If you like, using Trump speak, it's all about making America great again. Where once upon a time the United States owned this Ryder Cup, and only occasionally loaned it out to the opposition, the shift in the power base to Europe has been dramatic: only twice in the last eight meetings has the USA won, which is the sort of statistic that neither lies nor is crooked. It's a fact.
Can Europe, under Darren Clarke’s captaincy, maintain the stranglehold? The odds are stacked against them, for a number of reasons. The USA is hungry, even vengeful. The much-touted task force has reinvigorated desire for a victory. The course has been set-up to aid and abet, with only minimal rough and greens that have speeded up to 12 on the stimpmetre. The whole place has been wrapped in red, from the grandstands to fencing. It’s been dedicated to the spirit of the great Arnold Palmer. They’re up for this like never before.
And yet; and yet . . . Europe, underdogs and all that, still have bite.
And, as each day has turned into another since the team’s arrival here on Monday, there has been a growing sense that Clarke’s team can spoil the party. Why not? After all, as Lee Westwood pointed out, the team may possess six rookies but they’re not rookies in the true sense of the word. One of them is a Masters champion, the others all tried and tested tournament winners.
For Westwood, there is also the sideshow of seeking to pass Nick Faldo as the all-time record points scorer for Europe. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wanted to get past Nick’s record, because anyone involved in sport wants to break records. That’s what drives us all on, to be able to say you’re the best at anything. But if you give me a choice of not winning any points and the Europeans winning the Ryder Cup, then that would definitely come first. It’s all about the team this week,” said Westwood, who needs two and a half points to overtake Faldo.
But Westwood’s right, it is about the team; because, as alien as the concept is for players who week-in and week-out play selfishly and for their own benefit, there is a bigger picture this week. And Europe have proven pretty efficient at bonding, something which the Americans - inspired by the task force - are seeking to emulate this time.
As Clarke observed of their copycatting, “It’s a compliment in the fact that obviously we have been successful, otherwise they would not want to try and copy what we have been doing to a certain degree. But I think it’s also a compliment to themselves. I think it’s a compliment to Ryder Cup America because they crave and they want success. It’s like any team, if your results aren’t the way you want them to be, you to try to figure out a way to improve those results. I think the highest compliment that anybody can play is to try and maybe copy or take a look at a few of the components that make up our success. The task force I look at as a huge compliment to the European Tour.”
What Clarke knows full well, though, is that his team - well, six of them - know what winning the Ryder Cup is all about. They know what it takes, both home and away. And as vaunted as the USA team is, but definitely not the “greatest” to have played as Davis Love III would make out, Europe also has an X-Factor with current Major champions Henrik Stenson and Willett in their ranks, Olympic gold medallist Justin Rose and, perhaps most pertinent of all, Rory McIlroy.
Certainly, Europe cut quite a dash at the opening ceremony, suited - all with Arnold Palmer’s trademark umbrella pins in their lapels - with matching sunglasses that had every appearance of men on a mission.
The McIlroy factor - coming on the back of his Tour Championship/FedEx Cup double triumph in Atlanta on Sunday - is huge. He’s in good form, enjoying himself as demonstrated out the course in the final practice when high-fiving an American heckler who’d been brought inside the ropes to successfully hole a putt that himself and Andy Sullivan had failed to sink.
All good fun and, thankfully, far removed from the fear that the home crowd would be soured by Danny Willett’s brother’s magazine article that the Masters champion conceded had “tarnished” his first Ryder Cup.
“Obviously it’s been tarnished, it’s been pretty tricky for me to get back on and fully focus. It’s an unfortunate one as a rookie. Just trying to focus has been the toughest thing. What was said was said, and there’s no going back on anything like that,” admitted Willett, a player, in the circumstances, more anxious than most that the real matter of hitting golf balls under pressure gets under way. As he proved at Augusta, Willett is made of stern stuff. He’ll stand strong, with Westwood’s influence an important factor too.
If Europe is to win, and claim an historic fourth Ryder Cup win in a row, then Clarke will require all of his headliners to perform. McIlroy. Stenson. Rose. Westwood. Sergio Garcia. Martin Kaymer. These six, men who have experienced it all before, will likely be asked to carry the biggest load with it then shared out to the rookies. McIlroy, Rose and Garcia can expect to play all five sessions. Stenson too if his knee holds good.
It’s a challenge for Europe, a big ask. But achievable none the less; historically so! Europe can be great again.
Friday morning foursomes matches (all times Irish)
Jordan Spieth & Patrick Reed v Justin Rose & Henrik Stenson (1.35pm)
Phil Mickelson & Rickie Fowler v Rory McIlroy & Andy Sullivan (1.50pm)
Jimmy Walker & Zach Johnson v Sergio Garcia & Martin Kaymer (2.05pm)
Dustin Johnson & Matt Kuchar v Thomas Pieters & Lee Westwood (2.20pm)
