Ryder Cup tactics: How much difference can captains from Europe and USA make to benefit their team? | Golf News

How much influence can a captain have on a Ryder Cup team? We look at some of the roles they play, the options they have and how they can help their players to glory…

Which format should go first?

The captain can decide which format is played first, with Europe traditionally starting with fourballs for home Ryder Cups but instead beginning with foursomes for the first time since 1993.

“It’s really just a deep dive into statistics of the team,” European captain Luke Donald explained. “Within our team, we feel like we have some very strong foursomes pairings, potential pairings. We feel like we are just slightly stronger statistically in foursomes to fourballs.

Zach Johnson and Luke Donald will captain the two teams at this year’s Ryder Cup in Rome

“In Ryder Cups, you want to get off to a fast start. The vice-captains and I decided that that was the best way to go, to open with foursomes. Simple as that, really. We have an opportunity to send out four very strong pairings and hopefully grab an early lead.”

How do captains select their team?

Both Team Europe and Team USA had six captain’s picks to complete their line-ups, with a combination of factors considered when naming the players to go alongside the automatic qualifiers.

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Ryder Cup Team Europe captain Luke Donald advises to not read too much in Tuesday morning’s practice pairings and adds that he has no plans to get a Ryder Cup tattoo should Europe win the competition!

“Six picks gives you the ability to put a team together that’s right for the golf course, that’s right for the formats, that’s right for the team room,” USA Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson said.

Donald added: “You want to look at the six who automatically qualified and try to be able to find some pairings within those through statistics and personality matchups. You’re looking at what the course demands and people who have been successful on the golf course, as well.”

How much should players play?

It can be a tough balancing act between having the strongest pairings out on the course and limiting the risk of burning out players, with the possibility of playing up to 90 holes in a three-day period if matches in all five sessions went the distance.

No player this century has been made to sit out each of the first two days, while only three of the 24 golfers involved in the USA’s record-breaking victory in 2021 ended up playing in all five sessions.

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Team Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald gives us a behind the scenes look at their team space at the Marco Simone Golf course

“I think there’s some guys that certainly could do that [play five sessions], and we have done that in the past,” Donald added. “It’s not out of the question that some people might play five. I very much doubt that someone wouldn’t play until the Sunday singles.”

Where should a captain mix their rookies with star names?

Team Europe and Team USA will both have four rookies each in their disposal for this year’s contest, with former Ryder Cup-winning captain Paul McGinley explaining why getting them integrated into a team is so important.

“I think you use what has worked in the past as a base, McGinley told Sky Sports. “You’ve got some young players coming in and it’s important that you don’t break up tried and tested partnerships in order to integrate some younger people in. You’ve got to do it in a constructive way.

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Luke Donald says his Ryder Cup team can take inspiration from the European team’s success in the Solheim Cup

“It’s easy to get lost with working too hard on the rookies. Ultimately, your top players are going to win these events for you. They’re the key and it’s important they’re in very strong partnerships and are properly engaged in the task ahead.

“It’s not a question of treating everyone exactly the same – in theory that’s what you want to do, but in reality you lean towards the top players who are carrying the workload in terms of winning the most points.”

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Team USA captain Zach Johnson describes the Ryder Cup is the ‘best sporting event in golf’ ahead of the start of this year’s competition which begins on Friday in Rome

Should captains change their plans?

Suzann Pettersen talked ahead of the Solheim Cup about having Plan B, C and D, although McGinley warns about trying to make wholesale changes too quickly if you fall behind in a team event.

“You have a plan and you absolutely don’t overreact,” McGinley explained. “We lost the first session in Gleneagles and it was important, as a captain, that I didn’t show the body language of being down, distraught, worried.

“It’s a case of, ‘that was one session, we move onto the next and we have a plan in place’. Like all plans, it must have contingencies and certainly you set out your stall for the first day.

“You don’t make changes in play, that’s when you make rash decisions too quickly without thinking them through. Depending on the score after that first day, you either carry on the plan you have in place or you use one of your contingencies.”

How do you avoid annoying players?

It can be difficult to include every player as much as they would like to, with Dame Laura Davies admitting the strength of depth in teams now makes it even more challenging to please them all.

“In the old days, you had some players who were probably only going to play one match,” Davies explained. “If it happens this week, the players know that it’s not a slight on them.

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Dame Laura Davies joins Dharmesh Sheth on the 18th hole of the Marco Simone course where she predicts there will be a nail-biting finish to this year’s Ryder Cup

“To balance the pairings out, sometimes you just need to be a little bit ruthless when it comes down to it. As I say, good players are going to be left out. And you never know, once Friday starts, there may be injuries, or maybe someone’s form is not quite right. It’s very flexible.”

McGinley added: “What’s really important in any team is a vibe and energy, and you can read it through the body language of the players. The really important thing is have a positive mindset – to embrace it, especially performing in front of your home crowd.”

How should teams line up their Sunday singles?

Rory McIlroy has gone out first for Europe on the final day of each of the last three Ryder Cup singles, losing back-to-back matches in 2016 and 2018 before winning his match two years ago, with the order players are sent out in the singles usually key in the outcome of the event.

“One thing we’ve learnt from experience that you should never do is put your weaker players, or those out of form, at the top,” 2014 captain McGinley explained. “We’ve all seen the value of momentum.

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Rory McIlroy says he has no issues with fans heckling players at the Ryder Cup, describing it as ‘part of’ the tournament

“That’s where your contingencies come in, in terms of your plan. If all is going well, you may well stagger the team, in terms of hiding in between two or three strong players or someone who might be off form. But, if you’re behind like we were in Medinah, you’ve got to front load and eat back into that lead by winning the first three or four matches.

“Sunday is not something you can set out in stone well in advance. It’s very much score dependent.”

Live coverage from the opening day of the Ryder Cup begins on Friday from 6am on Sky Sports Golf. There’s also live content each day in the build-up to the tournament. Stream the PGA Tour, DP Tour, Ryder Cup and more with NOW.