USA’s lack of pre-Ryder Cup competitive golf, pressure on the Americans to make history and Europe’s hopes of regaining the trophy all feature in a special edition of the Sky Sports Golf podcast.
Former major champion Rich Beem and former Open de Espana winner Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston join regular host Josh Antmann to look ahead to this week’s contest at Marco Simone Golf Club, where Team Europe look to regain the trophy after a record-breaking loss in 2021.
Europe head into the event as slight underdogs despite winning the last seven home editions of the biennial contest, although Beem believes Team USA can retain the trophy and claim a first win on away soil since 1993.
“If the US team can keep the crowds quiet, that will be their biggest asset, but they weren’t able to do that in France last time,” Beem told the Sky Sports Golf podcast. “Different team, different circumstances, different golf course, and I like their chances this year simply because of the golf course standpoint.
“The Americans are thinking about winning it and not thinking about the 30 years. They’re both going to have their different motivations. So long as the Americans embrace the golf course and don’t get frustrated, I think they’ll win 15-13.”
Only three of America’s Ryder Cup team have played competitively since the Tour Championship, with Justin Thomas joining Max Homa at the Fortinet Championship and Brooks Koepka featuring in the LIV Golf League, although Beem feels a lack of tournament golf won’t be an issue.
“It’s not a long week for the golf, it’s all the other stuff you have to do outside of the golf,” Beem added. “The social commitments like a dinner and then the gala dinner, then the opening ceremony. It’s not like you have a whole lot of time to yourself and that’s the one thing professional golfers cherish the most, but not this week.
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Dame Laura Davies joins Dharmesh Sheth on the 18th hole of the Marco Simone course where she predicts there will be a nail-biting finish to this year’s Ryder Cup.
“Having a few weeks off will help most of the guys. Let’s face it, it’s a long summer and a lot of golfers played from March all the way through to East Lake [in September].”
The guests discuss which team will face the most pressure this week in Rome and the players who can have the biggest impact on their line-ups, plus try and explain the types of captains Zach Johnson and Luke Donald will be.
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We explain why the opening hole of the Ryder Cup is ‘unique’ and what the players will expect at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.
They predict the potential pairings for the opening day and look at the challenges the course will offer the players this week, as well as the impact the home crowd could have on Europe’s title hopes.
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Live coverage from the opening day of the Ryder Cup begins on Friday from 6am on Sky Sports Golf. There’s also live content each day in the build-up to the tournament. Stream the PGA Tour, DP Tour, Ryder Cup and more with NOW.