By Frank Pingue
FARMINGDALE, New York (Reuters) -Defending champions Europe face the ultimate Ryder Cup road test this week at Bethpage Black where dealing with a raucous New York crowd may prove as crucial as sinking putts in their clash with the United States.
A vocal and partisan crowd expected to include U.S. President Donald Trump will be out in full force when the three-day, match-play competition at one of the nation's most renowned public golf courses begins on Friday on Long Island.
In a bid
to prepare for the challenge that passionate U.S. fans could present, European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald gave his players virtual reality headsets with programmed crowd abuse that simulates the hostile atmosphere expected.
"That's the stuff that we are going to have to deal with. So it's better to try to desensitize yourself as much as possible before you get in there," Rory McIlroy, the most experienced Ryder Cup player on either team, said.
"You can get them to say whatever you want them to say. So you can go as close to the bone as you like."
Europe arrive as champions after their 2023 triumph in Rome, bringing back 11 of those 12 players with only newcomer Rasmus Hojgaard replacing his twin brother Nicolai in a battle-tested lineup.
The Danish rookie earned the sixth and final automatic qualifying spot alongside McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Tyrrell Hatton. Donald used his six captain's picks on Ludvig Aberg, Matt Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka.
"Although the team itself is similar to Rome, I have approached this captaincy from a very different angle," said Donald. "A different challenge requires different thinking and strategies."
There is an undeniable home-course advantage at play in any Ryder Cup, which in addition to partisan crowds includes the ability for the hosts to set up the course to their advantage.
'EXTRA SPECIAL'
Each of the last five Ryder Cups, dating back to 2014 at Gleneagles, has been won by the home side, matching the longest such streak of its kind.
Europe has won the Ryder Cup on American soil three times in the last 30 years, most recently in 2012 when they pulled off a stunning final-day comeback referred to by many as the "Miracle at Medinah".
Keegan Bradley will lead a U.S. team that includes automatic qualifiers Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English and Bryson DeChambeau. Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay, Ben Griffin, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas and Cameron Young were the captain's picks.
In total, seven players return from the Americans' record-setting 19-9 Ryder Cup rout at Whistling Straits in 2021 — the most points ever garnered under the current 28-point format, which began in 1979.
Bradley, who surprised many by not selecting himself to be the first Ryder Cup playing captain in 62 years despite having played well enough, anticipates an atmosphere unlike any other.
"The Ryder Cup at Bethpage is going to sort of transcend the golf world," Bradley said. "I think it's going to become an iconic North American sporting event. Anytime you play for your country in New York, it's extra special, but especially at a place like Bethpage Black."
The Ryder Cup, one of the most captivating spectacles on the sporting calendar, begins on Friday with morning foursomes followed by fourballs in the afternoon. The same schedule will be played on Saturday before concluding with 12 singles matches on Sunday.
History favors the Americans when this setup is in play: the U.S. own a 9-3-1 record in Ryder Cups where foursomes have led off play on both Friday and Saturday.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Ed Osmond)
