The scoreboard at Medinah Country Club shows a 17-13 victory for the United States, but that number hides a much messier story. It was the eleventh straight win for the US, yet the International team played with enough heart to make the victory feel anything but easy.
Brandt Snedeker’s squad had to fight through a massive hole to get the job done. It looked like the momentum was shifting toward the away side right before the final session.
The Foursomes Strategy Disaster
The Americans might have the best individual talent on the planet, but they sure can struggle when they have to play as a pair. According to ESPN, the US team was actually quite bad in the alternate shot matches this week. After taking a small lead in Thursday’s best ball, the US dropped every single one of their five foursomes matches on Friday.
The International team actually held a 7-2 advantage in those specific matches. It is hard to win a team event when you cannot find a way to work together. Even the world number one, Scottie Scheffler, went 1-8-0 in foursomes during team competitions. That is a tough stat to look at when you are trying to build a winning culture.
A Toxic Environment for Visitors
Winning the trophy is one thing, but the way the fans acted was just plain wrong. It was a sad sight to see the behavior of the American crowds during the matches. Per Golf Monthly, almost every shot taken by the International players was met with insults like “get in the water!” or “get in the bunker!”
It created a toxic atmosphere for the visiting players. It is no wonder Nico Echavarria struggled under that kind of pressure. Golf is supposed to be a respectful game, but the crowd felt like it was losing its soul in these American team events. We need to do better when the players arrive at Adare Manor next year.
The Strength of the US Roster
Despite the mistakes in strategy, the raw power of the American roster is undeniable. The US team brought seven of the top 10 players in the world rankings to Chicago, including six of the top eight. This level of talent is why they were able to storm back to win nine singles matches on Sunday.
Brandt Snedeker was incredibly proud of how his players responded to the pressure. “I’m super proud of them,” Snedeker said. He noted that the group stayed resilient even when things looked grim.
