FARMINGDALE, NY. What looked like a snore-fest after the first two days of the 45th Ryder Cup became more interesting as the USA team made a rally during the singles matches but ultimately fell short in staging the greatest comeback in the event’s history.
Notwithstanding what happened at Bethpage, the Ryder Cup has always been an evolving competition. Thankfully, Jack Nicklaus suggested that Continental Europe be added starting in 1979 because of the lopsided nature of the matches played between the USA versus Great Britain & Ireland.
The overall point total has also been altered as well as how the specific formats are scheduled and implemented.
Prior to this year’s event at Bethpage and dating back to 2012, the home team had won all five matches by a large margin.
The key in any sports competition is to keep events interesting so fans are engaged from start to finish.
Here are a few improvements that can add even more firepower to the biennial tussle.
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Raise overall point total from current 28 to 44.
The event would be extended one day — commencing Thursday and concluding Sunday. Why do this? Having more points allows for more matches to be contested. The breakdown of the format for the matches would be the second improvement.
Add another singles session to jumpstart the matches.
The start of the Ryder Cup on a Thursday would begin with 12 singles matches. The ebb and flow of the singles sessions is what gets fans really engaged. Not necessary to wait till the last day for this to happen. Having two singles sessions — at the beginning and end — would add plenty of fan excitement.
Add one additional match in the foursome and four-ball segments
This would force the respective Captains to think long and hard because they would only be able to bench two players – rather than four now.
Settling tied matches after 18 holes.
Any match ending in a tie is played-off — max of three holes. If tied after that it remains tied with each side securing half a point.
Announce Captain’s pairings face-to-face.
The pairings for Ryder Cup matches are done separately by each Captain. Each places names in a sealed envelope in the specific order they wish to have them play and they are announced at the same time.
Change the process so that each Captain sits across from one another the day prior to those scheduled matches and is broadcasted by the network televising. The visiting Captain announces his first choice and then the home Captain announces his. The point / counterpoint method would only add to the excitement in what is about to happen when those matches take place.
All players must play a minimum of four matches in the expanded format.
The existing rules allow four players to sit out the foursomes and four-ball matches. To prevent Captains from stacking respective line-ups by “hiding” players the change would mean each player must play no less than four times out of the six scheduled segments.
Captains would need to be smart in seeing how they would place players who may not be in good form knowing they can only keep out two players.
A tie for the Cup is resolved with each side naming one player to go head-to-head for a maximum of three holes.
At the 2003 Presidents Cup played in South Africa it was decided that should the match be tied at the conclusion of play – each Captain would select one player to go head-to-head with one another. The Captains, Jack Nicklaus (USA) and Gary Player (International) respectively, chose Tiger Woods and Ernie Els.
The two played three holes and the result between them was tied after that. Both teams then agreed to share the Cup because of approaching darkness.
In the change suggested if the match between the two players is not completed in three holes, then the team that possessed the Cup coming into that match retains it.
This type of ending would have some actual competitive purpose and bring into play another level of suspense missing now.
