Jim Furyk has wasted no time setting the tone for the 2027 Ryder Cup. The American captain has vowed that his team will be “prepared” when it arrives at Adare Manor, and he has already claimed the underdog role for the United States, even though the Americans have usually entered matches as favourites.
Furyk acknowledged that the American side has had “issues” lately, particularly in foursomes, and he confirmed that changes are coming. Speaking at the “Year to Go” Ryder Cup press conference this week, he made his position clear.
“We’re the underdogs. I know it’s always been played, we come in, the Americans seem to be the favorites,” Furyk said. “This year, there’s no chance that that could happen. We’re the underdogs. We understand that. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. And you know, I’m excited about that process. I’m a process guy and kind of get ducks in a row and put these guys in a good position and let our guys go out and show their talent.”
A Familiar Motivational Tactic
Convincing yourself and your team that you are the doubted or the disrespected is an old-school motivational tactic that still persists in sport around the world. Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart regularly says that “everyone” has counted his team out, even when it sits atop the polls and the national title odds. Dabo Swinney often refers to his team as “little ole Clemson”, a nod to the days when the Tigers were seen as a tier below the sport’s elite. Cornerback Richard Sherman routinely convinced himself that opponents disrespected him, just to get fired up before kickoff (see: Baker Mayfield, 2019).
The Ryder Cup captaincy has increasingly become about building team chemistry, choosing the right pairings and pushing the right buttons to get the most out of a group of world-class golfers. Furyk’s American side has been dominated in the last two Cups, including a home defeat at Bethpage, and has not won in Europe since 1993. By staking his claim to the underdog role, Furyk is pulling whatever lever he can. At this stage, any approach that might work is worth a try.
Donald Refuses to Cede the Ground
Luke Donald has no intention of handing over the underdog status. The Europeans have thrived in that role ever since the United States overwhelmed them at Whistling Straits in 2021.
“I tend to agree,” Donald said when asked about Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker saying the US team will “be a problem” at Adare Manor. “I have zero complacency about how strong the U.S. are going to be. They always are. On paper, they tend to be stronger than us through the World Rankings. Obviously, we have a great record at home, but again, zero complacency. You know, I’ve seen what Jim has been doing behind the scenes, changing the stats, changing the qualification system. He is very, very motivated to come here and put up a good fight. Certainly, I’m just as motivated to sort of keep finding those edges for my team as well. But you know, I know that the U.S. will be very strong.”
Donald is aiming to become the first captain to win three straight Ryder Cups. He has built a winning culture that has bonded world-class players, who are used to playing for themselves 103 weeks out of every 104. He has achieved this by focusing on small details, crafting a good experience for his players, leaning into the history of the Ryder Cup, and emphasising what it means to represent the European flag, along with the message that they are the underdogs.
“We’re caretakers of this European jersey right now,” Rory McIlroy said after Europe’s win in 2023. “And we’re hopefully going to pass it on in the future in a better spot than where we found it.”
“It’s the ability to walk through those gates and those doors and forget about who you are outside of this week. What you have done or what you may do afterwards, really truly doesn’t matter,” Jon Rahm said.
Underdog as an Ethos
If you are playing for something bigger than yourself and believe you have been counted out, a galvanising force often takes hold, one that causes everyone to raise their level. That has been the case for a European side that buys into everything Donald lays out.
As Furyk tried to take the underdog ground from Europe, Donald pushed back, making clear that being the underdog is more than a proclamation. It is an ethos.
“For us, underdog is a mentality,” Donald said. “We always want to prove something to ourselves, to the rest of the world. Yeah, we understand that being at home is an advantage but we also know that the U.S. are very strong.”
A Battle That Will Rage On
This battle will continue for the next year. The Americans will point to Bethpage and to how dominant Europe has been on home soil. The Europeans will counter by citing the official world rankings. Who wins the four majors in 2027 will further shape the fight to be the underdog. It will fall to the captains to harness that narrative for their own side. For Donald, it will be more of the same, as he has a tried-and-true method of getting the best out of his players. For Furyk, convincing a talent-laden American roster that it is the doubted one could go a long way towards pulling off something few think is possible. It might be the only hope his side has.
“It’s going to be difficult,” Furyk said of winning in Ireland. “Irish fans, Irish sports are amazing, but folks are going to come in droves from all over Europe to support their favorite countrymen and I need 12 guys — I’ve been saying it all week, I need 12 guys that love that atmosphere and love walking into that type of arena because it takes a certain mentality, and those are the guys I’ll be looking for.”
The path to victory at Adare Manor has already started. To the underdogs go the spoils.