2021 Ryder Cup: Steve Stricker Deserves Tons of Credit
By Tim Letcher
The 2021 Ryder Cup was all about Steve Stricker. And, with all apologies to the European team, Stricker made it count.
Having the Ryder Cup not only on home soil, but in his home state of Wisconsin, Stricker made all of the right decisions. And in doing so, Stricker helped the United States earn back the Ryder Cup in dominating fashion.
It actually started prior to this week. Stricker made all of the right calls with his captain’s picks, all of whom played a role in helping the American onslaught.
Stricker and European captain Padraig Harrington went in opposite directions with their captain’s picks. Stricker decided to go younger and opt for the best players, while Harrington decided to go with more experienced, and older, players.
That move made Stricker a genius and Harrington, well, not so much.
Stricker assembled a team of America’s young guns, leaving out the likes of Webb Simpson, Patrick Reed and Kevin Na. To say that it worked would be quite an understatement.
The U.S. captain put together a game plan that worked. His pairings on Friday and Saturday got the U.S. team off to a great start.
The Americans displayed team chemistry this week that they have missed in the past. That’s absolutely because of Stricker, the way he picked the team and the way he led them on the grounds at Whistling Straits.
Whereas the Europeans have generally fared well on Friday and Saturday in the most recent Ryder Cups, it was the Americans who jumped out to the lead this week. And Stricker’s plan worked perfectly.
Harrington, on the other hand, seemed to struggle to find scenarios that favored his team. Outside of the Jon Rahm-Sergio Garcia pairing, the Euros struggled big time over the first two days.
This is a week that Stricker will never forget. And for the Americans, who featured a number of players still in their 20s, it’s hopefully the beginning of a nice Ryder Cup run. If that happens, Steve Stricker should be given a lot of credit.