While some American fans will be wary of calling for yet another overhaul ahead of the 2027 Ryder Cup, there is no question that some big changes look to be required if Team USA are going to avoid another loss on the road when they get to Adare Manor.
The previous five Ryder Cups before Bethpage arguably gave the PGA of America plenty of room to hide. Following the Miracle at Medinah, no away side came close to winning.
But that run ended in New York last month. Luke Donald‘s European side produced a masterclass over the first two days to set the stage for only the fourth away victory the event has seen in the last three decades.
None of those wins have come from American sides. In fact, Team USA’s tally of victories in that time is the same as Europe’s on away soil alone.
Michael Kim suggests a change to the Ryder Cup involving the PGA Tour
There have been attempts to transform the fortunes of the American Ryder Cup side. Paul Azinger‘s pod system reaped plenty of rewards in 2008. Meanwhile, the task force was formed in the build-up to their triumph at Hazeltine in 2016.
But Team USA seem determined to throw away any momentum they create.
And speaking on the Mayo Media Network, Michael Kim suggested that the team may be a lot better off if the PGA Tour were in charge.
“I think it’s an underrated aspect that the DP World Tour runs the European side of the Ryder Cup, and it’s the PGA of America that runs the American side. If the US team was run by the PGA Tour, there’d be way more communication between the players and the team aspect of it all. And I don’t think it would be run in a way that it just feels like there’s a bunch of bumps on the road. We see the PGA of America people once or twice a year, and that’s that. I don’t think that’s a small aspect when it comes to trying to fine tune all these little things,” he said.
“I am very curious of what [the PGA of America] thought of the Ryder Cup. Was it just a massive success because of all the money they made? I don’t even know if they truly care if the US side wins because the US has more talent, and in theory, if the US can get all those details figured, they would be winning more. Is the US winning actually beneficial in the interest and the money aspect of it sometimes? I don’t know what they would be thinking after last week.”
Why the PGA of America giving away control would potentially be bad news for Bryson DeChambeau
Of course, one player who may not want the PGA Tour to take control of Team USA is Bryson DeChambeau.
DeChambeau made his return to the Ryder Cup after missing the 2023 event. The 32-year-old qualified automatically despite only earning points for his major performances.
Admittedly, he did not have the best week in New York, contributing just 1.5 points. But you cannot question DeChambeau’s commitment to the cause.
However, it would potentially be bad news if the PGA of America ceded control. Obviously, DeChambeau is no longer a member of the PGA Tour after leaving to join LIV Golf in 2022.
The European side did include Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton this year. However, the pair continue to feature on the DP World Tour despite playing the majority of their golf on LIV.
The fact that DeChambeau, or any other LIV player, was ineligible for the Presidents Cup in 2022 or 2024 suggests that Team USA would take a similar stance in the Ryder Cup if the PGA Tour did take control.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
