Jim Furyk has suggested that Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley switching the holes they teed off on during the Ryder Cup should not have happened, and was an indication of how far Team USA finds itself behind Europe.
Furyk is the man tasked with leading Team USA at the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor. He is looking to become the first American to captain a team to victory on European soil since 1993.
Advertisement
Team USA also suffered a humiliating loss at Bethpage last September.
Jim Furyk assesses the problems Team USA had at the Ryder Cup
While the scoreline may give the impression that the matches were fairly close, anyone who watched the 2025 Ryder Cup will know that there was a huge gulf between the two teams.
The American side included the players who won three of the four majors last year. There had also not been an away winner of the Ryder Cup since the Miracle at Medinah in 2012.
However, the European machine was able to steamroll over Keegan Bradley‘s men over the first two days. Europe won all of the first four sessions in New York.
Advertisement
The good news for fans of the American team is that Jim Furyk is refusing to put the defeat down to Luke Donald’s side being better on the greens.
And speaking on the Fore Play Podcast, Furyk shed light on some of the changes that need to be made, pointing to one incident involving Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley.
Photo by Maddie Meyer/PGA of America via Getty Images
“I think the quality of golf on both sides was pretty incredible. But obviously Europe outplayed us. Statistically, the putting stats, did you see anything from Data Golf? Did you see the shots gained putting? We heard the shots gained putting, we were down like 18 shots or something in putting, and Kevin [Kisner]’s first reaction, he goes, ‘that’s impossible. That’s physically impossible or almost?’ And they said yeah, they’d never seen anything like it. Just saying it’s putting, that’s really taking the chicken s— way out to be honest. We got outplayed,” he said.
Advertisement
“We played a lot of great golf. They came up with key moments. They chipped in. I remember Jon Rahm chipping in on the eighth hole, it was one of the most incredible shots I’ve ever seen. From the position he was in, getting it within 15 feet would have been amazing and he dripped one in. They came out with key moments, big shots, big iron shots. We saw a ton of them going into the 16th green to that back right pin, just firing at flags and hitting some great shots.
“But you’ve got to look at it from a whole organisational standpoint. I think it starts with us as captains. I think you look at our pairings, how we match people up, we had Scheffler and Russ go out odds and evens one day and switch the next day. Things like that should not happen. We have to take a look at our organisation and how we manage that top to bottom.”
Jim Furyk comments on Team USA’s recent struggles in foursomes
It is definitely a step in the right direction for Team USA. While it may not do them many favours for the 2027 event, a full reset is definitely needed.
Advertisement
Yes, they can take some positives from last year. However, they are never going to close the gap unless they put some strong foundations in place. Furyk’s comments suggest that they plan to do that.
There are certainly some easy wins to be had, including improving the American team’s performances in the foursomes.
Furyk has suggested that Team USA cannot expect to win the Ryder Cup consistently unless they make a significant improvement in that format.
“We have been awful in the alternate shot. I loved alternate shot. When I started playing in the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, we were good at that format. We were formidable. That’s why we liked to start with that format,” he said.
Advertisement
“But, I think I’m correct in this, we go 1-7 in Rome, and a seven point victory in Montreal, we go 3-6 in alternate shot. We got blanked one session 0-5. And then we go 2-6. By my count, that’s like 6-19, the last three cups in alternate shot. With the talent we have, we need as captains, we have to put these guys in better positions to succeed.”
Furyk is saying a lot of the right things as Team USA look to win away from home for the first time in more than three decades.
It is going to be fascinating to see how he goes about trying to solve the problems he has identified.
Read the full article here
