The difference in culture between the US and European teams appears fairly stark by the evidence of the first couple of days at Whistling Straits.
The Europeans appear to be loose and relaxed – almost like they’re on a boy’s weekend. The team photo broke down in a fit of the giggles on Tuesday, and the team room banter had been pretty much the same.
Few convinced by ‘buddy’ video
USA 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/cX9RIzQgRJ
— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) September 21, 2021
In the US, things are quite different. There was a staged and awkward video released on twitter purporting to illustrate Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau were best buddies now, and few were convinced.
You’d think playing team golf every year – The Presidents Cup if not the Ryder – the US would really have this collective thing together by now.
There are close friends on the US team – Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas have been close since childhood. Spieth pointed out that, ten of the American team – Dustin Johnson and Tony Finau are the exceptions – have basically known each other since schooldays.
But then Patrick Cantlay suggested that, as week-to-week rivals, they don’t really connect at all.
‘There’s no way I would have spent the time’
Patrick Cantlay spends about 90 seconds ruminating on European dominance, casinos, gin skill differences, chance theory.
DJ next to the stage: “My answers won’t be that long.” 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/v74sScnyVe
— Daniel Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) September 22, 2021
“This week is great for just seeing those people with their guard down,” said the debutant. “We see them all the time, but we don’t necessarily have a real conversation with them because we’re all so busy doing our own things.
“If we were at a regular tournament, there’s no way I would have spent the time or gone out of my way to invest in a relationship with one of the other guys that I was playing against.
“Now they’re on my team and it might help me in my golf to get along with, say Xander (Schauffele). I realize that I really liked him as a person and we’ve become great friends. That would be probably the best thing about weeks like this.”
For the Europeans, the collective unit is not a forced thing dependent on this week alone. The players may be rivals week-to-week but they’re still friends, they socialise together other than in the Ryder Cup team room.
‘Everyone has a long-standing connection’
Dreams do come true! Let’s go @RyderCupEurope 🇪🇺🇪🇺🇪🇺 pic.twitter.com/QXlYENOxQK
— Bernd Wiesberger (@BWiesberger) September 12, 2021
Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger is entirely new to the team room, but he knows he’s among long-time friends.
“I think the whole European team knows each other very well,” said the final automatic qualifier. “We’ve played a lot of golf together. I think everyone in this team room has a longstanding connection with each other.
“I feel like Ian (Poulter) and myself are very similar in character. We have good banter and good fun on and off the golf course.
“You can imagine it’s always quite entertaining when you’re standing on the golf course with Ian. Regardless if it’s the Ryder Cup or whenever.”
The numbering of the European Ryder Cup players – Wiesberger, as the last qualifier, is 164 – is another thing that has bonded them, he added.
“I’m very, very proud to have that number for life,” he said. “Everybody is buzzing. There’s the individual aspect of the game, but this week we all come together as 12, yet everybody has their number and nobody can ever take it from them.
“I’m forever going to be 164, and it’s going to be amazing. The guys really loved it, and it brings a great theme, I think, to the whole week for us.”