From Donald to Donald and it’s my turn. From the leader of the United States government to the leader of this Ryder Cup. From Trump to Luke. The American president, who appeared at Bethpage on Friday for the start of the afternoon fourballs session, was as prominent as he can be. He greeted everyone, talked to everyone, and the only thing he didn’t do was take one of the tee shots. He accompanied Bryson DeChambeau almost to the very spot from where he was to take his first shot. Trump. Nothing surprising.
Among his conversations, he had a brief one with the European captain. They talked for a few seconds. According to Luke Donald, Trump said to him: “You know, you’re becoming a great leader.” It was kind of him to say so. It was nice that he decided to support this tournament. We don’t know if this comment sat well with Keegan Bradley, but in terms of leadership, it’s not something only Donald Trump has noticed. It’s evident in every movement, statement, or gesture of the European captain. He handles himself like a fish in water, while his American counterpart is seen on more than one occasion overwhelmed by events.
Luke Donald emerges strengthened from the first full day of the Ryder Cup. His plan, for now, is working. Europe leads by three points, and he is satisfied. He knows it’s just the beginning, and he won’t be the one to celebrate prematurely, but he is especially proud of how his players dealt with the crowd’s storm, as well as the performance of his main stalwarts: Tommy Fleetwood, Rory McIlroy, and Jon Rahm. “They have shown great mental resilience. Just look at some of the putts they holed when needed. The noise increases as the day progresses. There are a lot of stands. A lot of hospitality. In the afternoon, perhaps people have had a few too many drinks. The volume goes up, and the guys handled it with absolute class and composure. They did it impressively, although it means nothing unless we reach 14½ points on Sunday.”
Regarding Fleetwood, he highlighted the fact that he is the player with whom most teammates have wanted to pair up, while emphasizing Rory’s leadership role in the locker room, with his way of speaking and expressing his desire to win away from home, as well as Rahm’s different type of leadership. He didn’t hold back on praise. “I believe Jon hasn’t lost a pairs match —fourballs or foursomes— since Paris. He is an incredible leader for us on and off the course, especially with how he plays, a leader. He always looks to help in any way he can to contribute to the team. He likes to lead and go out first. He is someone who wants to make much of his ‘speech’ with the golf clubs, and that’s what he brings to our team and our room. All our teammates respect that a lot,” he explains.
Additionally, Donald described Fitzpatrick’s play as dazzling and was especially proud of how he managed to gel with Ludvig Aberg. In this regard, he gave much credit to Edoardo Molinari, the numbers and analytics man in the European locker room. “He has a big part in our strategy and how we approach pairings and order. He is very in tune with those things. He is a great asset for me,” he notes.
