It has been said that two things are certain in life: death and taxes. These days, all and sundry can add a third: Europe winning the Ryder Cup. True, the United States managed to salvage some measure of pride after a remarkable comeback bid on the last day of the competition at Bethpage Black. On the other hand, there was still no sugarcoating the shellacking it received, never mind its supposed home-soil advantage and the rowdy — if decidedly unsportsmanlike — crowds that unnerved the visitors.
Interestingly, the US will again be the clear underdog when the Ryder Cup goes to Adare Manor in two years. Notwithstanding the Ireland course being closer to the grip-it-and-rip-it type than to the links-style setup commonly found in the continent, it bears noting that the red, white, and blue have not won abroad in an eye-popping 32 years. There is an overriding reason, to be sure; Europe has become adept at retrofitting venues to favor its stalwarts’ predilections with a club in and on hand.
Too bad the US isn’t nearly as proficient in performing the task. In the aftermath of its latest setback, captain Keegan Bradley admitted he made mistakes in constructing Bethage Black so that his charges would get a leg up against their Europe counterparts. There was no need for him to own up to the gaffe, of course; the historically lopsided 4.5-11.5 score at the end of two days of competition was acknowledgment in and of itself. He said the locker room remained upbeat on the eve of singles play, but, really, no amount of chest-beating could have prevented the denouement.
In truth, the defeat went beyond poor pairings or misjudged layouts. It reflected a deeper malaise, with the US long on talent but short on cohesion and still mistaking individual brilliance for collective resolve. By contrast, Europe continued to thrive on chemistry and clarity of purpose. Every decision of returning skipper Luke Donald seemed deliberate, every move rooted in strategy. And his stalwarts weren’t just swinging well; they were playing for one another, amplifying strengths in ways the competition could not replicate. Against this impressive show of cohesion, Bradley’s collection of world-beaters looked strangely diminished once forced to share the stage, even in familiar territory.
And so the cycle threatens to repeat. Unity honed through shared purpose and institutional memory appears slated to meet disjointed ambition anew in two years. The US may yet tinker with analytics, captains, and lineups, but unless it learns to build from the inside out, the ending will remain the same; another Ryder Cup loss to Europe, another inevitability, another ridiculous constant of the modern game.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.