Garrett Johnston recaps a memorable week in Wisconsin where a record-breaking Team USA dispatched Europe
What was Ryder Cup week like on the grounds at Whistling Straits?
Brilliant. The fans were loud but not over the top. And though very few came over from Europe, it was refreshing to see (and hear) the Guardians of the Cup on the first tee.
Paul Casey celebrated with them Saturday afternoon, taking photos and going arm in arm with the group to some songs and dances.
A couple members of the Guardians mentioned to Golf Monthly how much it meant to them to hear American fans tell them their singing and excitement for the event made their Ryder Cup experience even more thrilling.
Now to the golf.
The Americans put together a performance and team that should fit among the all-time best in this event (since Europe began competing).
Related: Ryder Cup Player Ratings
And on Sunday, the one match that Europe was favored in was Jon Rahm versus Scottie Scheffler.
For the Ryder Cup rookie to take down the best player on either team in Rahm was the nail in the coffin for Team Europe.
In fact, as Scheffler finished up his last putt, his caddie Scott McGuinness wiped away tears as he held the pin a few few behind him.
In seventeen years of caddying, he would be hard-pressed to have his player win any match or event of this magnitude.
The opponents don’t get any bigger or more intimidating than Rahm, especially the way he was playing going into Sunday.
Just the day prior, when Scheffler made a resounding birdie on fifteen with Bryson, McGuinness said the crowd roared so loudly “it felt like we were on the field in an NFL stadium,” McGuinness said.
“What a putt and what a chilling feeling to be a part of that moment.”
The U.S.’s win gets me thinking about who might be their new leader now that Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson seem to be done with their playing contributions (Though you never know with Tiger).
Justin Thomas seems to claim that position now as the emotional leader.
On both Saturday afternoon (post-beer chug) and Sunday many from the crowd yelled “drink us another beer JT!”
And he acknowledged each with an index finger raised in the air.
J.T. might just be that guy they need to lead them against Europe and what would figure to be some younger teams from the Blue and Gold going forward.
Was this the last hurrah for Westy and Poults in the Ryder Cup as players?
We’ll see. Nonetheless, it was a fun Ryder Cup, even if the score didn’t reflect as close a race as most of us wished.
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Garrett Johnston is a Golf Monthly contributor and host of the Beyond the Clubhouse podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @JohnstonGarrett. He’s covered over 30 major championship and three Ryder Cups. The 2012 Miracle at Medinah remains his favorite event he’s ever attended to this day.
