America’s final-day comeback brought unexpected respectability to the final score, but also exposed how far the US lag behind Europe in their Ryder Cup efforts.<\/p>\n
By thoroughly dominating the closing singles, Keegan Bradley’s team showed they had heart and ability aplenty, especially in a situation where they had nothing to lose.<\/p>\n
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But, effectively, last week’s 45th Ryder Cup had already been won by Europe before that last session teed off.<\/p>\n
Yes, it was tense and Luke Donald’s line-up only just limped over the line to win 15-13, but they had done enough on the first two days to make it possible.<\/p>\n
Why? Because Europe’s Ryder Cup culture, planning and strategy is vastly superior compared with counterparts who lurch from one form of leadership to another.<\/p>\n
The contrast could instantly be heard in the captains’ speeches at the opening ceremony. Donald was all about the collective effort, Bradley was about his own passion for the Ryder Cup.<\/p>\n
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It was self-centred and based on the emotions that were laid bare on Netflix’s Full Swing documentary. From there he became a shock candidate for the captaincy.<\/p>\n
The lead-up was all about him, too. Would he play, wouldn’t he? Unnecessary distractions while Donald and his team of statisticians and strategists worked out the best way to beat America in their own backyard.<\/p>\n
Bradley offered a glorious motivation with his infamous speech at last year’s Presidents Cup, proclaiming that the US would “kick Europe’s [expletive] asses”.<\/p>\n
That went straight on to the European team-room wall.<\/p>\n
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But more pertinently, the visitors knew what to expect from the course set-up and could prepare accordingly. Bradley changed nothing from the usual approach of short rough, thick grass around the greens and slick putting surfaces.<\/p>\n
And it backfired miserably for his team. “We tried to set the course up to help our team,” he said. “Obviously it wasn’t the right decision.<\/p>\n
“I definitely made a mistake on the course set-up. I should have listened a little bit more to my intuition.<\/p>\n
“For whatever reason, that wasn’t the right way to set the course up. The greens were as soft as I’ve ever seen greens without it raining. Especially here, it can get pretty firm, and they never firmed up.<\/p>\n
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“You look at past Ryder Cups, and that’s kind of how it goes. If I could go back, I probably would have changed that.”<\/p>\n
Bradley had selected vice-captains Kevin Kisner and Gary Woodland despite neither having any Ryder Cup experience – compare that with Europe’s stacked backroom team.<\/p>\n
It included winning skippers Paul McGinley (director of strategy), Thomas Bjorn and Jose Maria Olazabal. Alex Noren is firmly in touch with the leading players, likewise Francesco Molinari.<\/p>\n
The other Molinari, Edoardo, is a statistical wizard. He compiles his own extensive data rather than rely on less complete stats that might be available.<\/p>\n
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The Italian, who played with his brother in the 2010 victory, has a track record of successfully informing which partnerships will work and which ones will not.<\/p>\n
So when it came to the foursomes, where the home team traditionally dominates, Europe won 6-2. They built a record lead of 11\u00bd-4\u00bd by the Saturday night and throughout it all the players knew their leaders had their backs.<\/p>\n
“We said it from the start – we’re a big band of brothers,” Robert MacIntyre told BBC Sport the morning after Europe’s fifth away victory.<\/p>\n
“It’s a special feeling to do it again, but to do it when we were kind of written off and to do it in the style we’ve done it was huge.”<\/p>\n
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Europe had plans to deal with the hostility of the crowds. “It was absolute carnage out there, but it makes it that much better that we managed to handle it,” MacIntyre said.<\/p>\n
“I mean, we play for each other. We do anything. Look, Luke told me I was playing foursomes. I play foursomes.<\/p>\n
“I don’t argue or ask ‘can I play fourball?’ I do as I’m told. And I think everyone in the team does the exact same.<\/p>\n
“Luke tells you to jump, you ask ‘how high?’ As Europeans that’s the only way we know.<\/p>\n
“When I grew up playing team sports, you listened to the coaches, you listened to people in charge and did what you were told.<\/p>\n
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“And everyone in there, from myself to Rory [McIlroy], to [Jon] Rahm, everyone just does what we’re told.”<\/p>\n
Professional golfers are the ultimate sporting individuals – their own bosses week in, week out. They are not used to having others order them around.<\/p>\n
Europe have long since known this and created the culture described by MacIntyre, a veteran of many a shinty team room, to get the best out of such characters.<\/p>\n
America are some way from finding such a formula – it is why they seem to only perform when they are on their own.<\/p>\n
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