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<\/p>\nTeam USA\u00a0Ryder Cup vice-captain\u00a0Steve Stricker has jumped to defend\u00a0the team after claims that players were “too close” during the 2023 event. Stricker, who captained the team to their record 19-9 triumph at Whistling Straits in his native Wisonsin in 2021,\u00a0 was responding to a week of criticism following the dramatic\u00a0defeat to Europe at the\u00a0Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome.<\/p>\n
Stricker is no stranger to drama surrounding the Ryder Cup having appeared in three teams during his career. The 56-year-old was first called up\u00a0at Valhalla in 2008, where he was on the winning side, but failed to claim glory\u00a0at Celtic Manor in 2010 and Medinah in 2012.<\/p>\n
With a solid playing career under his belt, Stricker was named as team captain at\u00a0Whistling Straights in 2021 where he oversaw a dominating 10-point win in his native state. However, this year’s team was less fortunate.<\/p>\n
As well as losing the match, Team USA’s tournament was marred in controversy. Patrick Cantlay reportedly refusing to wear the team cap started off proceedings with suggestions – heavily rejected in the days since – that there was a divide in the camp.<\/p>\n
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In a bizarre twist claims then followed that the team, and their partners, were too close with each other and perhaps players picked on friendships rather than form – something which Stricker has been left confused by.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese guys get along very well with each other,” Stricker said as reported by Golf.com. “I don\u2019t know who it was in the media, but I heard \u2014 I was going through the locker room or somewhere yesterday, it might have been Brad Faxon on saying that we\u2019re too close, that we\u2019re too much buddy buddies and the wives are too much friends.<\/p>\n
“I just, I shake my head at that. At first, we weren\u2019t close enough, now we\u2019re too close? I don\u2019t get that. The team was very good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Don’t miss… <\/strong> We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n Reflecting on the tournament, Stricker believes that Team Europe held a big advantage when playing at\u00a0Marco Simone – a course that has hosted the\u00a0DP World Tour\u2019s Italian Open for the last three years.<\/p>\n The American claims that European golfers are more familiar with the course where the likes of Robert MacIntyre, Matt Fitzpatrick and\u00a0Tommy Fleetwood have all impressed in recent years.<\/p>\n \u201cThey have an opportunity to play that course a few times before we do,” he said. “I think [that was] the biggest challenge this year. Zach [Johnson] tried to get the guys over there for a practice round, which we did. That helped.\u201d<\/p>\n
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