Brandt Snedeker praises plan for USA Ryder Cup success
By Camilla Tait
Last Updated: 28/09/16 7:38pm
Brandt Snedeker is full of praise for the USA's "unbelievable" team room, adamant that this year there is a real plan in place for Ryder Cup success amongst the home side.
The United States are hoping to extinguish their Ryder Cup losing streak on home soil this week at Hazeltine, and according to Snedeker, they are confident that the USA task force have found their winning formula.
Snedeker was quick to compliment Davis Love and his five vice-captains for bringing their unwavering commitment and energy to the group, assured that this is the start of a new beginning for the Americans and their fortunes in the Ryder Cup.
"We've got an unbelievable team room," said Snedeker. "We've got an unbelievable list of vice-captains that Davis is leaning on and letting us kind of push and talk to and kind of figure out our way of doing things.
"When you have that many guys caring about one common goal and they are the best players of our generation, you'd better believe it's going to motivate the rest of us.
"'I feel like the task force has done an unbelievable job in giving us every opportunity to be a success. I know everybody pokes fun at it and talks about it, but going forward I feel like it's a new beginning for the American side of the Ryder Cup.
"I feel like for the first time... there's a plan in place for us to be successful."
Alhough Snedeker would not elaborate on the ins and outs of the plan for success, the 35-year-old was happy to single out Bubba Watson, eager to underline his dedication to the USA cause despite having missed out on the last captain's pick and being drafted in last-minute as a vice-captain.
"I know if I was in Bubba's situation, I would not be here," said Snedeker. "To take time out of his schedule to come up here and be a part of the team when he could be, rightfully so, upset about not being picked... and he is not. He's 100 percent keeping us joking in the team room and being a water boy and a cart boy and whatever else you want to call him, and he loves it. It shows you what kind of a guy he is."
While Snedeker found himself in the seventh qualification spot to confirm his second Ryder Cup outing, Cup veteran Matt Kuchar found himself in the same unfamiliar territory as Watson and had to rely on a captain's pick for the first time.
"This is the first time I've had to be picked," said Kuchar. "It's never a position you want to be in. You have to think, hey, I've been seen as value, both as a player, as a person, to be part of this team. So there is a nice silver lining. But I certainly am thrilled to be part of this team."
This year's Olympic bronze medallist has been on three losing Ryder Cup teams in a row, and is hoping this year the American team will be able to put their hands on the trophy on Sunday.
Both Kuchar and Snedeker were part of the losing team in 2012, dubbed 'The Miracle at Medinah' for the Europeans, and it is an event Kuchar believes the United States team has to put behind them.
"In regards to what happened at Medinah, you kind of have to have a bit of a short memory and move forward," said the 38-year-old. "In order to win this thing, we've got to play good golf. I can't rely on what I did last week or last month. I've got to play good golf on Friday and Saturday and Sunday in order for us to have a chance of winning.
"A lot of us, we've been on a lot of losing teams, but it sure would be nice to feel the joy of winning one of these Cups. I think we're all hoping to taste that feeling this week at The Ryder Cup."
