Jim Furyk wasted no time beating around the bush. The American Ryder Cup team has had “issues” latelyin particular in fourand changes are coming. Furyk promised that this American Ryder Cup team will be “prepared” when he arrives Adare Manor in 2027. Then, Furyk made the first move in the opening battle for the 2027 Ryder Cup.
“We’re the underdogs. I know it’s always been played, going in, the Americans seem to be the favorites,” Furyk said this week at the Ryder Cup “Year to Go” press conference. “This year, there is no chance that could happen. We are the underdogs. We understand that. We have a lot of work ahead of us. And you know, I am excited about this process. I am a process type and type of taking ducks in a row and putting these in a good position and let our boys go out and show their talent.”
Convincing yourself and your team that you are the underdogs – the doubted or the disrespected – is an old-school motivational tactic that still persists in team support around the globe. That’s why Georgia football coach Kirby Smart has made a habit of saying that “everyone” has counted on his team, even when they’re still atop the polls and the national title odds. Dabo Swinney often refers to his team as “little ole Clemson,” which harkens back to the days when the Tigers were seen as a level below the sport’s elite. Cornerback Richard Sherman regularly convinced himself that his opponent disrespected him, just to show off before the kickoff (see: Baker Mayfield, 2019).
The Ryder Cup captain has become increasingly about building team chemistry, choosing the right pairings and pushing the right buttons to get the most out of a group of world-class golfers. Naturally, Furyk looked at an American team that has been dominated in the last two Cupsincluding a home loss to Bethpage, and has not won in Europe since 1993, and staked its claim to the role of “underdog”. At this point, any lever a US captain can pull that might work is worth it.
But Luke Donald was not willing to give up the “underdog” ground. The Europeans have thrived in that role since the United States wiped them out at Whistling Straits in 2021.
“I tend to agree,” Donald said when asked about Presidents Cup leader Brandt Snedeker saying the US team will be “a problem” at Adare Manor. “I have zero complacency about the strength of the United States. I still am. On paper, they tend to be stronger than us in the World Ranking. Obviously, we have a great record at home, but again, zero complacency. You know, I’ve seen what Jim has done behind the scenes, changing the statistics, changing the qualification system. I’m kind of motivated to continue to find those edges even for my team, but you know, I know that the United States will be very strong.
Donald, who aims to become the first captain to win three straight Ryder Cups, has built a winning culture that has bonded and brought out the best in a group of world-class players who are bred to play for themselves 103 out of every 104 weeks. Donald did that focus on the small detailscrafting a good experience for his players, based on the history of the Ryder Cup, what it means to represent the European flag and who are the underdogs.
“We are the custodians of this European jersey now,” said Rory McIlroy after winning the European Championship in 2023. “And I hope we pass it on in the future to a better place than where we found it.”
“It’s the ability to walk through those doors and those doors and forget who you are outside of this week. What you’ve done or what you can do next, it really doesn’t matter,” Jon Rahm said.
If you are playing for something bigger than you and believe that you have been counted, that you expect to lose, a galvanizing force often effect – one that makes everyone increase their level. Such has been the case for a European part that buys into everything Donald puts.
And so, as Furyk tried to take the underdog land from the Europeans, Donald pushed back, explaining that being the underdog is more than a proclamation. It is an ethos.
“For us, underdog is a mentality,” said Donald. “We always want to show something to ourselves, to the rest of the world. Yes, we understand that being at home is an advantage, but we also know that the United States is very strong.”
This battle will rage on for the next year. Americans will talk about Bethpage and how dominant the Europeans are on home soil. The Euro will contract by citing official world rankings. Whoever wins the four majors in 2027 will have even more of a fight to be the “underdog”. It will be up to the captains to try to exploit this narrative for their own side. For Donald, it will be more of the same. He has a tried and true method of getting the best out of his side. For Furyk, convincing an American roster loaded with talent that they are doubters could go a long way to accomplishing something that few thought was possible. It may be their only hope.
“It’s going to be difficult,” Furyk said of winning in Ireland. “Irish fans, Irish sports are amazing, but people will come in droves from all over Europe to support their favorite countrymen and I need 12 guys – I’ve said it all week, I need 12 guys who love that atmosphere and love walking in that type of arena because it takes a certain mentality, and those are the guys I’m looking for.”
The road to a win at Adare Manor has already begun. To the disadvantages go the spoils.
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