Answer every key Ryder Cup question

Check out our writers and editors weekly unfiltered opinions on the sport’s hottest topics and join the conversation by tweeting on @Golf_Com. This week, we discussed the biggest Ryder Cup storyline, who was the most important player on both sides and chose the winner.

After two years of waiting, Ryder Cup Week finally came. The U.S. team will host Europe at Bethpage Black on Long Island from Friday to Sunday as the Europeans will try to win two straight games and become the first road team to win as it succeeded in 2012. But let’s start with one easy: What’s the top storyline of your 45th Ryder Cup?

Josh Sens, Senior Writer (@Joshsens): The top atmosphere of the Ryder Cup isn’t a new story, but as our man Alan explained in an interesting work a few days ago, this week will take things to a completely different level. The potential for fanaticism to ugliness seems to be mature, which is a connection to what I think is another important topic: at least on paper, the Europeans seem to be a slightly stronger team. But playing away games makes them losers, which puts some pressure on them and piles it up on the Americans. In this sense, it is fair to wonder if all expectations behind putting the family population and possibly related to Keegan and Co are related to Keegan and Co.

Josh Schrock, News Editor (@schrock_and_awe): Agree with Sens. I think as storyline 1A goes into this week, the Bethpage crowd will definitely get the highest billing. I’ll provide how Rory McIlroy completes the storybook year. He laid three goals for the rest of his career in January and eliminated one with his victory in the Masters. After a summer of discomfort, McIlroy won the Irish Open and can now end the year by leading the Europeans to victory. Very interested in seeing how McIlroy improves his game this week.

Alan Bastable, executive editing (@alan_bastable): The importance of experience in the Ryder Cup may be exaggerated, but it is hard not to think about the rookie imbalances on both sides: the US four (Ben Griffin, Russell Henley, JJ Spaun and Cameron Young) vs. the one on the European team only (Rasmus Højgaard). To give the U.S. team the upper hand, at least a few newbies need to rise. Sneakyly suspect Cameron Young will embrace the moment, not just because he is the only New Yorker on the team. You know he could hit it hard, but now he also figured out how to put it (he was ranked fifth in SG: this season). Pay close attention to CY.

Rory McIlroy said winning the Ryder Cup was one of the biggest achievements of golf, adding: “That’s what we’re going to do at Bethpage.” He has since added Master Championship and Professional Grand Slam to his resume. What will the Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage do for McIlroy’s legacy?

Sens: I think the Ryder Cup legacy is a separate category. Think of Ian Poulter, whose solo tour career doesn’t stand out, but he will always fall as a Ryder Cup killer. Or, instead, Tiger Woods’ impressive Ryder Cup record didn’t undercut his place in the game. At this point, Rory’s legacy seems to have been well established. The dominant week at Bethpage might add a good shine to it, especially if he beat Scottie Scheffler on Sunday’s single (like beat Scottie Scheffler) to win. However, other than that, I don’t want to change the way future generations think of him this week.

Schroker: I mostly agree with SENS, but I do think if McIlroy plays all five games while playing 4-5 and brings the euro to victory, it would be another key route in the resume he built to become the best European golfer of all time.

Riding skills: Rory was already in the rare Ryder Cup air. But a big traction this week will allow him to join more elite companies. A three-pointer would put him ahead of Jose Maria Olazabal on the historical list. Four would tie him to Nick Faldo. Four and a half will tie him up pantAnd – Sef. But, besides this week, it could affect McIlroy’s personal identity on the record, and he was obviously burning to win. As mentioned above, there were several times this year that winning the Ryder Cup is one of the most difficult tasks of any sports. If Europe somehow does this, Rory will announce the undisputed greatest season of his career in 2025.

Who is the most important player on every team (if not necessarily the best)?

Sens: McIlroy is European. Not only is he the best player on the team, he is also a clear team room leader. How his fare is infectious in the rest of the teams. I think the American team is a different story because the best player Scheffler is not Rah-Rah’s guy. I don’t think he has as many leaders as McIlroy. I think the main players in the United States are Ryder Cup rookies like Ben Griffin and JJ Spaun – in an environment like this they are completely untested.

Riding skills: Don’t love Bryson? If DeChambeau can move on, he will have the potential to uplift American fans in ways his teammates can’t match. The trouble is that he is not at his best. I’m interested in seeing which version of BDC we’ll see. On the euro side, Bobby Mac may end up being an MVP that no one has seen.

if……

Sens: …Rookies like Spaun and Griffin persist in the crucible, and Patrick Cantlay annoys the opposition in order to disappoint them.

Schroker: …Justin Thomas, wakes up after a bad start in Napa. I hope Scheffler is doing well, especially after the eggs he laid in Rome. But Thomas was always the heart of the Americans when he reigned. They will need Thomas and Cantlay-Schauffele pairing to help lead Scheffler.

Riding skills: …Keegan Bradley’s re-play, abandoning one of his menus in the first game on Friday and getting up in the first game. My child! But yes, as covered, some American rookies definitely need to show up. Scheffler will win at least 3.5 points. Sam Burns will need to bring his putt.

This means if…

Sens: …McIlroy led them into a hot start and built the momentum. The pressure here is indeed here for Americans. They expect they will win the home advantage of winning, but it is not easy to drain the key putts in front of a huge crowd.

Schroker: …Rory did Rory’s thing. When he clicks, they are hard to beat.

Riding skills: …Jon Rahm against the crowd, the charm of Tommy Fleetwood. (Each of them collects at least 3 points.)

What is the most critical strategic decision every captain must make?

Sens: Apart from the picks to choose the captain, I think the importance of the captain’s decision is exaggerated. They have studied personality and analysis. At least theoretically, they know which players should blend in with each other. The most important role of the captain is to choose the roster and create an atmosphere/culture that enables their players to play at their best. It seems that both Bradley and Donald have done it. As always, this will come down to men making big putts.

Schroker: For Americans, it’s the guy who plays with Bryson DeChambeau. Given that he and Cam Young played the same prototype ball, this seems like a suitable pairing, but I’d love to know how Keegan Bradley deployed should be one of his best weapons.

Luke Donald said he planned to mix things from Rome, but it’s hard for me to see the pairing of foursomes not Rahm-Hatton, Hovland-Åberg, McIlroy-Fleetwood and fourth place. I’m interested to see if Donald changed things on Day 1 or run out of his tried-and-tested pairing that dominated Rome.

Riderable: Hate the harp on rookies, but managing them will be Keegan’s toughest task as they represent one-third of his team. For Donald, it will stop his boys from being shocked by the gallery of Huo. If his squad can stop noise and be comfortable early, be careful.

And drums, please…who will win the 2025 Ryder Cup, why? (And give us points!)

Sens: This ended with a 14-14 tie, and the Europeans retained the Cup.

Schroker: Europe. 15.5-12.5, thanks to Sunday’s singles comeback. Fleetwood beat Bryson to win the away game.

Riding skills: I dare make it a clean European sweep? I dare! Europe 14.5, the United States 13.5, in a thriller, very old.

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