European Ryder Cup backroom staff team member Edoardo Molinari has made an interesting point about the ‘envelope rule’, following Keegan Bradley’s frustrations last month.
The Ryder Cup ‘envelope rule’ is one of the more obscure regulations of the competition.
The envelope rule had been enforced only twice in the history of the Ryder Cup, before this year’s edition of the competition, of course.
And now Edoardo Molinari has given his opinion on whether the rule should be scrapped entirely.
Keegan Bradley called for the envelope rule to be changed urgently, after Viktor Hovland was forced to withdraw from the Sunday singles matches with a neck issue.
Some have accused Bradley of ‘sour grapes’ after his American team lost the Ryder Cup, but is there a better way to deal with injuries at the competition?
Edoardo Molinari discusses the envelope rule after Keegan Bradley’s Ryder Cup comments
Molinari was speaking on the Fried Egg Podcast about the envelope rule, and the fallout from it after the Ryder Cup.
He was asked whether he agrees with Bradley in that the rule should be scrapped.
Molinari said: “I think the envelope rule is the lesser of two evils probably.
“If you had a 13th guy around, the 13th guy would have played a practice round and then just sit around all week.
“I don’t know, I don’t think that’s a great idea.
“The other thing I heard was that if someone is injured, you just lose your point. But that opens the door to, well if one of my players is injured I’m trying to out him out in one of the first few games and get one of the best players out from their team as well. That means Scottie Scheffler or Bryson would not have played on Sunday, which is pretty s—-y.
“Obviously it happened this time, I don’t think it should be changed because most of the time it’s irrelevant and it doesn’t happen very often at all.
“You have to think also that players would love to go out and play on Sunday. So if Viktor had any chance to go out and swing a club, he would have gone out and maybe lose a point or maybe win a point, we don’t know.“
Colt Knost disagrees with Edoardo Molinari on the envelope rule dilemma
Colt Knost has a completely different opinion to Molinari.
He was speaking on Trey Wingo’s podcast, and made it very clear why he believes the envelope rule is not fit for purpose.
Knost said: “I do. I know it’s been used three times since it came about. 1991 was obviously a massive moment when Steve Pate had to pull out because of injury.
“In ’93, Sam Torrance for the Europeans had to pull out.
“I just don’t like the rule. Guys like Harris English, this should be his last Ryder Cup and he doesn’t even get a chance to go out there in Sunday singles, and that sucks.
“Also, if you have a guy that’s struggling, I’m not saying Viktor did this, he’s not that kind of guy. But if you do have a guy that’s struggling you can say, ‘hey man we can say your back hurts of something and you get a half point.
“I’m all for carrying 13 guys and the only time you can put that sub in is on Sunday singles, just in case that happens. Either that, or the team that has a player who withdraws, you lose the point.“
This actually seems to be the best solution to the problem.
Sure, whoever the 13th man is will be seriously lacking match sharpness, so to speak, by the time the Ryder Cup singles matches roll around.
However, having a reserve would surely be the fairest way to deal with any players potentially suffering an injury before the singles matches begin on the final day of the Ryder Cup.
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