Pebble Beach, CA …
As the role of Captain of the 2018 USA Ryder Cup side sinks in, Jim Furky admits his Stars and Stripes team face a daunting and difficult task defeating a European Team not happy with the 2016 Hazeltine result.
Europe’s defeat late last year at Hazeltine was the first occasion since 2008 they had lost a Ryder Cup.
New European Team Captain, Thomas Bjorn and along with the backing of the European Tour, brought in a lot of change to qualifying that have already been well document.
But on the occasion of month month in his new role, Furyk was asked again the task facing his USA Team later next year in suburban Versailles.
One month into his role as USA Ryder Cup Captain and Jim Furyk states it will be a difficult and daunting task to defeat Europe on ‘home’ soil. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)
“Well I’ve been reminded a number of different times that the last time it happened, that the U.S. won on foreign soil was 1993 so So well aware of it”, he said.
“What I really think that Ryder Cup Europe does so well, I like the way they hold the Ryder Cup events on venues where they play championships. Play the Belfry, Valdarama, Celtic Manor, the K Club, and now the Le Gegolf National. So the French Open I think has been there the last 24 or 26 years, if I’m correct.
“Every one of their players will be familiar with that golf course and I heard it’s quite a good golf course. So, that being the case, it is definitely a home field, a home course advantage for the European side. And I think that’s very wise.
“It will be a daunting task. I realize that they aren’t going to be happy with the results in 2016, it’s been awhile since they lost, so it’s going to sting, I think that Thomas is going to be a wonderful captain, very organized. He’s got Rory as kind of his player/leader as well.
“They have kind of tried to change their system a little bit in identifying their best 12 players. So, they’re going to come all guns blazing and firing and on a golf course that they know very well. So, it will be a difficult task, but I think that we will, I know I am and the 12 folks I know qualifying on the team will be real anxious to play that event and we look forward to that challenge.”
