Justin Rose is not the most likely provocateur but his words about American unity will surely filter through to the opposing camp as Europe’s players continue to practise at Bethpage Black.
“I think America have tried too hard to become a team, whereas Europe is a bit more natural and organic, and I think it comes from deeper roots,” the 45-year-old said.
The idea that European teams have a greater camaraderie has been part of the Ryder Cup narrative for decades. There have been infamous incidents to back up the theory, such as Phil Mickelson turning on his captain, Tom Watson, in 2014 and Patrick Reed griping about pairings in 2018.
Europe’s captain, Luke Donald, has warned his players not to provoke the crowd in New York and would no doubt have preferred Sky’s footage of Rose speaking at a Rose Ladies Series function earlier this month to have remained unaired. “I think the US team have definitely bonded a lot more in recent years and they do have good pockets of friendship,” Rose added. “But I think the Americans think being a great team is about being best mates. I really don’t think that’s what being a great team is.
Rose took a selfie with his European team-mates as they flew to New York on Sunday
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“Being a great team is having a kind of real good theme and having an identity that has come from the players before you, and you all buy into that vision. You don’t have to be having the greatest time in the world to do that.”
Europe’s players have not always been bosom buddies, themselves, but this is a tight-knit group, with 11 of them sharing in the triumph of 2023. In addition, seven of the 12 experienced the crushing low of Whistling Straits in 2021, where they lost 19-9. They are also glad the US captain, Keegan Bradley, has decided to stick with the format from Rome and open with foursomes. “We feel, statistically within our team, that we are stronger in foursomes than we would be in four-balls,” Donald explained two years ago. Having not won an opening session since 2006, Europe swept the first morning at Marco Simone two years ago.
Trump is a keen golf fan, and will be at Bethpage Black in New York on the first day of the Ryder Cup next Friday
ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Europe’s players also have been embracing the possibility that the crowd could be a raucous one, with the jingoism cranked up by the opening day appearance of President Trump. Rose said: “New Yorkers are crazy and I think they become sort of caricatures of themselves. I think they feel like they have to live up to that reputation. So, fully expect absolute chaos out there.
“But I’m also not sure that’s necessarily bad either. There comes a point where it just becomes noise and the more there is, potentially, I’m hoping it fades into just chaos and noise, which actually may be easier than one or two very distracting targeted noises.”
The last time the Ryder Cup was held in the United States, there were almost no European fans due to Covid restrictions and players received abuse that crossed a line. Shane Lowry said his wife, Wendy, received “dog’s abuse” and Padraig Harrington, Europe’s captain, revealed players’ parents had been reduced to tears.