Jordan Spieth has openly questioned USA’s preparations for the Ryder Cup after admitting he wouldn’t have chosen such a huge gap between the PGA Tour’s last big tournament and taking on Europe.
Zach Johnson’s side crashed to a 16.5-11.5 defeat in Rome to an in-form Europe side whose team had all made the cut two weeks ago at the BMW Championship in Wentworth, where seven of the top 10 were in Luke Donald’s side.
But Johnson’s men by comparison looked rusty as many , including Spieth, had not played competitively for almost five weeks since the Tour Championship from August 24-27. Spieth felt it contributed to USA’s slow start in Italy where they lost the opening foursomes 4-0 and trailed 6.5-1.5 after day one.
It didn’t impress Sky Sports commentator Andrew Coltart who said: “Who on earth in their right mind thinks the best way to prepare for a Ryder Cup is to take five weeks off? Nine of the 12 American players took five weeks off. That’s disgraceful.”
After handing the trophy back, Spieth , 30, who won only one point in Rome, responded: “The entire day Friday, was not what we were looking to do. And it’s really hard to come back in an away game when you fall so far behind.
“If you asked us when we would like to play the Ryder Cup relative to our schedule, I think we would probably say, give us a week after The Tour Championship or two weeks after and then go, instead of five.
“For me personally, I’d like to feel pretty sharp going in and obviously individually, I did not have the opportunity to even play any of those events where I may have. But that’s just how I feel.
“If it were tighter to our Tour Championship and/or even if it were later and we had more of an opportunity to get a little rest and play more of an event or something, then it helps a bit.”
Zach Johnson watches USA slump to defeat in Rome
(Image credit: Getty Images)
But captain Johnson, who brought his team to Rome to play the course in early September on a two-day scouting mission, insisted he was happy with their schedule and their preparations.
Asked if their schedule was to blame, Johnson responded: “My first reaction would be no. I mean, there’s also something to be said about rest…
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