
How 'roster construction' impacts Ryder Cup bubble

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Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Rory McIlroy Shows Faith in Luke Donald Amid Ian Poulter's Ryder Cup Warning
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Rory McIlroy was recently spotted soaking up the sun at a beach club in Saint-Tropez, where the Masters champion gave the perfect reply to a fan asking about his green jacket. "It's on the yacht," McIlroy replied as captured in a viral video posted by NUCLR Golf on X. But while his vacation video went viral on social media, McIlroy's recent interview with David Novak reflected that he certainly hasn't drifted from the next big battle at Bethpage Black. TROON, SCOTLAND - JULY 16: Luke Donald of England and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walk on the eighth hole during a practice round prior to The 152nd Open championship at Royal Troon on July... TROON, SCOTLAND - JULY 16: Luke Donald of England and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walk on the eighth hole during a practice round prior to The 152nd Open championship at Royal Troon on July 16, 2024 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by) More Getty Images The Northern Irishman became the first automatic qualifier for Team Europe, marking his eighth consecutive Ryder Cup. "I've played in seven of them. I really hope I play in seven more. I don't know if seven is achievable, but it's the best experience you can have as a professional golfer. It's amazing," McIlroy shared on the 'How Leaders Lead with David Novak' podcast. He spoke about the intensity of representing Europe and how being "sort of talisman for the European Team and trying to lead by example and trying to set the tone and ... bring the rookies along" makes him absolutely "love that stuff." But that was not all. The five-time major winner also showcased his faith in the European team captain, Luke Donald, giving a strong reply to doubters. Rory McIlroy shows confidence in Luke Donald Just a few days ago, Ian Poulter publicly warned Team Europe to brace for the sheer volume and intensity awaiting them at Bethpage. "Luke (Donald) has got a venue in Bethpage Black that is going to be very loud, very raucous. We've had numerous events at that location in the past, so they certainly know what they are going to be in for," Poulter told Sky Sports. But McIlroy's string of praise for Donald and his team showcased the solid status of Europe. ROME, ITALY - OCTOBER 01: Rory McIlroy of Team Europe celebrates winning his match 3&1 with Luke Donald, Captain of Team Europe on the 17th green during the Sunday singles matches of the 2023 Ryder... ROME, ITALY - OCTOBER 01: Rory McIlroy of Team Europe celebrates winning his match 3&1 with Luke Donald, Captain of Team Europe on the 17th green during the Sunday singles matches of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf Club on October 01, 2023 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by) More Getty Images "The one thing about Luke was his demeanor, his tone, his whole attitude throughout the week (Ryder Cup 2024) never changed," McIlroy told Novak during the interview posted on YouTube. "That's the sort of, you know, steady ... rock-like leadership that ... if you're a team and you're looking at your captain and he looks like that all the time, that just gives you so much confidence," he continued to tell Novak as quoted. "Whether he (Donald) thinks he knows what he's doing, but he looked like he knew what he was doing, right?" McIlroy added how the European captain "just had this air of complete confidence and comfort and every time a player looked (at Donald), they just got the sense that, you know, no matter what happens, this guy's got everything under control. And that is, you know, to have a leader like that is amazing." Donald's calm presence in Rome left a lasting impression last year, and that kind of leadership might be exactly what Europe needs in New York as team Keegan Bradley gears up to bring back the trophy home. More Golf: Jon Rahm, Lee Westwood Slam OWGR System Ahead of Ryder Cup Selection


USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
What does a PGA Tour tournament director think about six months from an event?
The 2025 American Express PGA Tour event in La Quinta had perhaps the most inauspicious start in the tournament's six-decade history. A week before the tournament world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler withdrew from the tournament, the result of minor hand surgery from a cooking accident. Then just days later, Xander Schauffele, at the time the No. 2 player in the world, and winner of two major championships in 2024, withdrew with a rib injury that would keep him off the tour for weeks. Somehow, the tournament's executive director said, those two losses didn't damage the desert's PGA Tour event that much. 'I don't think it did,' said Pat McCabe on Wednesday. 'Anytime you lose the world No. 1 and No. 2 in your field, it's a hit, whatever you think. But it's not like they played the following week. They were out for a period of time. I can't recall exactly when they returned, but it was multiple weeks after for AmEx. And our field was still again very strong. So that is something for us to hang our hat on.' Those high-profile withdrawals were six months ago, and with six months remaining before the 2026 American Express, McCabe finds himself thinking about everything from the strength of the field to ticket prices to bands for concerts next January. Austrian Sepp Straka won the 2025 American Express, and while he might not have been a household name for American fans despite already playing in a Ryder Cup, Straka has kept the name of The American Express event alive since his win. He won a second time this year at the signature Trusist Championship and is third in the season-long FedEx Cup race behind only Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. Here are the things McCabe and his team from SportFive are focusing on six months away from the next The American Express: Players McCabe admits the attempt to recruit players to the La Quinta tournament won't really ramp up for a few months. 'Look, they just finished their final major of the year. Scottie (Scheffler) put on a clinic over there at the British Open),' McCabe said. 'They are going to turn their focus to the FedEx Cup playoffs and then the Ryder Cup. So really not until some point in the fall will we start engaged and having discussions with guys. That's when they are making their schedules. These guys are committing later and later, so we will start diving in an engaging in the fall at some point and look to make the announcements on that same cadence something in the fall and early winter.' Sponsorships Title sponsor American Express is signed through 2028, but smaller sponsorships for hospitality venues and the like still need to be the focus for the tournament. 'Sponsorship is a big one for us. We've got a great list of returning partners for us. That's one of the things. We tear the golf tournament down, we are off the property mid-February,' McCabe said. 'And then it is all full-speed ahead of renewal of sponsorships, critiquing.' McCabe said increasingly sponsors are signing multi-year deals, meaning the tournament doesn't have to seek renewals each year. Many of those sponsorships include berths into the tournament's pro-ams, either a Monday or Wednesday one-day pro-am or the official three-day pro-am starting Thursday of tournament week alongside the PGA Tour pros. McCabe said he's having to make some difficult phone calls these days to tell golfers wanting to purchase pro-am berths that there is no space for them because of the berths going to the growing sponsorship roster. That sponsorship roster is helped by American Express. 'They have got their various relationships within the business community, but also they are able to introduce us to partners of theirs,' McCabe said. 'But a lot of the credit goes to our host organization, Impact Through Golf. Our board of directors is very well connected, so they have been extremely instrumental in soliciting sponsors, making introductions, kind of having people come one year and experience the tournament as a participant and then getting their company involved.' Bands McCabe laughs when he admits he gets as many questions about who the bands for the Friday and Saturday concerts will be as who the professional golfers in the field will be. Last January, those bands were Journey and Little Big Town. McCabe isn't ready to announce the 2026 bands yet, but the tournament is close to finalizing those deals, he said. 'We are hoping to announce much earlier than normal,' McCabe said. 'We have got offers out, one actually I think is very close to confirming. The other one, hopefully they will confirm within the next week or two. Historically, we haven't been able to launch until end of October, early November time frame. Our ultimate goal is we could be in the market by mid-September.' Golf courses For the 11th consecutive year, the three-course rotation for The American Express will remain the same, with La Quinta Country Club, the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West and the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West being played each of the first three days, and the Stadium Course hosting Sunday's final round. The 2025 event was dominated by talk of renovations to all 18 green complexes at the Stadium Course, which led to firmer greens and higher scores on the course. McCabe said he's aware only of some small tweaks to four of the Stadium Course greens, nothing that will likely impact play in 2026.


USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Here are our favorite apparel options featured in Peter Millar's 2025 Ryder Cup collection
We're just 60 days away from the loudest, most raucous and entertaining spectacle in all of professional golf. The 2025 Ryder Cup will be held Sept. 23-28 at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, as the United States side looks to recapture the cup from the European team, who won it in 2023. Before the best players in the world head to the Big Apple, it's time to gear up with official 2025 Ryder Cup apparel from Peter Millar. The brand's Ryder Cup collection features a solid selection of polo shirts and outerwear so you can show your spirit for the game's greatest international competition. Check out some of our top picks below. Shop Peter Millar Ryder Cup collection Peter Millar - 45th Ryder Cup Jubilee Stripe Performance Polo The Ryder Cup emblem pops off this bright red striped Jubilee Performance Polo from Peter Millar. The shirt itself — included in Golfweek's favorite polos of 2025 — features the brand's signature "Summer Comfort" fabric makeup, which wicks moisture away from your body and allows for maximum mobility and stretch, promising a cool and comfy round on the golf course without sacrificing style or class. Peter Millar - 45th Ryder Cup Ryder Reversible Vest For a lot of us, fall weather can be unpredictable. It can be cool and damp in the morning and then warm and sunny in the afternoon. When you're playing golf in conditions like that, you need something versatile. What better way to celebrate fall golf than with a Ryder Cup-branded reversible rest from Peter Millar. This classic-looking piece is half windbreaker, half cozy sweater. One side features water-resistant microfiber material. Flip it around and you have Merino wool. This one is essential for your fall golf wardrobe. Peter Millar - 45th Ryder Cup Stealth Performance Quarter-Zip By the time the Ryder Cup rolls around, we'll be past the hottest months and depending on where you live, the weather could require a little outerwear. If that's the case, the Stealth Performance Quarter-Zip is exactly what you need. It's an ultra-lightweight pullover made from mostly polyester that wicks moisture and provides protection from the sun. It does all of that while looking sharp and fresh. Shop the entire Peter Millar Ryder Cup collection