DeChambeau has endured a turbulent summer season, not least when he yelled abuse at a drunken fan in Maryland final month. He has additionally carried out few press conferences, after testy exchanges about his relationships with fellow execs and his patchy file in shouting “fore”.
Requested why he was now deigning to speak to journalists, he stated solely: “I’m targeted on serving to Group USA to a victory – that’s actually the rationale why I’m right here.”
Typically, the traces of fracture in US groups are self-evident. Below Stricker, although, the efforts to current a united entrance are intense. To date, there aren’t any apparent team-room malcontents, particularly now that Stricker has determined to depart out Patrick Reed. The captain’s reputation appears real, too, in a stark distinction to the lofty hauteur of Tom Watson at Gleneagles.
Lastly, the Individuals are discovering that elusive high quality of self-awareness, acknowledging how usually their groups have been introduced down by infighting.
On the floor, they’ve each weapon essential to bludgeon Europe into submission, with eight of the world’s prime 10 gamers. What they’ve tended to lack is any skill to perform as an entire. To evaluate by Stricker’s shrewd administration of the Koepka-DeChambeau stand-off, that weak point is lastly being addressed. Harrington has purpose to really feel alarmed.