Dress rehearsal before the Ryder Cup: Scheffler wins, vice captain surprises

Last weekend, the 24 Ryder Cup players from both teams completed their last preparation tournaments. Die PGA Tour And the DP World Tour served as an unofficial dress rehearsal for the duel in New York. While the Americans showed a show of force in Napa, California, a vice captain of all people surprised European competition in England.

Scottie Scheffler dominates - US team is ready

that Team USA Assembled almost entirely at the Procore Championshipto prepare for the upcoming match. It was an event where Captain Keegan Bradley not only watched his team play, but also promoted cohesion. The best performances came from Scottie Scheffler and Ben Griffin, who made up the tournament among themselves.

Scheffler, the current number 1 in the world, won with a commanding 67 final round. His performance sent a clear message to the European team: He is in absolute top form and ready to lead in Bethpage. Scheffler himself emphasized the importance of staying in competition mode. “It would be unusual to take a break four or five weeks before the Masters or the U.S. Open, so there's no reason to do that before the Ryder Cup to do,” he said.

Successful preparation on the US side

Griffin, who was in the lead for a long time, had to settle for second place in the end, but showed a combative attitude. “It's just a shame to end up like this,” he commented, “but not everyone is a robot like Scottie. I'll work on that over the next week and hopefully sink every single putt in the Ryder Cup.”

Other US players also showed solid results. J.J. Spaun finished in sixth place, Cameron Young in divided ninth place. Patrick Cantlay (T-30) and Justin Thomas (69th) were struggling, but the overall impression of the team was convincing. Scheffler's victory, who claimed his 19th career title, rounded off a successful preparation.

Bryson DeChambeau shows team spirit

One of the most remarkable stories of preparation happened off the pitch. Bryson DeChambeau, whose participation in the Procore Championship was impossible due to his suspension from the PGA Tour, nevertheless traveled to Napa to support his team from the edge of the fairways. This gesture was highly appreciated by his teammates.

Collin Morikawa emphasized the new team spirit: “We've thrown all this individual aspect to the wind. Bryson's example shows that we do everything we can to be one.” Captain Bradley also praised his player's efforts. “He is ready to give everything for the team. That shows how good a team player he is,” he said, adding that DeChambeau is a “great addition” to the team.

Vice Captain Noren triumphs, Europe is looking for form

At the BMW PGA Championship In Wentworth, almost all European players competed to play in. But the victory went to a player who isn't even in the team: Alex Noren, vice-captain of Team Europe, prevailed in the playoff and won his second title in this prestigious tournament.

Noren's strong run, which began with another win at the British Masters, sparked speculation about the captain selection, but the Swede coolly downplayed the situation. “I think we have a great team and it's the right twelve guys playing,” said Noren. “I showed my good form too late and I think the guys in the team are going to be fantastic.”

Team Europe with fluctuating performance

The actual team members showed mixed results. Viktor Hovland, Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick finished in a divided fifth place and delivered solid performances. Jon Rahm (T-13) and Rory McIlroy (T-20) showed with strong laps on Sunday that their form curve is pointing upwards. McIlroy summed it up: “There was a lot of talk and thought about the Ryder Cup, but you still want to play well this week.”

Other Europeans had more to fight for: Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry finished the tournament in a split 46th place, while Robert MacIntyre and Rasmus Højgaard missed the cut. After the tournament, the team flew straight to New York for a two-day course tour on the Bethpage Black Course, a measure that, according to Captain Luke Donald, was decisive for the team's success in Rome as early as 2023. “That's something that worked really well for us in Rome,” he explained. Shane Lowry also emphasized the importance of the trip: “We got together and went on our trip to Rome. When we arrived in Rome for the Ryder Cup, it felt like we'd never been apart.”