Ryder Cup Debate Dominates Early "Return To Golf" Week Chatter

The PGA Tour’s “Return to Golf” at Colonial features influencer-enhanced global live content executions, predictions of record-shattering ratings and all-star field. Yet on the eve of coming back after three months of hiatus, the Ryder Cup remained a a bigger topic in press conferences.

While threatening to becoming as tedious as Major League Baseball’s bickering, the debate over a Ryder Cup with or without fans continued the Charles Schwab Challenge. Team USA Captain Steve Stricker suggested a compromise might make all sides happy.

From Rex Hoggard’s GolfChannel.com report.

Although no decision has been made on that front, Stricker was confident a compromise could be reached, pointing out that if Wisconsin were to allow 50-percent occupancy, that would be good enough for players.

Where that falls with two-time Ryder Cupper Brooks Koepka is not clear. The World No. 2 reiterated his belief that money is the only reason the matches would be contested without fans, and his view that players will not play if fans are not there, fist pumps would not be forthcoming.

From Brian Wacker’s GolfDigest.com item:

“If we’re not playing in front of fans, it’s just like us playing a game in Florida,” Koepka said. “If there's no fans out there you're not going to see guys fist pumping and that passion behind it.

“The Ryder Cup is a true sporting event. It’s different than any other golf tournament we play. It’s a true sporting event, and I think if we can have fans, that’s perfect, and if we can't, it just seems kind of like an exhibition—which it kind of already is. I just don’t want to play it without fans.”

And Then There Were Six: U.S. Increases Captain's Picks Due To Shortened Schedule

Team USA Points as of June 10, 2020

Certainly the rules and norms have changed in 2020 and questions remain if there will even be a Ryder Cup. Still, it’s hard to imagine why the change to six captain’s picks announced Wednesday prior to the PGA Tour’s restart was really necessary just looking at the current standings. Unless there is something we don’t know, such as some players signaling an unwillingness to play much due to the pandemic? Only great task force minds will know.

Anyway, from Bob Harig’s ESPN.com story:

"With all the various changes to the 2020 schedule, it quickly became apparent that we would need to amend our selection criteria," Stricker said Wednesday in a news release. "After many deliberate discussions, we collectively agreed that a smaller sampling of 2020 events -- including just one major championship -- would justify a one-week extension of the qualification window and an increase in the number of captain's selections from four to six.

European Tour Chief Pelley On McKellar Podcast: Ryder Cup Decision By Month's End, Hoping For More Co-Sanctioned Events

European Tour Chief Keith Pelley was on the McKellar Golf podcast and discussed a range of issues, including the possibility of a stronger PGA Tour alliance, his few informal encounters with the Premier Golf League (which he continues to characterize as essentially a hostile competitive bid) and several questions about the Ryder Cup prospects.

About 21 minutes into he discusses the weekly calls with the other major organizations in golf, says there is “definitely a will to work together” with the PGA Tour, saying the “conversations have been stronger than they’ve ever been, where that will lead I’m not sure.”

He also made news in helping the golf world zero-in on when to expect a decision regarding the 2020 Ryder Cup, telling hosts Lawrence Donegan and John Huggan to expect a decision by the end of the month.

Steve Stricker appeared on Madison’s Golf Affect Radio Show and essentially confirmed that planning is still going forward but that a decision will come in the next two to three weeks. Tod Leonard at GolfDigest.com with the Stricker comments here.

And here is the McKellar podcast, or wherever you subscribe!

McIlroy: Players Make The Ryder Cup, Says A Majority Aren't On Board Without Fans

In an interview with BBC Sport NI (video version at the link), Rory McIlroy reiterated this desire to see the Ryder Cup postponed if it can’t be played with fans.

Worse for organizers wanting to keep the matches on schedule to the benefit of sports fans and the European Tour’s health and the 9-person Quail Hollow Marching and Chowder Society, McIlroy said his “personal hunch” is that Ryder Cup is headed to 2021.

"I think the majority of players would like to see it pushed back until 2021 so that they can play in front of crowds and have the atmosphere that makes the Ryder Cup so special.

"The players are the ones that make the Ryder Cup. If they are not on board with it and don't want to play then there is no Ryder Cup.

"I see it being pushed back until 2021 and, honestly, I think that will be the right call."

In recent weeks several people (Harrington here, McGinley here) who have reason to know what a postponed Ryder Cup might do for the European Tour’s long term prospects, have suggested a Cup without fans would be better than postponement. Presumably to keep the 2022 edition on schedule as much as any one component.

It’s a bit surprising that McIlroy did not take those hints at heart.

Lawrenson On Fan-Free Ryder Cup Showdown, European Tour Likely Returning With 1990s Purses:

Derek Lawrenson in his Daily Mail column considers the state of the players v. administrators face off over a fan-free Ryder Cup (he has the players winning right now).

Meanwhile, on the European Tour, there has been only silence in recent weeks as they try to put together a revised schedule. Expect an announcement before the end of the month, with a behind-closed-doors British Masters kicking things off a week earlier than currently scheduled in July.

All told, the revised schedule should run for five months featuring around 21 events, including a run in the British Isles in August and a strong cluster of tournaments in October. But it's a sobering reminder of the effects of the pandemic that half of those tournaments are likely to feature total prize money in the region of the $1.1 million that McIlroy won for his charity on Sunday night simply for a shot that finished closest to the pin.

Well when you put it that way…

Westwood: "Not worth it" To Travel To America For PGA, Other Tournaments

As the PGA Tour gears up for a return, the likelihood of overseas players traveling to the United States appears increasingly unlikely. Tommy Fleetwood before and now Lee Westwood, talking to Todd Lewis on Golf Central, says it’s “not worth it” to travel to the U.S. with concerns about the pandemic, quarantining and other issues.

This increasingly looms as a huge issue for the three planned majors, which pride themselves on field strength and diversity of representation. Should the rest of the world not want to come here to play, will that factor into final decisions on whether to play the rescheduled PGA, U.S. Open and Masters.

The full interview:

Padraig Budges: Might Have "To Take One For The Team" And Play Fan-Free Ryder Cup

The first drip came in the form of a column by Paul McGinley, and given that piece, combined with a thought, I gave a Shack Show quick take about how the world mood should dictate a low key Ryder Cup.

Yet key players (McIlroy, Fleetwood) and 2020 European Captain Padraig Harrington who have emphatically declared: no fans, no Ryder Cup. Harrington made his views known in early April but now the captain has budged, Rick Broadbent reports in the Times.

Padraig Harrington has admitted that the Ryder Cup could end up having to “take one for the team” and be played without fans.

The Europe captain is adamant that he and the players want spectators to be present at the biennial event in September, but accepts the decision is “above my pay grade” and different scenarios are being investigated. He also said he thought that if the PGA Tour made a successful comeback in June then it “massively” increased the likelihood of fans being allowed into the Ryder Cup.

But as Brian Keogh at the Irish Golf Desk noted on Twitter, this may be more about the very survival of the European Tour, which banks significant Ryder Cup revenue necessary for operations.

Padraig Harrington: Ryder Cup may have to take one for the team and play without fanshttps://t.co/NOFWLQCHI9

Given recent comments by ⁦@mcginleygolf⁩ and now this, finances are clearly critical.

— Brian Keogh (@IrishGolfDesk) April 28, 2020

Shack Show Quick Take: Why A Fan-Free Ryder Cup Might Be The Right Thing

After a few guests I felt there was an opening to consider the Ryder Cup/fan matter as a first world news distraction. In part, because after watching some of the recent replays and considering the times, maybe this is the year to tone things down.

It’s only about 9 minutes of my thoughts, so your input on both this Shack Show format and today’s topic is always appreciated.

In lieu of what would have been an 1100 hundred word blog post, you can just listen here at the show’s iHeart page.

Before half of Wisconsin sends hate mail, understand I was initially in the no fans/no Cup camp, and after looking through photos from Versailles in 2018, it pained me to offer this perspective knowing how many American fans were eager to root on their team at Whistling Straits.

McGinley Gently Pushes Back: Have An Open Mind About Different Ryder Cup

The last time Paul McGinley put his thoughts down on paper to expect a need to expect a different European Tour post COVID-19, the news broke soon after that several cancelled events would not be rescheduled and to expect minimalist build-outs.

McGinley has turned up again at Sky Sports to gently suggest a rush to write off a fan-free Ryder Cup needs further consideration for reasons beyond the fan component. Its not hard to sense his view that the financial strain could be problematic if the Ryder Cup is not kept on schedule.

This is a moment for all stakeholders in golf to continue to collaborate, communicate and support each other. We have no similar experience in modern times to look back on and to learn from. Having open minds could well protect the sport and some of its historic events from spiralling into crisis.

There needs to be collaborative sharing of thinking and a sense of camaraderie. We all want our sports to be back to what they were and, in time, they will be. But in the meantime let us embrace the "new norm" for what it is - an unwanted and unwelcome intruder that we will face together and ultimately control.

In the meantime, let us make the most of whatever degree of playing participation and spectatorship we are able to achieve.

For likely very, very different reasons, I support the idea as I noted in this Shack Show quick take.

The Ramifications Of A Delayed Ryder Cup

The Guardian’s Ewan Murray points out the likelihood of a Ryder Cup delay, one he says would have already happened had European been hosting in 2020.

But the dreaded scheduling compaction looms next year with the Olympics back on schedules and a Presidents Cup slated for Quail Hollow. Regarding this year’s issue, he writes:

The players need not fret; there is little or no chance of the joust between the USA and Europe taking place in that form. In public, the competition organisers might have to at least give the impression that all avenues are being explored but there is acknowledgment within the PGA of America and European Tour that a Ryder Cup minus a 1st tee cauldron or jubilant players celebrating with fans isn’t at all valid. Crucially NBC, the host broadcaster in the US, is understood to have no interest in a closed-doors scene either. Sky Sports is similarly cool.

McIlroy, Furyk No Fans Of Fan-Free Ryder Cup

1st Tee At Le Golf National, 2018 Ryder Cup

Phil Casey of PA Media reports on Rory McIlroy’s live Instagram chat for Taylor Made and his response to consideration of a “virtual fan experience”.

McIlroy himself down as a definite no:

“I get the financial implications for everyone involved … there’s a lot that goes into putting on the Ryder Cup that people don’t probably know or appreciate – but having a Ryder Cup without fans is not a Ryder Cup.

“For me I would much rather they delay it until 2021 than play it at Whistling Straits without fans. And that’s from a European going to America, knowing that I’m going to get abuse!”

Jim Furyk, the USA captain in 2018, was also less than excited about such a prospect. From his appearance on the Connecticut Sports podcast with Jared Kotler:

A @CTScoreboardPod exclusive. Hear from @RyderCupUSA Vice Captain Jim Furyk on the prospect of playing the #RyderCup with no fans. Full pod to come as we go hole by hole breaking down his 58 at @TravelersChamp pic.twitter.com/qoKxZZMv23

— Jared Kotler (@JaredKotler) April 21, 2020

Current captain Padraig Harrington has said he does not see the Ryder Cup being played without fans.

And add Tommy Fleetwood to the list, writes GolfDigest.com’s Daniel Rappaport.

A postponement obviously pushes all cup events back a year. Or, I’ll be the first to say what most of us think: cancel the 2021 Presidents Cup and play the Ryder Cup in 2021 and 2022. It’s what we all want anyway.

Organizers Consider Ryder Cup With "Virtual Fan Experience"

Currently slated to be played in September the week after a rescheduled U.S. Open, Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington has already said if fans cannot be present there will be no biennial match.

Not so fast.

The Telegraph’s James Corrigan reports of a fan-free scenario under consideration without fans. His story is titled “A Ryder Cup without fans is a ridiculous, wretched concept that should be put to bed,” so I think you can grasp where he stands.

In a radio interview Monday, PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh confirmed the concept is under consideration. With virtual fans…

PGA's Seth Waugh on a fan-less Ryder Cup (via @WFAN660): "We have begun to talk about whether you could create some virtual fan experience, and we're going to try to be as creative as we can. It's (still) to be determined, frankly, whether you could hold it without fans or not."

— Ryan Lavner (@RyanLavnerGC) April 20, 2020

The early efforts at virtual fandom elsewhere, have been mocked.

Then again, the sight of players virtual fist-bumping inflatable virtual fans as chants of “USA, USA” are piped on to the first tee, could be entertaining of satire is your thing.

Any urgency to play the biennial matches this year without fans, is a real headscratcher. Is a postponement that financially cataclysmic for the European Tour or PGA of America? Is preservation of the 2021 Presidents Cup—in the date slot you would play a postponed Ryder Cup—having some influence?

Either way, as Corrigan wrote, it’s a ridiculous, wretched concept that should be put to bed.

Padraig: Ryder Cup Will Not Be Played Without Fans And Golf Needs To See The Bigger Picture

After Monday’s premature and tone deaf rollout of a fall men’s pro golf schedule, the Ryder Cup was slotted in its original dates for Whistling Straits in September.

During a BBC radio interview, 2020 European Captain Padraig Harrington said he does sense organizers will carry on with a fan-free Ryder Cup. From Reuters:

“Non-golfers and golfers around the world watch the Ryder Cup because of the tension that’s created by the spectators.”

Harrington said he held discussions with Ryder Cup organisers regarding the possibility of postponing the event but continues to plan for it to go ahead as scheduled.

“There are bigger things too than the Ryder Cup. It’s a big deal in golf but we have to see the bigger picture,” the three-times major winner added.

“I hope that we get our chance to play. I think it’s something that can bring people together and is something to look forward to and enjoy.”

Mitzvah! PGA Of America Is Able To Locate More Ryder Cup Tickets, Sending Make-Good Emails To Some

I knew somewhere down in Palm Beach they’d find an extra stash of 2020 Ryder Cup tickets and sure enough, reports Brian Wacker for GolfDigest.com, the PGA of America is trying to make up for a massive ticket sale snafu despite claiming as recently as 24 hours ago that only 2000 were snubbed.

PGA CEO: Less Than 2000 Customers Shut Out Of Ryder Cup Tickets...

We have no way of knowing the numbers, but PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh tells Golfweek’s Roxanna Scott that only 2000 were shut out of 2020 Ryder Cup tickets.

Apparently nearly all of them just happened to take to Twitter to complain.

“We’re thrilled obviously with the reaction of it being sold out to the point where we got overwhelmed with tickets,” he said, while noting the PGA went back and found less than 2,000 customers who were shut out of the online process and delivered their orders.

“I think the reality of anything is mistakes are going to happen, problems are going to come up,” Waugh said. “How you deal with them is what defines you.”

When asked how there was ticket inventory available to fulfill the requests, Waugh joked, “We’ll be a little more crowded now. We created inventory; that was fair. We had clients that did everything right and didn’t get fulfilled.”

This does not address the most common refrain from those scorned by the balky system: why were there already inflated tickets on the resale market offered as an option to those rejected?