Ryder Cup Sunday, Full Breakdown

We wake early in the big city, grab some breakfast sandwiches at a little corner deli just across the street from the hotel — we’re just a few blocks off times square, so the city’s already on its feet, but quieter than the night before.

The little corner deli (The Times Eatery) had the florescent HOT PASTRAMI sign, so you could count on it.

We stroll toward Penn Station, sausage/egg/cheese sandwich on croissant in hand, grab a train ticket to Farmingdale, and stuff ourselves into the train with a thousandish other not-so-hopeful Ryder Cup spectators.

We were not-so-hopeful because the 5-12 deficit (after Hovland’s withdrawal and subsequent “earning” of a half point) certainly made an American victory feel out of reach.

Now Farmindgale is a quaint village on Long Island, population 8,553 — not quite built to host an extra 70,000 people on any given day, but alas, it was so.

On our way into the village, we do some research on where we should set up shop for the bulk of the day.

Thinking we’ve got to be at one at least through the Scottie/Rory grouping, then we’ll post up at either the 11th or the 14th. The 11th had some good spots to view multiple holes at once, but there is just something about a par three that was too enticing — getting to see tee to green in one swing was a thing of beauty (we’ll chat about this later).

So we arrive at the Farmindale train station, a tiny brick building. We get in line to shuffle into one of about forty buses they had to shuttle people from train station to golf course.

Not a perfect system, but how can you have a perfect system for moving 70,000 people to a small village? I’ll say they did their best.

We make it from the big city to Bethpage black. We’ve got about three hours to kill before Rose and Young kick things off, so we knock around in the merch store, grabbed a few things and bounced out before the line grew to what looked like a thousand people.

If you’re reading this newsletter, I don’t think I have to give you the play-by-play of what happened. You know. You know who won their matches, you saw the made putts, the missed putts, the chip in, the comeback, the heartbreak, all of it.

So I’ll save you the play-by-play. I’ll give you the color.

I’ll tell you how it felt inside the gates.

Watching Cam Young birdie the 1st, and seeing Justin Rose miss a makable putt for what seemed like the first time all weekend… fireworks. It was an electric start to the day, and there was SO much chatter about how good Cam Young has been from the get.

Then we see a string of pars through the next three groups, including Scottie and Rory. Once their group finished up on one, my group and I made our way to 14 to scope it out.

It seemed everyone else had the same idea — watch hole 1 til Scottie and Rory passed through, then go find your spot.

We thought no way would 14 be packed with Young and Rose only at 5, but sure enough, the grandstand was full (and required special access), and we slipped into the third row of spectators just off the green on the left.

We had a massive video board in front of us, and the scoreboard was dancing. USA up in two matches, Europe up in four. USA in one, Europe in five, USA in three, Europe in four. Matches going from all square to one-up, back to all-square, and so on.

The early scoreboard looked about like the rest of the weekend — lots of blue.

It was right about the time that Young and Rose arrived to 14 that the tides were shifting.

Sure, the controversy on 13 with Rose’s ridiculous approach out of the woods to three feet was deflating. And sure his birdie putt right in front of my face followed up by a Cam Young miss was even more deflating.

REGARDLESS, the Americans around the course were rising when Cam was slipping. That may have been what kept Cam Young alive til the end.

JT started his comeback from down two to Fleetwood, DeChambeau had just won his second hole in a row to climb out of the pit he was in, Schauffele began his tear on the back nine — everyone started to step up, and the crowd was LOVING it. Each grey name that turned red on the board elicited a roar. Each blue name that went back to grey was electrifying.

We started to feel like we had a chance. The place was buzzzzzing.

We had seen seven groups come through 14 when we decided to post up one last place.

Note: Rose won hole 14 over Young, but after that, the Americans won the hole five times and tied five times — BIG hole for team USA.

So what happened next?

I messaged Bryce Rech on LinkedIn (funny, I know), as I saw he and the Gleezy team would be at the Ryder Cup. I basically said, “Can I swing by, would love to try a gleezy dog.” He basically said, “let’s get it.”

FYI: gleezy dogs are double smoked beef brisket hot dogs. They’re NICE.

So he got me and my crew a few wristbands to get into the PGA Member Club right off the 15th tee + fairway, overlooking the 16th green AND the 17th green in the distance.

It was an incredible setting. All you can eat dogs, snacks, and drinks inside the big tent, all you can watch golf out on the porch.

It was here where we saw Cam Young hit his massive putt on 18 on the video board. ten minutes later, we see JT do the same.

We’re high-fiving strangers, yelling USA at the top of our lungs — every American fan in a manic state. Just going berserk.

From here, we also see Henley make an insanely clutch birdie on 16, only to miss some easier ones on 17 and 18, but we won’t talk about that.

Everyone and their mother was trying to get a spot on or around 17, as the par three just gives you everything you want. And every single match except for Schauffele/Rahm made it there (which…… wow?).

Again, it was a tremendous scene.

As Lowry’s putt trickles in on 18, the American feel the gut punch we hadn’t felt all day. Up until then, we had a chance. Up until then, we had hope. So we hang our heads for just a moment, but not with shame. Just with the feeling of “so close.”

As strange as it may sound, everyone left Bethpage Black somewhat satisfied, and filled with pride for their nation(s).

Couldn’t have drawn up a better Sunday. Like I don’t feel like I was in a place to ask for an American win, so I think it was all I could ask for and more.

No team had scored more points during the Sunday singles matchup in the history of the Ryder Cup, and THAT is fun. Good on the boys for securing eight of of the twelve points.

I will do nearly everything in my power to find myself at the Ryder Cup every four years. If not every two ;)Proud to be an American.

Luke ManganOn Golf

Lots of controversy around this, as there should be.

You can’t complain too much, given that it was a rule in place before the event that both captains knew about without knowing how it might affect them.

I think it’s a silly rule, as you just never know how a half point can change the outcome (as we saw).

My frustration isn’t even really valid, only circumstantially relevant… kinda. Had Hovland played against English, Lowry’s half point wouldn’t have won Europe the match.

Even if Hovland was up three holes, the match would have continued until pretty much the very end. You never know what that hope could have done for guys like Morikawa and Burns. It could have turned their play up a notch to will out a couple victories to notch us both at 13.5 — THEN if Hovland wins or ties, Europe retains the cup.

So the bummer for me as an attendee on Sunday is that the drama ended when Lowry hit his six-footer, when really (whether Hovland was smashing English or not), the drama and buildup could have continued for the next hour or so had there been a twelfth match.

I think the most obvious solution is to have an alternate join the team in the event of an injury so things like this don’t happen.

I heard another solution from Bryce Rech, co-founder of Gleezy — pick at random a match that would be worth two points. Had it been anyone but Cantlay/Aberg, we would’ve been in business.

Let me know what y’all think about the rule.

Great little activations — sand shots, simulators, brilliant eating and drinking spots.

The whole vibe of the place was just really fun. And the perfect weather didn’t hurt.

Concessions: FREE. Grab and go burgers, dogs, grilled chicken sandwiches, waters, sodas, snacks. Super convenient. Honestly, when water costs you even $5, you’re far less likely to stay hydrated. I think I drank 8.

Bathroom situation: BAD

Stinky smelly porta-potty stations with tiny portable sinks that were out of soap seemingly everywhere. No paper towels.

Merch store: Truly as efficient as it could be — probably 80 or so registers (give or take 20 honestly idk, it was a lot). The selection was a bit combed over, leaving primarily smalls and XXLs, but you could still find a good piece or two. I got a couple hats for the wife and me.

PGA Member Club: Got in here because of my new friend Bryce at Gleezy Dog.

They showed me some hospitality, and they showed me the way to the DOGS. Something about a little Carolina hot sauce + onions on a double smoked beef brisket hot dog just got me going. And it was THEN that the Americans started to turn things around.

So 10/10 for the PGA Member Club. Also decent bathroom situation there (big win).

Shuttle Service: They did what they could. Again, hard to shuttle probably 40K people on 40 or so buses. Good bit of waiting, but the uber lot looked a whole lot worse.

OKAY NOW I’M DONE Y’ALL ENJOY.

Luke ManganOn Golf

(signing off for the second time)