in the contest. PA

Shane Lowry (Ireland). Age: 34. Caps: 0. Majors: 1 (2019 Open) Went into the last event in the final automatic qualifying place but was pushed out by Wiesberger and was unable to finish in the top eight to displace Lee Westwood. Was keen to qualify on merit and save his good friend Harrington from having to give him a wild card. Reuters

The 2020 Ryder Cup takes place, finally, from Friday after it was postponed last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. We look at some of the key talking points heading into Whistling Straits, as Europe seeks to retain the famous trophy on US soil.

Making most of home advantage

Trace back through the past seven Ryder Cups, and six of them have been won by the hosts. That trend can be attributed to a number of factors, but two in particular: the home camp set up the course to favour themselves, while the crowds have got only bigger and therefore more vociferous.

As to the latter, this year’s event, staged in Wisconsin, will welcome even less European fans because of tight Covid-19 travel restrictions — which will only strengthen United States’ chances.

OK, Whistling Straits’ position on Lake Michigan means American supporters will not encroach on Team Europe as they did at Hazeltine in 2016, but the partisan crowd will test greatly the visitors’ mettle. One crumb of comfort, though: that sole away win in the past seven clashes? The Miracle at Medinah, in 2012.

Bryson v Brooks a thrilling aside

One of the admittedly many intriguing subplots heading into Whistling Straits centres around the relationship between Bryon DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka. Or lack thereof.

The compatriots’ rivalry had provided plenty of entertainment the past couple of seasons, playing out in interviews and on social media — even if some claim the enmity is not all it’s made out to be.

However, US captain Steve Stricker was at pains to declare the feud has been “put to bed”, while DeChambeau has spoken this week about amicable dinners and discussions.

Meanwhile, videos abound on social media of the two enjoying a seemingly courteous companionship on the driving range. Contrived? Partnering the two during the first two days would certainly suggest not. Either way, it should make for fascinating viewing.

McIlroy turning the tap

Jon Rahm is world No 1, and Ian Poulter Mr Ryder Cup, but Rory McIlroy should typically exist as Team Europe’s greatest weapon against the US.

However, the four-time major winner has not enjoyed the best season — winning at Wells Fargo aside — stuck fiddling with his swing and registering only 7 top-10s in 21 starts. “Only”, given his supreme talent.

Yet McIlroy has grown to love the Ryder Cup following ill-advised comments before his debut in 2010. In fact, he has played every session possible since Celtic Manor, returning an impressive 11 victories and four halves from 24 matches.

He has also fully embraced his role as a leader within the team. Whistling Straights seems tailor-made for McIlroy’s power off the tee, as does a mouth-watering pairing with rookie Viktor Hovland. But can the former rise again to the occasion?

US rookies v Euro oldies

This US team includes six players who have never previously competed in the red-hot Ryder Cup heat. However, Collin Morikawa is a two-time major winner and current Open champion, Patrick Cantley the 2021 FedEx Cup winner and PGA player of the year, and Xander Schauffele a recent Olympic gold medallist.

They sit third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in the world rankings. Hardly especially green. Granted, the other trio — Harris English, Daniel Berger and Scottie Scheffler — have greater question marks against them.

In contrast, Europe have three newbies in Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry and Bernd Wiesberger. Handling the pressure matters more this week than any other in golf, and maybe Europe’s veterans — Sergio Garcia (age 41), Paul Casey (44), Ian Poulter (45) and Lee Westwood (48) — will help manage better the strain. Or will the youthful exuberance of the US (average age 29) shine brighter?

Favourable set-up blown off track

As mentioned, perhaps the most telling “home” advantage is setting out the course in favour of your team. Thus, Whistling Straits will play wide and long (at 7,390 yards, it is the lengthiest course in Ryder Cup history).

Definitely, that suits the Americans. Eight of the hosts’ side sit inside the top 50 for driving distance on the PGA Tour this season, compared to only three on Team Europe.

Subsequently, the rough has been kept short, allowing the grip-it-and-rip-it brigade to jut out their chests on most tees. Still, it should be said that Whistling Straits won’t be quite as appealing a home venue as Hazeltine in 2016. With the wind forecast to blow, it should play more into Europe’s hands — Shane Lowry, anyone? And that’s potentially decisive in the underdogs’ chances of retaining the trophy.