The aftermath of the 2023 Ryder Cup has seen Jordan Spieth, the three-time major champion, call for a reassessment of the golf calendar. His plea comes on the heels of Team USA’s 16.5 to 11.5 defeat by Team Europe in Rome over the weekend, a loss that exposed criticism of the American team’s lack of preparedness.
The crux of Spieth’s argument revolves around closing the gap between the conclusion of the PGA Tour season and the Ryder Cup. Notably, most of the members of Zach Johnson’s defeated American side had not participated in a competitive tournament since the Tour Championship wrapped up on August 27, a full month before the Ryder Cup event in Rome.
In contrast, all 12 members of Luke Donald’s victorious European team not only participated in the prestigious BMW Championship at Wentworth on the DP World Tour but were deliberately grouped together for the opening two rounds. This strategic move paid dividends, with several European players finishing in the top 10.
Spieth contends that a revamp of the golf calendar is in order to better prepare American stars for the Ryder Cup. He suggests that the Ryder Cup should be scheduled to take place either a week or two weeks after the Tour Championship, rather than the current five-week gap, to ensure that the American players remain sharp and in form.
While Spieth acknowledges that individual preferences may vary, he believes that a tighter schedule alignment with the Tour Championship would provide American players with more opportunities to rest and participate in competitive events, ultimately enhancing their readiness for the Ryder Cup.
Spieth’s friend and teammate, Justin Thomas, also weighed in on the matter, asserting that the preparation for this Ryder Cup was not significantly different from the one that led to a historic American victory two years ago at Whistling Straits. However, he acknowledged that playing on European soil may have required more meticulous planning.
Zach Johnson, the captain of the American team, rebuffed the notion that rustiness was responsible for their performance, particularly in the opening foursomes that Europe dominated. He emphasized the importance of rest, recovery, and ensuring that the players were in a competitive state. Johnson defended the existing schedule, stating that he believed the players had put in the necessary effort to bring the Ryder Cup back home.
