Team USA broke Europe’s stranglehold on the Ryder Cup, but it’s all for “naught” if the Americans don’t build a hegemony of their own, according to veteran Phil Mickelson.
The US beat an inexperienced Europe team 17-11 at Hazeltine to triumph for the first time since 2008 at Valhalla, Kentucky.
The US was under pressure to end Europe’s run of three straight wins and eight victories in the last 10, not least to justify the creation of a much-talked about 11-man task force after defeat at Gleneagles in 2014.
“The pressure started when some dumb ass opened his mouth two years ago in the media center,” Mickelson told reporters at the team press conference after victory in Minnesota.
The 46-year-old, playing in a US record 11th Ryder Cup, was referencing his very public criticism of then captain Tom Watson in the equivalent media session in Scotland.
‘Solidarity and fortitude’
“But we need to build on this. Otherwise, it’s all for naught. We created a very solid foundation this year. With the input that Davis Love had and each vice-captain — with Tom Lehman and Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker, and Tiger Woods and Bubba Watson — all brought integral parts to the success of this foundation, and it’s important that we build on that.”
The United States has not won an away Ryder Cup since Watson’s side triumphed at The Belfry in England in 1993. The 2018 edition takes place at Le Golf National outside Paris, France.
“For us to go to Europe and try to win the Cup is a whole different feat,” Mickelson added. “That’s going to require a whole different level of play, of solidarity, of fortitude, and we are going to have to build on this in two years if we want to try to retain the Cup.
“It’s great that we had success this week, but it’s not about one year or one Ryder Cup. It’s about a multitude, for decades to come.”
Former world No. 1 Woods, who will return to tournament golf next week after a year out recuperating from multiple back surgeries, said his experience as a vice-captain has inspired him to lead his country one day.
“Seeing what our captain went through, that’s hard,” said Woods, who has played on seven Ryder Cup teams, beginning in 1997 in Spain. “Yeah, I would love to do it. I would be honored to do it in the future, if asked.”
The 40-year-old added: “As a non-player, it’s very complicated. There’s a lot of things that I didn’t realize that went on, and very eye-opening — it was a great experience.
“I learned a lot and I became really close to a lot of these guys, and it’s been just an honor to be part of it. The relationships that we’ve forged here this week and actually before this week, are bonds that will last a lifetime.
“I love being out there, in the fight with these guys. I was just in the fight a different way and had to do my role and had to my job in a different way, and it was pretty cool.”
Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, who was a late appointee as a vice-captain after not doing enough to make the team, added: “And I have Tiger’s cellphone number now, yes. I’m going to text you all the time.”
The US task force looked in detail at every aspect of the Ryder Cup and tried to learn lessons from Europe’s winning blueprint.
It appointed Love as a steady hand as captain despite his side losing at Medinah in 2012, and instigated small touches such as a predominant “USA red” theme in all the signage and grandstands at Hazeltine, revamped the qualification system to allow Love four wildcards, and exploited home advantage by curating a course with little rough for the bigger hitters on their side to escape punishment with wayward shots.
Love also returned to a version of former captain Paul Azinger’s “pod” system from 2008, when the 12-man team was broken down into smaller units for practice and bonding.
At Hazeltine, Woods’ pod included Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth, and the vice-captain was instrumental in persuading Love to keep the successful partnership together, delivering 2½ points out of their four matches.
Much was made of the behavior of a small minority of unruly fans in Minnesota, fueled by alcohol, partisanship and possibly comments made in an article written by European player Danny Willett’s brother Peter.
In it, drama teacher Peter Willett wrote the American fans were a “baying mob of imbeciles” and “pudgy, basement-dwelling irritants” among a number of other insults in an attempt at satire.
Europe’s Rory McIlroy was the target for some personal abuse and asked for one individual to be ejected after a poor-taste comment.
‘Positives’
McIlroy, though, stressed European fans wouldn’t be looking for revenge in Paris, other than offering fair but wholehearted home support.
“We wouldn’t encourage any sort of retaliation. That’s just not who we are. That’s not what we do,” McIlroy, who lost to Reed in a scintillating singles match Sunday, said at the European team press conference.
“There won’t be — and we’ll be making that clear. We want to play this tournament in the manner in which it should be played. It’s just a very small minority; 95% of the people out there, the American gallery are absolutely fantastic, they really are.”
The four-time major champion added: “There are positives to take going into Paris in two years’ time. Some of the new blood that we have, they have gotten over their first Ryder Cup and now they know what it’s about.
“Not trying to give anything away here, but that’s one of the big parts of our success is that we keep a core group of players and people in the team and around the team.”