Ryder Cup: 5 Key Takeaways from Hazeltine National

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Sep 27, 2016; Chaska, MN, USA; Team USA vice-captain Tiger Woods and Matt Kuchar of the United States stand on the fourth green during a practice for the 41st Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports /

Team USA Was More Than 12 Men Deep

The Americans told countless stories about how much of a team effort was put into this Ryder Cup. Whether it was Tiger Woods and Bubba Watson patrolling the course and giving bits of advice throughout the week or Phil Mickelson’s leadership in the team room, the Americans put in a unified effort.

Most importantly, this effort translated into points on the course. For the first time since 1975, when Arnold Palmer’s Americans bested Great Britain and Ireland 21-11 at Laurel Valley, all 12 members of Team USA had a hand in winning at least one match during the week. In fact, this feat was completed by the end of Saturday afternoon’s session, and was three-fourths completed after the first session on Friday morning.

One of the main factors in having such a deep squad was Davis Love’s use of his captain’s picks. The four wildcard selections paid off big time for the Americans, with Rickie Fowler (2-1-0), J.B. Holmes (1-2-0), Matt Kuchar (2-2-0) and Ryan Moore (2-1-0) combining for a 7-6-0 record. Their performances set the tone for many of the players who played their way onto the squad, all while setting the record for the most combined wins from captain’s picks in a single Ryder Cup.

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