via Reuters
Golf – The 2023 Ryder Cup – Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Rome, Italy – September 26, 2023 Team USA captain Zach Johnson during a press conference ahead of the 2023 Ryder Cup REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
via Reuters
Golf – The 2023 Ryder Cup – Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Rome, Italy – September 26, 2023 Team USA captain Zach Johnson during a press conference ahead of the 2023 Ryder Cup REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
The Ryder Cup is just around the corner, set to kick off this Friday. Both the American and European teams are gearing up to compete fiercely at the Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome, where they will strive to defend the pride of their respective teams and nations.
American team captain Zach Johnson has already arrived in Rome, Italy, and on September 26, he participated in a press conference alongside the US team at Marco Simone. While the conference covered various general topics related to the event, the most intriguing question of the day revolved around the theme of “favoritism.”
Zach Johnson’s Response to Favoritism Questions
Zach Johnson faced some intriguing questions during a press conference in Rome. He was told that most of the media thought his bunch was the favorite. What did he have to say to that? He replied wittily, “the media is saying we are the favorites? Well, the media knows everything, so that makes sense.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
A follow-up question about why he thought the media considered them favorites prompted a straightforward response from the team captain: “I have no idea.” Another question was abruptly cut off as Zach Johnson clarified that he wouldn’t speak on behalf of others, especially the media.
He expressed his appreciation for the media and the work journalists do, though he admitted he tries to stay away from unnecessary distractions. “I really try to ignore the noise,” he remarked.
via Imago
MADISON, WI – JUNE 10: Zach Johnson prior to the start of the celebrity foursome during the American Family Insurance Championship Champions Tour golf tournament on June 10, 2023 at University Ridge Golf Course in Madison, WI. Photo by Lawrence Iles/Icon Sportswire GOLF: JUN 10 PGA, Golf Herren Tour Champions American Family Insurance Championship EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2306100282
Johnson concluded by emphasizing that when it comes to favorites, “we are not the favourites when we step on the first tee because of the crowd.” This statement was driven by the fact that the gallery would predominantly consist of Europeans, not Americans.
The Role of Merit in Wildcard Selection
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Earlier, in another press conference earlier, Zach Johnson highlighted the importance of merit in the decision-making process.
When questioned about why Bryson DeChambeau, another strong performer on the LIV golf tour, wasn’t chosen like Brooks Koepka, and why certain other players were picked instead, Johnson clarified, “We use a point system established by the PGA of America for Ryder Cup USA.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
According to Johnson, it’s clear that players carefully select tournaments that provide the most points to boost their position on the Ryder Cup points leaderboard. The coming weekend will tell if Zach Johnson has picked out a team that would indeed drive America toward victory or not.
Watch The Story | “Are you kidding me”: PGA Pro’s insane shot of a lifetime manifestation at the $1m event tongue-tied the community
