The first major showdown of the 2027 Ryder Cup has begun
Jim Furyk has wasted no time in claiming the underdog role for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor. The American captain made his first move in the opening battle for the match, promising that his team will be “prepared” after a run of “issues”, particularly in foursomes, and that changes are coming.
“We’re the underdogs. I know it’s always been played, we come in, the Americans seem to be the favorites,” Furyk said this week at the “Year to Go” Ryder Cup press conference. “This year, there’s no chance that that could happen. We’re the underdogs. We understand that. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. And you know, I’m excited about that process. I’m a process guy and kind of get ducks in a row and put these guys in a good position and let our guys go out and show their talent.”
An Old-School Tactic
Convincing yourself and your team that you are the doubted or the disrespected is an old-school motivational tactic that still persists across sport. Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart regularly says that “everyone” has counted his team out, even when it sits at the top of the polls and the national title odds. Dabo Swinney often refers to his team as “little ole Clemson”, a nod to the days when the Tigers were seen as a tier below the sport’s elite. Cornerback Richard Sherman routinely convinced himself that opponents disrespected him, just to get fired up before kickoff.
The Ryder Cup captaincy has increasingly become about building team chemistry, choosing the right pairings and pushing the right buttons to get the most out of a group of world-class golfers. Furyk has looked at an American side that has been dominated in the last two Cups, including a home loss at Bethpage, and has not won in Europe since 1993. He has staked his claim to the underdog role accordingly. At this point, any lever a U.S. captain can pull that might work is worth a shot.
Donald Refuses to Cede Ground
Luke Donald, however, is not willingly giving up the underdog ground. The Europeans have thrived in that role ever since the United States overwhelmed them at Whistling Straits in 2021.
“I tend to agree,” Donald said when asked about Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker saying the U.S. team will “be a problem” at Adare Manor. “I have zero complacency about how strong the U.S. are going to be. They always are. On paper, they tend to be stronger than us through the World Rankings. Obviously, we have a great record at home, but again, zero complacency. You know, I’ve seen what Jim has been doing behind the scenes, changing the stats, changing the qualification system. He is very, very motivated to come here and put up a good fight. Certainly, I’m just as motivated to sort of keep finding those edges for my team as well. But you know, I know that the U.S. will be very strong.”
Donald is aiming to become the first captain to win three straight Ryder Cups. He has built a winning culture that has bonded and brought out the best in a group of players who are, as he puts it, bred to play for themselves 103 out of every 104 weeks. He has done this by focusing on small details, crafting a good experience for his players, and leaning into the history of the Ryder Cup, what it means to represent the European flag, and the idea that they are the underdogs.
“We’re caretakers of this European jersey right now,” Rory McIlroy said after Europe’s win in 2023. “And we’re hopefully going to pass it on in the future in a better spot than where we found it.”
“It’s the ability to walk through those gates and those doors and forget about who you are outside of this week. What you have done or what you may do afterwards, really truly doesn’t matter,” Jon Rahm said.
If you are playing for something bigger than yourself and believe you have been counted out, a galvanising force often takes effect, one that causes everyone to raise their level. That has been the case for a European side that buys into everything Donald lays out.
So as Furyk tried to take the underdog ground from the Europeans, Donald pushed back, explaining that being the underdog is more than a proclamation. It is an ethos.
“For us, underdog is a mentality,” Donald said. “We always want to prove something to ourselves, to the rest of the world. Yeah, we understand that being at home is an advantage but we also know that the U.S. are very strong.”
A Battle for the Next Year
This battle will rage for the next year. The Americans will talk about Bethpage and how dominant the Europeans are on home soil. The Europeans will counter by citing the official world rankings. Who wins the four majors in 2027 will further shape the fight to be the underdog, and it will be up to the captains to harness that narrative for their own side. For Donald, it will be more of the same, with a tried-and-true method of getting the best out of his side. For Furyk, convincing a talent-laden American roster that they are the doubted ones could go a long way towards pulling off something few think is possible. It might be their only hope.
“It’s going to be difficult,” Furyk said of winning in Ireland. “Irish fans, Irish sports are amazing, but folks are going to come in droves from all over Europe to support their favorite countrymen and I need 12 guys. I’ve been saying it all week, I need 12 guys that love that atmosphere and love walking into that type of arena because it takes a certain mentality, and those are the guys I’ll be looking for.”
The path to victory at Adare Manor has already started. To the underdogs go the spoils.