World number three Justin Thomas has played down the United States' favouritism at the upcoming Ryder Cup despite boasting eight of the current top 10 players in the world.
The US are seeking to re-claim the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits starting on Friday, with Europe having won seven of the past nine events. Europe has also won four of the past five Ryder Cups.
The hosts boast an excellent team, including 2021 Open Championship winner Collin Morikawa, last year's Masters' winner Dustin Johnson, last year's U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau, Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Xander Schauffele and recently crowned PGA Tour Player of the Year Patrick Cantlay.
Europe only has one player currently ranked inside the top 10, being 2021 U.S. Open champion and world number one Jon Rahm.
"You can dive as deep as you want into the pairings, into who's sitting, who's playing, but at the end of the day whatever team plays the best is going to win," Thomas said.
"We have 12 unbelievable players, they have 12 unbelievable players, and it's really just who's going to go out there and get it and who's going to go out and execute the best.
"I've watched many Ryder Cups on TV, and it's who makes the putts, who flips those matches, who grinds out the halves and who gets it done. I'd go to war with these 11 other guys and our captains like I'm going to do this week, and I have all the faith in the world in all the rookies. I think their experience proves that they are beyond rookies.
"It's going to be a fun week. It was a fun week for me in France just in terms of the atmosphere and experience and all, and I'm sure the fact that it's on U.S. soil will help those nerves a little bit."
Thomas revealed he had spoken to 15-time major winner Tiger Woods, who will not join the team in Wisconsin as he continues his rehabilitation from multiple leg injuries sustained in a car crash in February.
Woods has previously been involved in the past four team events for the US in some capacity, including as captain at the 2019 Presidents Cup in Australia.
"I got together with him a couple times last week," Thomas said. "More so just going over to see how he's doing as a friend, more than as a vice captain."
"He's so into it. He obviously wants the best for our team. He wants the best for all of us. It means a lot to him.
"I think people would be surprised -- obviously you all saw in Australia how much it meant to him, but just the amount of work and the amount of hours he's willing to spend to make sure that he feels like the team is prepared and as ready to go as possible is pretty cool.
"At the end of the day he also understands that we're 12 of the best players in the world, and we know how to play golf. Sometimes less is more, so I think he's great at balancing that out."
United States bid to stem tide of European domination at Ryder Cup
Europe’s record-breaking pair of Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg were brought back down to earth as the United States attempted to launch a fightback in the Ryder Cup.
Hovland and Aberg thrashed world number one Scottie Scheffler and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka 9&7 in the second day’s foursomes as the home side moved to within five points of retaining the trophy in Rome.
But it was a different story in the afternoon fourballs as the Scandinavian pair lost 4&3 to Sam Burns and Collin Morikawa, the latter having missed a short putt on the 13th to secure an even more comprehensive win.
Max Homa and Brian Harman were also on course for their second win of the day as they led Tommy Fleetwood and Nicolai Hojgaard by three holes with four to play, with the bottom two matches much closer.
Justin Rose and Robert MacIntyre were one up on Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth after 11 holes, while Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood were all square with Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark.
Koepka and Scheffler had been five over par for the first three holes in their record 9&7 defeat, the largest margin in any 18-hole match in the event’s history.
Scheffler was pictured fighting back tears and being comforted by his wife Meredith as the enormity of the loss sank in, the previous biggest margin being 7&6.
The PA news agency understands Scheffler lobbied to be given the chance to make amends in the afternoon fourballs but was left out by US captain Zach Johnson.
The only bright spot of the morning session for the visitors came when Homa and Harman secured a first win of the contest, the former chipping in for an eagle on the 16th to see off Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka 4&2.
However, moments later McIlroy and Fleetwood completed a hard-fought victory over Thomas and Spieth, the Northern Irishman holing the winning putt from 12 feet on the 17th to secure his third point.
“Last night we talked about enjoying what we did yesterday but coming out and showing no mercy today and the way Ludvig and Viktor started off set the tone,” McIlroy said.
“I’m delighted to get another point on the board for Europe.”
Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton also had to work hard to secure their second victory together when they lost three holes in a row to Cantlay and Xander Schauffele to be pegged back to all square.
However, Hatton’s birdie putt on the 16th edged them in front again and Rahm then came agonisingly close to making a hole-in-one on the 17th.
Cantlay responded with an excellent tee shot of his own, but Schauffele’s birdie attempt from three feet caught the edge of the hole and span out.
That made the overall score 9.5 to 2.5 and meant Europe needed just five points from the remaining 16 for victory.
Jon Rahm tells Brooks Koepka his ‘childish’ antics were only low-level anger
Jon Rahm has brushed off Brooks Koepka’s claim that he acted like a child at the Ryder Cup by saying it was not even “low-level ‘Jon’ anger”.
Koepka accused the Spaniard of displaying immature behaviour and pouting during the dramatic closing stages of their opening-day fourballs encounter in Rome on Friday.
Rahm registered two eagles in the final three holes as he and playing partner Nicolai Hojgaard twice came from behind to claim half a point for Europe against American duo Koepka and Scottie Scheffler.
Referring to an incident after the US pair won the 17th hole to move one up, Koepka said after the match: “We birdied 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and lost two (holes). So, yes, I want to hit a board and pout just like Jon Rahm did.
“But, you know, it is what it is. Act like a child. But we’re adults. We move on.”
Rahm did not deny the incident when asked about it on Saturday but played down its seriousness.
He said: “I am not going to stand here and say I am a perfect example of what to do on a golf course. I play and compete the way I think I need to play and compete.
“I am not happy I left a 10-footer short on 17 to possibly tie the hole, and going up to the tee I let out some frustration hitting a board sideways. I kept walking. That was it.
“Brooks thinks that’s childish. It is what it is. He is entitled to think what he thinks. I don’t know what else to say but I am very comfortable with who I am and what I do.
“I have done much worse on a golf course, so that doesn’t even register to a low level of ‘Jon’ anger on a golf course.”
The fightback by Rahm and Hojgaard capped a superb first day for Europe which they ended 6.5-1.5 ahead and they celebrated exuberantly.
Rahm believes Koepka’s remarks probably came out of frustration.
He said: “I’ve never had an issue with Brooks. I don’t know now, but up until yesterday afternoon I thought we had a pretty good relationship.
“Listen, had I seen somebody make the putt on 18 the way I did, I would not have been the happiest of people either.
“Clearly there was a little bit of luck involved with that but it is match play. I think we saw plenty of the opposite when we were at Whistling Straits two years ago.”
Rahm was back in action in the foursomes with Tyrell Hatton on Saturday morning and the pair beat Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele 2&1. They were both then rested in the afternoon.
Rahm said: “As a competitor you want to keep going but we had a couple players finish early that had been better rested.
“It’s mentally draining and (captain) Luke (Donald) has to do whatever he thinks is best.”
Europe within five points of Ryder Cup glory after Scheffler and Koepka hammered
World number one Scottie Scheffler and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka suffered a humiliating record defeat as Europe moved to within five points of regaining the Ryder Cup in Rome.
The American pair were five over par for the first three holes as they crumbled to a 9&7 defeat by Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg, the largest margin of victory in any 18-hole match in the event’s history.
Scheffler was pictured fighting back tears and being comforted by his wife Meredith as the enormity of the loss sank in, the previous biggest margin being 7&6.
The PA news agency understands Scheffler was keen to be given the chance to make amends in the afternoon fourballs, but was left out by US captain Zach Johnson.
The only bright spot of the morning session for the visitors came when Max Homa and Brian Harman secured a first win of the contest, the former chipping in for an eagle on the 16th to see off Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka 4&2.
However, moments later Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood completed a hard-fought victory over Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, the Northern Irishman holing the winning putt from 12 feet on the 17th to secure his third point.
“Last night we talked about enjoying what we did yesterday but coming out and showing no mercy today and the way Ludvig and Viktor started off set the tone,” McIlroy said.
“I’m delighted to get another point on the board for Europe.”
Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton also had to work hard to secure their second victory together when they lost three holes in a row to Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele to be pegged back to all square.
However, Hatton’s birdie putt on the 16th edged them in front again and Rahm then came agonisingly close to making a hole-in-one on the 17th.
Cantlay responded with an excellent tee shot of his own, but Schauffele’s birdie attempt from three feet caught the edge of the hole and span out.
That made the overall score 9.5 to 2.5 and meant Europe needed just five points from the remaining 16 for victory.
Europe captain Luke Donald had warned his side to be wary of the US players reacting like “a wounded animal” as they looked to overturn a record-equalling five-point deficit, but the only wounds on show from Scheffler and Koepka were entirely self-inflicted.
Hovland and Aberg were one over par for the first three holes but won them all, the Americans making a double bogey on the first, a bogey on the second and another double bogey on the third.
Aberg was then inches away from a hole-in-one on the fourth, another birdie on the sixth took the European pair five up and with both American players struggling badly it was only a matter of time before they were put out of their misery.
Hovland was full of praise for his partner, who only turned professional in June and was given a wild card after winning the final qualifying event.
“He’s a stud,” Hovland said. “He doesn’t miss a shot, so it’s easy when I’m playing well and he’s playing well and we are just feeding off each other.”
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