Keegan Bradley insists the envelope rule that handed both teams half a point before the Sunday singles session of the Ryder Cup, and forced Harris English to sit it out, has to change.
The rule was brought into play for just the third time in Ryder Cup history when Team Europe’s Viktor Hovland withdrew from the final session at Bethpage Black with a neck injury – the same reason he missed the Saturday afternoon four-ball session.
That put Bradley in the unenviable position of needing to tell English that he had no part to play in the session as he was being paired with Hovland in a match never to be played, with each team awarded half a point.
At the start of play, that looked particularly beneficial to the Europeans as it left them needing only two points to retain the trophy and 2.5 to win it outright.
In the end, the Europeans won the match 15-13 in dramatic circumstances, with the margin of victory just enough to ensure a greater controversy surrounding the envelope rule didn’t erupt.
Team Europe won the Ryder Cup 15-13
(Image credit: Getty Images)
That’s because, if Team Europe’s points tally had stalled at either 14 after retaining the trophy, or 14.5 after winning it outright, hypothetical questions would surely have been asked as to what might have happened had all 12 matches been played as planned.
That would have left the chance of either team being able to take a full point from the English vs Hovland match rather than half. For example, a 14-14 tie would have become a 14.5-13.5 US victory with an English win.
Following a brilliant comeback from the US, which saw them give Luke Donald’s team an almighty scare having begun the day 12-5 behind, Bradley insisted the rule needs a rethink, and admitted he has some thoughts as to what could replace it.
The US mounted a brilliant comeback, but it wasn’t quite enough
(Image credit: Getty Images)
He said: “I have a few ideas, but I’m not going to tell you right now. I mean, the rule has to change. I think it’s obvious to everybody in the sports world, in this room. Nothing against Viktor. But that rule needs to change by the next Ryder Cup.”
Another reason the rule is less than ideal is, of course, that it ensures a fully fit player misses out on a session he thought he was guaranteed to…
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