The Ryder Cup could present a distraction to 11 European players at Wentworth this week. And you could be forgiven for forgetting that the BMW PGA Championship, the flagship event on the DP World Tour no less, is set to unfold with its star-studded field. Such are the details and organisation of Europe’s captain Luke Donald, who is also teeing it up this week as a two-time winner. The biennial duel between Europe and the United States casts a shadow over this corner of Surrey.
But a glowing Donald, now 17 days away from that first ball being struck in anger at what will be a raucous Bethpage Black, instils immense confidence in this group to achieve what Rory McIlroy claims is “one of the greatest achievements in the game right now” namely, winning an away Ryder Cup.
Buoyed by an emphatic victory at Marco Simone two years ago and the continuity behind 11 of the 12 players from Italy returning, with Rasmus Hojgaard swapping in for twin brother Nicolai Hojgaard, there is quiet optimism for a first away victory since ‘The Miracle of Medinah’ in 2012 and a further team bonding trip lined up for early next week.
“He [Sepp Straka, the only Team Europe player not playing at Wentworth this week] is going to be there Monday, Tuesday. We’ll be all together again, which will be great,” Donald revealed on Wednesday, with the group set to descend on Bethpage Black a little under two weeks out from the big dance, which will also attract President Trump on Friday.
“Will you get an idea of my pairings this week? Well, you can read into it however you want. There will be lots of different groups, different pairings playing together. Again, these things are never always set in stone. We always have a plan in place and another plan if things go in a different direction.
“So we’ll try and have a lot of options for the week. But obviously myself, [vice-captain] Edoardo [Molinari], the other vice captains, we’ve already had many conversations about that and started to figure it all out.”
The two-day trip ought to provide the dozen players a chance to familiarise themselves with the course, which hosted the 2002 and 2009 US Open and the 2019 PGA Championship.
The 11 present this week also met up on Tuesday night for dinner, emphasising the close bond Europe have displayed in recent editions of the Ryder Cup, something Team USA have been criticised for lcking.
“It was mostly social,” Donald added. “Again it’s a nice opportunity this week. We have so many of the players here. The caddies, obviously, and partners and wives. The partners and wives won’t be on the practice trip. So again, it’s just a good opportunity for us and be together.
“A little bit of strategy was talked about but it was mostly an event to get together.”
If the mood is relaxed now, then Monday morning, with a little jetlag, Donald can expect the team to sharpen its focus. Cramming in some final preparation and judging the hosts’ intent to modify a course known as ‘The Beast’.
“We plan to play nine holes on Monday and then 18 holes on Tuesday,” Donald revealed. “We’ll go into the city for a fun dinner Tuesday night. Because we don’t get to go into the city during the week of the Ryder Cup.
“It’s obviously on the doorstep, but it’s just far enough away and so busy that week. It’s nice to experience where we are, that New York kind of vibe.
“So between the event, yeah, some people are sticking together up in New York. Some people are going to work with their coaches. Some people are going home. It’s not all 12 together doing the same thing. I think that’s important. They are together a lot this week. If you are all together next week and the week after, maybe that’s a little overkill.
“Some of them will be together playing some courses up in the New York area, but it’s really up to them. As long as they are not flying back to Europe and have to deal with jet-lag, I don’t really mind what they do. Yeah, they all have good plans in place.”
This week presents a final chance at feedback for the pairings that will be sent out for foursomes and fourballs in New York.
Justin Rose will play with Tommy Fleetwood, while Rory McIlroy tees it up alongside Shane Lowry and Jon Rahm. Tyrrell Hatton and Robert MacIntyre combine, with the former claiming, only half-jokingly, a lot of “moaning” will take place across the two rounds. Viktor Hovland will allow Rasmus Hojgaard to pick his brains ahead of a Ryder Cup debut and Ludvig Aberg, the sensation from 2023, joins Matt Fitzpatrick on Thursday and Friday.
Molinari made a scouting trip to Bethpage Black a few weeks ago to test the lie of the land, although USA skipper Keegan Bradley could call for a late surprise.
The assumption is a course with minimal rough and fast greens, though Donald joked about a potential sluggish nine on the Stimpmeter, with greens for major championships in the United States often set between 13 and 14.
“But we’ve had plenty of events at Bethpage,” Donald noted. “There’s enough data there to understand what the course requires. Long driving is a benefit. Good putting is a benefit. Iron shots outside of 150 yards. All that kind of information we have, and again, that’s part of the process of how we put the team together and the pairings.
“But Monday and Tuesday will be nice just to kind of see how the course is laid out.”
