2023 Ryder Cup Day 2: Is This Thing Over Yet?
Following a historically bad opening day at the 2023 Ryder Cup by way of not winning a single match outright, Team USA showed signs of a heartbeat on Saturday.
The European squad maintained a healthy lead over their opponents at the completion of play, leaving only a handful of points required to win the Ryder Cup once again. Captain Luke Donald’s Euro squad earned three more points during Saturday morning foursomes while Zach Johnson’s US Team finally secured a full point. Max Homa, who has been the best American player thus far by a wide margin, and partner Brian Harman defeated the duo of Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka 4&2.
Saturday’s afternoon four-ball rounds were the least lopsided of this year’s matches as the Americans managed two outright wins to show some life in what feels like an inevitable loss overall.
In typical Ryder Cup fashion, media outlets spent most of Friday evening and Saturday generating rumors of team discontent on the American side. Reports of a mysterious illness circulating among the locker room were sparked by Zach Johnson’s press conference, which included about as vague a description of whatever “it” was as you’ll ever hear. We then saw a hat-less Patrick Cantlay on the course, coupled with reports that it was some sort of silent protest for not getting paid to play in an exhibition match.
That’s right: Patrick Cantlay, who was once caught on a hot mic suggesting PGA TOUR players were “pampered fucks,” apparently wants to be paid to play in the Ryder Cup. That’s where we are right now.
We now head into Sunday’s single matches where the European squad is very likely to come out victorious once again on home soil. The American squad staging a historic comeback is possible, but about as likely as… well, a player being paid to play in the Ryder Cup.
Afterwards, we will see the traditional team press conferences where — should Team USA lose — questions about Cantlay, Zach Johnson’s coaching decisions, and mysterious illnesses will be asked and left unanswered. Sounds bytes and memes will abound, once again highlighting how truly unremarkable this haphazard team of golfers is.
The only saving grace is that Week 4 of the NFL season will compete with the conclusion of these matches, providing American fans an alternative to what will otherwise be a forgettable experience.
