Jim Furyk has staked his claim to the underdog role for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor, declaring at the “Year to Go” press conference that the Americans will arrive as the team doubted by most. The United States captain also acknowledged that his side has had “issues” lately, particularly in foursomes, and promised that changes are coming.
Furyk said the team will be “prepared” when it arrives in Ireland in 2027.
“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.”
An old motivational trick
Convincing yourself and your team that you are the underdogs, the doubted or the disrespected, is an old-school motivational tactic that still persists in team sport around the globe. Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart has made a habit of saying that “everyone” has counted his team out, even when they are consistently atop the polls and national title odds. Dabo Swinney often refers to his team as “little ole Clemson”, harking back 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.
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 looked at an American team that has been dominated in the last two Cups, including a home loss at Bethpage, and has not won in Europe since 1993. At this point, any lever a US captain can pull that might work is worth a shot.
Donald refuses to cede the ground
But Luke Donald was not going to willingly cede the underdog ground. The Europeans have thrived in that role ever since the US obliterated them at Whistling Straits in 2021.
Donald agreed when asked about Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker saying the US team will “be a problem” at Adare Manor.
“I tend to agree,” Donald said. “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 and brought out the best in a group of world-class players who are bred to play for themselves 103 out of every 104 weeks. He has done this by focusing on small details, crafting a good experience for his players, and leaning into the history of the Ryder Cup and what it means to represent the European flag.
Rory McIlroy captured that sentiment after Europe’s win in 2023.
“We’re caretakers of this European jersey right now,” McIlroy said. “And we’re hopefully going to pass it on in the future in a better spot than where we found it.”
Jon Rahm pointed to the mindset required to thrive in the event.
“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,” Rahm said.
More than a proclamation
If you are playing for something bigger than yourself and believe you have been counted out, a galvanising force often takes effect, 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 the Europeans, Donald pushed back, explaining 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
The fight will continue for the next year. The Americans will talk about Bethpage and how dominant the Europeans are on home soil. The Europeans will counter by citing official world rankings. Who wins the four majors in 2027 will further shape the battle to be the underdog. It will be up to the captains to harness that narrative for their own side.
For Donald, it will be more of the same, with a tried-and-true method of getting the best out of his side. For Furyk, convincing a talent-laden American roster that they are the doubted ones could go a long way towards pulling off something few think is possible. It might be their only hope.
“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 a victory at Adare Manor has already started. To the underdogs go the spoils.