Following the US team exciting comeback on Sunday singles to notch a 17-13 victory over the Internationals in the Presidents’ Cup, questions remain about the performance of the Americans in the team match of the event – especially in the foursomes format.
Foursomes – or alternative stroke – it has been difficult for the US team in recent years. At this year’s Presidents Cup, Team USA went 2-7 in foursomes. And last year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black was no better, with the United States going 2-6-0 against the Europeans.
So what can the United States do to improve in this area going forward? Subpar hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz discussed the issue in this week’s episode.
“Whatever we’re doing, we have to change, because it’s not working,” Stoltz said.
“We won this thing, but it should have been a blowout,” Knost said. “I don’t care who you compare to who. These are the best in the world. This isn’t like, hey, we’re taking Scottie Scheffler and we’re going to put him with, like, a guy in the C flight of the club championship. He’s playing with one of the best there is.
“And there’s just something about this format,” Knost continued. “I don’t know if it’s mental, that they panic going into it, but something has to change in this format, otherwise this will continue to happen. Because that team here in Europe, we are not big favorites like we are in the Presidents’ Cup. I mean, this is tight. This is 12 on 12. This is a battle, and it is so difficult to go to the foreign future. we play in two of these sessions, which are obviously the two foursomes “.
Stoltz suggested that perhaps the pairings themselves are not the problem, but the strategy of the Americans on the course may be.
“In foursomes, there’s a staggering statistic where it’s like, since Rome 2023 (Ryder Cup), in those four team events, we’ve had our asses off us,” he said. “We made fewer bogeys during that time than our opponents in the matches we played. And we made half as many birdies.
“So I don’t know if it’s, like, a strategy thing, we go in there, like, hey, it’s all shot, like if you just play it safe, hit the fairways, hit the greens, two-putt, make par, let them fight. If it’s the strategy, it doesn’t work, and typically that’s kind of a thought process, I’d say not for the thought process?
“But maybe the international side is like, okay, guys, they’re better on paper. We’re going to lose this. We’re going to take some risks that maybe normally we wouldn’t.
“We have the best players, ranking-wise, and we make half the birdies in the format,” Stoltz concluded. “It’s not a pencil.”
“This may be — you’re 100 percent right — a total strategy thing,” Knost said.
Fortunately for Team USA, there is still time to figure out some solutions before they face Europe at the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in Ireland next September.
For more analysis from Knost and Stoltz, including whether Geoff Ogilvy should return as international captain in 2028, check out the full episode of Subpar below.
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