Photo from Google Images
Most of you probably missed the Ryder Cup action due to college football and the NFL taking over your weekend. Maybe you were watching your team win 53-3 or your maybe team got their butts whooped 21-43. If you didn’t see team USA put on a clinic on the golf course, but if you have internet, you saw the star spangled awesome celebrations of golf’s finest.
What is the Ryder Cup?
Every other year the USA competes against the Europeans in the most laidback professional golf tournament you will ever see. It’s a parrrrtaayy for pride. If golf was an Olympic team sport with a stocked beverage cart and it is basically the Ryder Cup.
There are 28 points to be won over three days of matches. Day one and day two both have four, four-some matches in the morning and in the afternoon for a chance to win eight points each day. Day three has 12 points up for grabs with 12 single matches. Summary- each match is worth one point.
There are no extra holes played if both players are tied after 18 holes. They each earn a half point. Unlike normal PGA tournament golf, players can concede a stroke to his opponent. This means the opponent can pick up his ball and take the score he would have scored on the next stroke and the hole is complete.
The teams are selected by team captains and the captains select the matchups. It’s difficult for the team captain to play and also be the coach/leader/matchmaker. Arnold Palmer was the last USA team captain that also played in 1963. Steve Stricker was the OG team captain for team USA. The selection process is forever changing for Team USA, but the team captain does get to pick four of the 12 players. However, winning a major, an Olympic medal, the Players Championship, or the World Golf Championships will get you on team USA too.
The craziest difference in the Ryder Cup is that there is NO PRIZE MONEY! With all the money from TV contracts, sponsorships, fan attendance and merchandise, these guys are playing for pride and a trophy.
Bottoms Up!
Team USA won the 43rd Ryder Cup in a dominating 19-9 fashion. That’s the largest margin of victory since continental Europe joined. The Europeans were definitely in Dire Straits at Whistling Straits Golf Course. Now, that’s something to chug about. In summary, team USA sure did their fair of chugging adult beverages.
DJ was ready to party after winning all five of his matches. Only three other Americans have gone 5-0-0 in a single Ryder Cup. (No grounding in the bunkers this time.) As the oldest member of team USA, the Coastal Carolina University came out of DJ when asked if he still had the stamina to out-party all these young guys tonight?
https://twitter.com/lukekerrdineen/status/1442274420177915908?s=21
“Next Question”!
A simple google search will remind you that DJ can party with anyone, anywhere. Someone, please give DJ a cold beverage and a microphone for every interview moving forward. Chugs all around for team USA.
The 2023 Ryder Cup will be at Marco Simone in Rome, Italy.