Tour News

Rory says Ryder Cup isn’t “rocket science,” shocked by U.S. pick

Published

11 years ago

Feb 26, 2015

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy has been on the winning side of the Ryder Cup three times, and said that the winning formula isn’t much of a formula at all.

“It’s not “rocket science,” he said.

McIlroy said the U.S. Ryder Cup taskforce is “overdoing it,” and was shocked by its choice of Davis Love III as captain, which was announced on Tuesday.

[quote_box_center]”It came as a big shock when they announced [on Tuesday] Davis was going to be the next U.S. captain,” McIlroy said.[/quote_box_center]

He said he’s looking forward to European Captain Darren Clarke and Love going head-to-head at Hazeltine in 2016, but remains befuddled by the U.S. selection.

[quote_box_center]”I feel they’re overdoing it with the setting up of a task force and also talking about all the changes they want to bring in,” McIlroy said. “It’s been said by a few players since we won at Gleneagles that it’s not rocket science why Europe have won the last three Ryder Cups and eight of the past 10.”[/quote_box_center]

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Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

43 Comments

Homer

Mar 18, 2015 at 1:59 pm

I think the ploy is more about attracting interest in the US than just winning. I don’t feel “team golf” is that big of a deal here and we’ve treated the Ryder Cup as such. Is it fun to watch? Sure. Would I rather watch a major, WGC event, Player’s, or FedEx cup event? Yes.

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195 average bowler

Mar 13, 2015 at 3:33 pm

I thought a committee was over doing it. But at least they are trying something.
About player selection, I have heard numerous people talking about picking players with experience. Unfortunately, most of the current U. S. players’ experience is bad. I don’t know individual players’ records, but the overall team record is two wins since 1999. What is that, 2 wins and 6 losses? At the current pace, though, the Europeans win three in a row and then lose one. With losses in 2010, 2012 and 2014, the U. S. is due to win in 2016!

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Zotzbetter

Mar 1, 2015 at 5:24 am

Meant to add that many of the players were playing breaks inside of five feet the didn’t materialize. Where the hell was the “Captain” when that was going on? If we can see it on the TV screen why didn’t someone on site see this obvious “short fall”?

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Will

Feb 27, 2015 at 11:40 pm

These are supposed to be the best US golfers, they have an entourage of swing coaches, mental coaches , personal yoga instructors, dietitions, customized clubs, chartered flights, and stay at the best hotels. Maybe they just need too strip away all those distractions and just go out and play golf. Eye of the tiger fellas. Now go an just hit the damn ball.

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Ant

Feb 27, 2015 at 6:15 pm

Ryder cups are so cheesy, I mean cmon really? Boring….

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Thomas Beckett

Feb 27, 2015 at 3:08 pm

At the last Ryder Cup the US players ranked slightly higher than Europe as individuals. The problem with the USA team is just that, it needs to be a team. USA basketball used to win everything but lately the USA has assembled a team where all the players possess the same strengths and weaknesses and are getting beat by less skilled but more well rounded individuals that play as a team. The Ryder Cup task force needs to watch the movie MoneyBall and Miracle and take a lesson from Herb Brooks. Its not about finding the best players, its about finding the RIGHT players. Europe did better because they were more well rounded and could operate as a team in alternate shot and 4ball format. Now that Europe has some of the best players the only chance the USA has is to fill the team with the right players for the different formats. Maybe all 12 picks should be Captain picks based off who is playing well just before the Ryder Cup and which of those players statistically fit the different formats and play well with the other players selected. In the last Ryder Cup USA had to many players not on form and they statically weren’t a good match for the pairings they were selected for. USA lost before it began and will continue to do so because they have not learned how to play TEAM match play events correctly .

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Kai

Feb 27, 2015 at 12:05 pm

Martin Kaymer, for example, was World No.1, won a major, won a WGC even before he joint the US Tour. Why is it, that most US Stars haven’t won any European Tour events when they come to Europe once in a while? Because the European Tour is by far the most diverse Tour and players need multiple skills on different courses to succeed.

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- Trevino Smizzle
  
  Feb 27, 2015 at 1:52 pm
  
  US players don’t play over there unless it’s before a major or after….they must not like winning and getting $33 for it
  
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Steve H

Feb 27, 2015 at 9:16 am

Rory has hit the nail on the head here. The US is completely over thinking this. Isn’t it funny, that US seems to have it figured out in the Presidents Cup and not in the Ryder Cup, what is the difference?? The difference, is in the Prez Cup, they don’t take it so seriously and just go out and play well. And it’s exactly why Euros are dominating the Ryder Cup, they have fun with the event, they are loose and they play better because of it.

Keep it simple stupid!!

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Joseph

Feb 27, 2015 at 7:36 am

I have two comments. Thank you to Rory for providing a little more fodder for the US team. Also, what’s so surprising about picking Davis Love? What is he shocked about? Love has already captained and would have brought home a winner at Medinah had Rose and Poulter not played some of the best golf of their lives. I think the 2016 matches are going to be great and I have a feeling the US is going to shut up the Euros.

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Alex

Feb 27, 2015 at 6:20 am

Well, that ain’t far from true, I think. Funny the “they are overdoing it” thing.

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Jengus

Feb 26, 2015 at 11:36 pm

lol, next joke mate

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DaWiz

Feb 26, 2015 at 9:37 pm

Ever hear of Ballesteros or Olazabal? Faldo played a full schedule in Euroland as well.

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- Trevino Smizzle
  
  Feb 27, 2015 at 1:49 pm
  
  I wrote wins not won
  I’m talking modern day
  
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Ken

Feb 26, 2015 at 6:48 pm

A camel is a horse designed by a committee.

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DaWiz

Feb 26, 2015 at 6:26 pm

Have to love Rors…….he tells it like it is!!!

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- cantstandya
  
  Feb 27, 2015 at 2:10 am
  
  Rory is the best interview in golf. Straightforward, funny and just a cool dude but you can see his competitive streak here. He’s the stalwart of the Euro team for the next decade+. You can ask Rickie Fowler how it feels to run into a motivated McIlroy. That was the biggest curb stomping I’ve ever seen. -6 through 6 at the Ryder Cup. Really Rory? That’s just filthy.
  
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DaWiz

Feb 26, 2015 at 6:21 pm

The US keeps losing because it ignores gritty competitors from humble backgrounds. Why not have a Larry Nelson as captain…….what, 3 majors and one of the toughest players on course. The man never gets a chirp because he is not a white collar in crowd golfer.

Europe on the other hand can and will make a “ballsy” choice as captain……they choose fighters, a person who relates to the guys. The US…….Davis Love, a single major but the guy wears funny looking pants. That will make the Euros fear us…….no, the Euros will not roll over so easy.

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theo

Feb 26, 2015 at 4:56 pm

Rory is right. Paralysis by Analysis on US part.

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- Roosterredneck
  
  Feb 26, 2015 at 6:21 pm
  
  I agree..
  
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  - cantstandya
    
    Feb 27, 2015 at 2:12 am
    
    Rory is a pretty smart dude. Over the past 5 years I’ve learned that when it comes to golf just go with what he says.
    
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jgpl001

Feb 26, 2015 at 4:30 pm

Individually the American players are just as good, but they don’t play like a team and apart from Patrick Reed there ain’t much passion

They should have made Phil captain. He talked the talk, but could he walk the walk….let’s see in the future

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Double Mocha Man

Feb 26, 2015 at 3:59 pm

We should have picked Lee Trevino as captain and laughed all the way to victory.

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- Roosterredneck
  
  Feb 26, 2015 at 6:22 pm
  
  That’s a great idea ..
  
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  - Zotzbetter
    
    Mar 1, 2015 at 5:19 am
    
    Lee Trevino is exactly the right man for Captain. Especially after the last Captain pissed ’em all off. Nearly all the Americans were missing puts inside of ten feet… most by coming up short. That translates to “uptight” golfers.
    
    Reply Report comment
anon

Feb 26, 2015 at 3:07 pm

The real problem is how bad the U.S. will look if they lose after convening a task force and putting this much effort into “fixing” things. If they lose after all that, it’s going to really look hopeless. They should had just said, “Europe has better players right now and they won. As players age and new players come on the scene, that will change and we’ll have better players at some point and we’ll win. It’s cyclical.”

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morty

Feb 26, 2015 at 3:05 pm

I didn’t hear much complaining when Azinger used his ‘strategies’ and ‘changes’ to win in ’08. Maybe you anti-committee types just can’t bring yourselves to admit that hey, sometimes getting smart people in a room to systemize a task actually does work!

And why should we agree with Rors? He’s on the OTHER TEAM.

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Todd

Feb 26, 2015 at 3:04 pm

I agree with Rory – also, I find it humorous that our panel consists of Ryder Cup “stalwarts” (Mickelson, Tiger, Furyk)….have you seen their Ryder Cup records? LOL If anything, we’re going about completely the opposite of how we should. Also, while I’m a Davis Love III fan, I think a better choice would have been a Fred Couples (see his Presidents Cup record)…or even a veteran Tour player who is late 40’s….very in-tune with the players like a Jerry Kelly. Just my 2 cents.

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JT

Feb 26, 2015 at 2:59 pm

How about a task force to determine what Tom Watson was thinking when he chose Keegan Bradley over Billy Horschel.. Who was the hottest player on the planet at the time.. No defending the decision not to include Horschel as a captains pick

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- theo
  
  Feb 26, 2015 at 4:59 pm
  
  Horschel didn’t become the rock star of the month until AFTER Watson picked Keegan. Billy’s first win was Cherry Hills and Keegan was selected BEFORE that event began. Hindsight is 20/20 but at the time the logic was only the memory of Mickelson playing lights out paired with Keegan historically.
  
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  - David
    
    Feb 27, 2015 at 4:13 am
    
    That may be true but then why didn’t he pick Chris Kirk? He was playing amazing and Rory himself even said he couldn’t believe he didn’t get picked for the Ryder cup team.
    
    Reply Report comment
Mike

Feb 26, 2015 at 2:41 pm

He’s right…the committee creating more structure and procedures may prove to be obstacles in the long run. I don’t believe a committee is going to be much help regarding more US putts falling into the hole.

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Jim

Feb 26, 2015 at 2:19 pm

Overall I agree with his comments, that the US is over-thinking the Ryder Cup. However some changes were required including lining up the vice captain to be the next captain and to keep the format consistent from Cup to Cup. But winning all comes down to playing well and becoming close as a team. Bottom line the US players don’t play well and they never practice 4-somes either and that’s where they end up loosing. Too many years of easy wins bread complacency I guess. Let’s hope the US wins next time and acts like a team too.

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AllBOdoesisgolf

Feb 26, 2015 at 1:38 pm

that’s odd…. Rors… what about your 5 person panel??

Stick to abiding by contracts and paying your taxes

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- JT
  
  Feb 26, 2015 at 2:55 pm
  
  Well said..
  
  Reply Report comment
- cantstandya
  
  Feb 27, 2015 at 2:13 am
  
  How’s the Tiger Woods Foundation working? Ask any person there if they’ve had contact with TW and you’ll get a “no.” Tiger abuses taxes worse than anyone but you still idolize him because he’s black.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Joe
    
    Feb 27, 2015 at 8:17 pm
    
    What does that comment have to do with the Ryder Cup? How many billionaires do you think frequent their charitable foundations anyway! Tiger should be idolized for his stellar play and record the last 10+ years and nothing else, I never noticed he was black 🙂
    
    Reply Report comment
John

Feb 26, 2015 at 1:13 pm

If they were really serious, then they should be targeting pro golfers who were studs in the recent Walker Cups. If you go back and look at highlights from Walker Cup matches, there’s so much fire and intensity that comes from the US players, who have absolutely nothing to play for but pride. Also, most, if not all of them are already on a college team, so they still have that team pride and togetherness mentality. Success during the season can’t be the only way to get noticed for Ryder Cup consideration, because they’re not team events. The player is playing for themselves. Obviously, the Euro Tour is the same, but the Europeans have better players at the moment, and are able to conjur up that team mentality that is alive and well in Walker Cups.

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David

Feb 26, 2015 at 12:28 pm

I agree with Rory. America is doing the typical American thing and looking for someone or something else to blame. The reality is we’re just getting beat. Their best golfers are better than ours. But unfortunately our superstars have a sense of entitlement and lack the work ethic to put in the time to play better golf, either that or the humility to just admit, we’re not as good.

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- jgpl001
  
  Feb 26, 2015 at 4:25 pm
  
  The American players individually are just as good, but they don’t play as a team, and apart from Patrick Reed they lack passion. They should have made Phil captain. He talked the talk, but could he walk the walk……let’s wait and see at sometime in the future
  
  Reply Report comment
MattyTeaks

Feb 26, 2015 at 12:27 pm

Chemistry in the team play and pride and competitiveness in the match play.
It’s really that simple.

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MattyTeaks

Feb 26, 2015 at 12:26 pm

He’s right.
Too much over-thinking on the American side.

This whole premise that a laid-back Freddy Couples wasn’t worthy of a captaincy was really odd.

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Randy

Feb 26, 2015 at 12:19 pm

It’s true. America seems to overthink everything. Go out and play GOOD GOLF and don’t choke. Then your chances of winning are good. Quit yapping about changes and strategies. You just have to get your team to play good golf at the right time.

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