Team USA captain Jim Furyk has urged his veterans to “step up” and take players “under their wing” to help them end their Ryder Cup losing streak on European soil.
Furyk captains the United States at Adare Manor next September, live on Sky Sports, having previously guided Team USA to defeat in the 2018 contest at Le Golf National before leading them to 2024 Presidents Cup victory over the Internationals in Montreal.
The former US Open champion has been involved in every American Ryder Cup team in some capacity since 1997, with Team USA heading to Ireland for the centenary edition looking to claim a first away victory over Team Europe in 34 years.
Furyk’s tasks include trying to create a strong team unity within the American team and improving their abysmal foursomes record, having lost 26 of their last 34 matches in the format, although he has already identified other growth areas.
“If you saw our team room and you see they travel together, these guys get along well and they’re fine, but we haven’t got it done from a team perspective,” Furyk told Sky Sports.
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“I think we’re going to go top to bottom (to improve things). We’re going to start with the captains, getting them (the players) in better pairings and getting them more prepared in the way we practice and get ready.
“The way we look at it throughout the year, it’s not like you throw these guys together 12 days out in advance and then you figure it out! This is a process and it’s something we need to be thinking about all year long in 2027.
“I need my veterans to step up, take some of the younger players under their wing and play practice rounds with them. Let them know what the Ryder Cup is all about, what they can expect on that first tee and get them excited about making this team.
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“That process is not a one-month window. For us it needs to be a 24-month window, if that makes sense. We should be thinking about the Ryder Cup all the time and it’s something I’d like to put in place.”
Furyk has served as a vice-captain for the last three Ryder Cups since losing 17.5-10.5 at Le Golf National in 2018, where he admitted his captain’s picks left him without “horses for the course”.
He said in a pre-Ryder Cup press conference on Tuesday he would “do more than any American team has in the past” to deny counterpart Luke Donald a historic three-peat, with Furyk prepared to draw from past experiences of being involved with Team USA.
“You would have to be arrogant to say ‘no, we didn’t win, but I do it exactly the same!’,” Furyk added when asked about learnings from the 2018 loss. “Of course you wouldn’t!
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“I was getting started in that captaincy career back then. I’d played in a lot of events, but sitting on the other side as a captain is a totally different process and a totally different outlook on teams.
“I think I’ve grown as a leader. I think I’ve been a backboard for some of our captains along the way, with the experience I’ve had.
Furyk is looking to become the first captain to win on European soil since Tom Watson in 1993
“To have that opportunity now to come back as captain for a Ryder Cup, and maybe pave the way for the future for this American team, is something I’m very proud to be asked to do. I take it very, very seriously.”
Donald: I don’t want an American win on my watch!
Furyk claimed in Tuesday’s press conference his side were “underdogs” heading to next year’s contest, despite likely having a stronger side based on the world rankings, while Donald is keen to lead Europe to more success in the biennial contest.
Luke Donald is aiming to become the first captain in history to win three consecutive Ryder Cups
“I think we have a good process in place with a great team, people who work really hard behind the scenes, but every Ryder Cup is different,” Donald told Sky Sports.
“It’s a unique course, different players usually and you’ve got to bring something new, different aspects to make it fun and different aspects to get them in the right frame of mind.
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“Those decisions are ongoing and really churning around the brain, but hopefully we’ll be ready. I expect there to be a few changes this year. I think that’s good, to have a little bit of freshness, bring on the next generation of players and get them involved.
“As I’ve said many times, I think home Ryder Cups still offer the most pressure to protect that record that we have – it’s no small feat. Someone’s American team are bound to win away at some point – I just don’t want it to be on my watch!
Luke Donald is aiming to become the first captain in history to win three consecutive Ryder Cups
“We’ve had a lot of success the last four years and we’ll take that confidence into this one. We understand that we’ve defended home soil very well and I think that’s something to lean into.
“The underdog is just a mentality thing for us – we want to prove we can beat the might of the United States. “
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: skynews.com
