Butch Harmon praises USA's task force for role in Ryder Cup victory
Monday 3 October 2016 07:43, UK
Butch Harmon reflects on the involvement USA's task force had in Ryder Cup victory and looks back at an impressive win for the hosts at Hazeltine.
You definitely saw unity in this American team, which meant they came to Hazeltine relaxed and showed a lot of confidence. The USA has had the task force as part of their preparation, which enabled them to look back at past Ryder Cups to see what Europe had done.
They came here with a better team in terms of the world rankings, but that means nothing as you still have to go out and win. They learned from Europe and these guys played their tails off this week to go out and win this thing.
"I guarantee when we get to France on that big golf course you're going to see even more people than you did out here and see all the blue everywhere."
The captain forms his whole strategy and I think it took the Americans a heck of a long time to figure out that wasn't working. They knew they needed to start preparing like the European team have been doing and that has finally happened this week.
Tiger Woods has helped out this task force so much this week and he wears Steve Stricker out every day. I was out here with Steve when Tiger called on Monday, and he had to go out of the team room for 45 minutes just to talk about seven different pairings he had in his mind.
He was involved with a pod which included Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed and stuck with them the whole time. He did the practice rounds with him, he ate with them and followed their matches.
Love was going to stand the pair down and Tiger told his captain they will get them another point, which they went and delivered.
How the 2016 Ryder Cup Was Won
I loved the fact that Woods stayed in the background and did what he did this week. It was Davis Love's team and he respected him as captain.
Noisy crowds
I know a lot of the traditionalists don't like all the whooping and hollering, but that's the way it is. It's 2016, it's the world we live in and you're only going to see more of this in the future.
I guarantee when we get to France on that big golf course you're going to see even more people than you did out here and see all the blue everywhere.
The Ryder Cup is an experience for everybody and not just for the players, us on television or the fans here at the course. There's nothing wrong with the music and the tournament is only going to get bigger and bigger.
Ryder Cup Golf
