Tiger Woods gained the Tour Championship after which was on a airplane that evening headed to France to play within the Ryder Cup. Ditto for Jim Furyk in 2010, when he gained the FedEx Cup in Atlanta and headed straight to Celtic Manor.
This 12 months is totally different, with a change to the PGA Tour schedule to complete earlier than Labor Day. For many of the People, they completed at East Lake on Aug. 27, after which it is 33 days earlier than most of them hit a shot that counts at Marco Simone outdoors Rome.
U.S. captain Zach Johnson just isn’t involved about aggressive rust.
“I am assured that the fellows know what they’re doing,” Johnson mentioned in Italy when 9 of the 12 People had observe periods at Marco Simone. “Quantity two, there’s a event and a few of the guys are enjoying in Napa, in California. So you may put together and play if you’d like. That is an choice.”
Max Homa is the two-time defending champion on the Fortinet Championship. Justin Thomas is also enjoying, primarily as a result of he missed the FedEx Cup playoffs and final competed Aug. 6.
“However you already know, it is a lengthy, grueling season, and I believe there’s one thing to be mentioned about relaxation,” Johnson mentioned. “There’s additionally one thing to be mentioned about being residence and being with your loved ones and nonetheless making ready that manner, too. In order that’s not likely a priority of mine.”
The European tour, in the meantime, is simply now constructing towards the conclusion of its season. It had the Irish Open final week, the flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth this week, the French Open subsequent week after which the Ryder Cup.
All 12 Europeans had been at Marco Simone on Monday, and all 12 are enjoying at Wentworth.
The American staff may have 4 days of observe going into the Sept. 29 opening session of matches. Golf is fickle sufficient that there are countless tales of nice type displaying up and leaving with out discover.
However it’s totally different.
There have been two weeks between the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup in 2021 (Wisconsin) and 2014 (Scotland). The Ryder Cup instantly adopted the Tour Championship in 2010 (Wales), 2012 (Chicago) and 2018 (Paris).
Then there was 2008, when there was every week off between the BMW Championship and the Ryder Cup, and the Tour Championship was proper after the Ryder Cup.
Johnson and assistant captain Stewart Cink are enjoying in Napa. Requested about Thomas and Homa, they mentioned to not learn an excessive amount of into the outcomes, good or unhealthy.
“The underside line is for essentially the most half, nearly all of the staff performed a lot golf in July and August that they want a break,” Johnson mentioned Tuesday. “Your physique wants a break. It is distinctive that we have had a month off from the Tour Championship to the precise Cup.
“Relaxation, I believe, might be higher than really competing off the Tour Championship.”
