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Oh, Captain, My Captain (Again)

The debate about the role of the Ryder Cup captain has been roaring for quite a while. The winning captain is a genius; the losing captain is a simpleton who isn’t a leader of men.

Some believe that the captain should come from outside the world of golf. Anyone can do it. Afterall, players win Ryder Cups, not the players.

Others believe that the captain can help swing matches and create advantages on the margins.

This week, Luke Donald was named the captain of the 2025 European Ryder Cup team. It will be the first time a Ryder Cup captain will be in charge for consecutive Cups since Bernard Gallacher ran the European show in 1991, 1993, and 1995.

The United States has not had the same captain since Ben Hogan in 1947 and 1949. Tom Watson is the most recent repeat captain on either side. He was captain in 1993 and then took the reins for that disastrous 2014.

Donald’s selection didn’t come as much of a surprise. With LIV Golf swallowing up potential captains like Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, and Sergio Garcia, there were not a lot of options. Donald was a last-minute appointment for the 2023 Ryder Cup after Stenson signed on the dotted line and then jumped ship for a sack of cash with LIV.

I think Donald’s appointment is a big deal given the rhythm of Ryder Cup results over the last 30 years. Home course advantage has slowly become more and more of an advantage (I wrote about it two years ago…)

The USA has proved they are incapable of winning in Europe since 1993. Europe has a better record in the USA, winning in 2004 and 2102. However, the USA has drubbed the Euros 36-18 in the last two Ryder Cups in the US. Meanwhile, the Euros have won 34-22 in the last two Ryder Cups in Europe.

Something has to give.

And maybe Luke Donald is the man for the job.

If Donald manages to win a Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, it would be quite an accomplishment and would certainly help the argument that a captain can impact the result. If the Americans hold serve and win in New York, then it could mean that the captain can’t overcome the course shenanigans that the host team engages in.

However, a European win at a raucous, wild Bethpage Black would likely alter the captainship in the Ryder Cup and would make Luke Donald a hero just below the level of Seve.

Heck, it might alter the Ryder Cup as an event if the Euros win a fourth Ryder Cup on foreign soil since the US won in 1993.

I tweeted during the Ryder Cup in Rome that I think the event is broken. It’s entertaining, but not competitive. By the time the players tee it up at Bethpage, it will have been 13 years since a Ryder Cup was decided by three points or less.

Just look at the results since 1991.

The 1990s were the freaking Golden Age. Teams winning away Ryder Cups, matches decided by 1 or 2 points. Since The Country Club in 1999, it’s been kind of a snoozefest outside of the Meltdown at Medinah in 2012.

In 1995, Bernard Gallacher wrapped up his three Ryder Cup tenure with a win at Oak Hill. Maybe the experience helped, and maybe it will help Luke Donald, too.

If we want the Ryder Cup to get back to those 1990 glory days, then it might make sense to root for the away team in 2025 and then again in 2027 when it’s in Ireland, because if we end up with two more home Ryder Cup win blowouts, something will absolutely have to give. No matter how many times you ask Tiger Woods to be captain.

Picture of the week: Oak Hill CC

News and Notes

• Tiger is back.… he shot a 75 in the opening round of the Hero World Challenge. He ran out of steam down the stretch, which is to be expected.

  • A possibly unpopular question among the Tigerati: How will we remember this version of Tiger in the year 2038? Is this the Joe Namath on the Rams era? Is it too soon for that comparison? His body seems so broken and stiff. Brandel Chamblee broke down Tiger’s SEVEN various comebacks. It’s staggering to think about all the obstacles he’s overcome.

• MassLive.com is reporting that former pro, Kevin Kennedy, stolen $1 million from two Springfield, Mass. Munis - Veterans Memorial and Franconia GC. If you played golf at these two courses from 2010-2016 your greens fees or cart payment might have gone directly into this guy’s pocket. Golfweek has a non-paywall article.

• LIV Golf released their list of players who entered the promotions tournament. 46-year-old Jason Dufner, a major winner, is the most recognizable name.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m gambling….(Every week, because it's now legal in Mass. I'm going to make five NFL picks and keep track of them here.)

• Last Week: 5-0 (Season 34-26)

  • Broncos (+3) over the Texans

  • Dolphins (-9.5) over the Commanders

  • Colts (-1) over the Titans

  • Eagles (+3) over 49ers

  • Steelers (+5.5) over Cardinals

I’m reading… NYTimes released their 100 notable books last week. A good list to peruse for the holidays. I’m still working through There Will be Fire.

I’m listening to… The Wedding Scammer is a fascinating podcast about a con man who dabbles in Internet news companies, catering, and wedding planning.

I love Padraig Harrington. This Golfer’s Journal interview offered a few great nuggets about professional golf, competing, and luck.

Lee Trevino is quite a storyteller, and No Laying Up gets him for 2 hours. A great listen, especially after listening to Harrington. His story about being hit by lightning is wild.

I found this episode of The Daily “Good Vibes Around a Good Economy” pretty interesting, particularly the piece about TikTok becoming a main source of news for its users.

Kings of Leon’s new stuff kinda stinks, but Aha Shake Heartbreak is an elite album.

I’m eating… If you live anywhere near Cambridge, there’s no excuse for not having Area 4 pizza. It’s the best around.

I’m drinking…  Cigar City’s Jai Alai is a great IPA. Not a bad holiday party option if you don’t want to show up with Christmas Ale.

I’m watching… Hat tip to my buddy Burke for suggesting AppleTV’s For All Mankind. I watched the pilot this week, it’s very good. The premise is what would have happened if the Soviet Union beat the US to the moon landing.

The Ohio State v. Michigan football was a heck of an event. I married into Buckeye-nation, which has been fun for the last decade. I’ve experienced some great wins and a handful of disappointing losses. We literally watched a field goal-kick miss last New Year’s Eve at the stroke of midnight. Heck of a way to start the year.

It’s incredible how the Michigan sign-stealing has kind of been flushed away, especially after enduring the Deflate-gate for months and months. Will be interesting to see how they fair against a team they couldn’t scout… they’re only loss in the last two years was against TCU, a team they couldn’t scout at all because it was a playoff game. Just sayin’

Have a great weekend.