OLYMPIC CHAMPION JUSTIN Rose criticised the setup of Hazeltine for Sunday’s decisive singles matches of the Ryder Cup, saying the layout had a Pro-Am feel about it.
The United States defeated Europe 17-11 to win the trophy for the first time since 2008 on a 7,628-yard layout that hosted the 2002 and 2009 PGA Championships, both of which Rose played.
“Setup-wise, this course can be as tough as you want it to be, there’s no doubt about it,” Rose said.
“If we were all to be honest about it, I thought the setup was incredibly weak.
I thought it was very much a Pro-Am feel in terms of the pin placements. They were all middle of the green.”
Rose lost to American Rickie Fowler 1-up, one of four 1-up triumphs by the US side on a layout US captain Davis Love admitted before the start was set to try and deliver birdie chances and shot-making excitement for spectators.
“I don’t quite understand that with world-class players here and we want to showcase our skills. We want to be tested,” Rose said.
“The water holes out there, all the pins were as far away from the water as possible.”
Rose called the pin placement on the par-3 17th “an absolute joke.”
“It’s a 9-iron into the middle of the green and you stiff it,” he said. “With a match on the line, you kind of feel like you want a player to step up a little bit more than they have to.”
Of 14 players who reached the 17th on Sunday, there were eight pars, four birdies and two bogeys. Rose and Fowler each made pars, Fowler having birdied 16 to go 1-up.
“I just felt coming down the stretch, it was a little soft,” Rose said.
Fowler defended Hazeltine, saying it was more about how they played than the course.
“The setup, I don’t think it was easy by any means,” Fowler said. “Him and I didn’t play as well as we would have liked to. We didn’t make many birdies on both sides. I felt like it was an even match.”
The PGA of America’s Kerry Haigh handled the details of pin placements and course conditions, keeping rough to minimal levels rather than US Open density.
“I thought that the PGA did well all week,” Fowler said.
“They did a good job preparing the golf course, getting it in the right condition and where the hole locations were. It was a good setup.
“It worked out just fine for us.”
He has a point regarding pin placements but as it was the same for both teams there is a hint of sour grapes about it.
@Ronan Doyle: exactly , sour grapes. Same for everyone Im afraid. Suck it up Justin.
Difference is, when your going for a win you have to play differently and be more aggressive compared to defending a lead.
We clearly need a Brexit for our Ryder cup team. Doing fine with the rest of the nationalities.
@Johnnathan Biskalero: That course was set up like a pay for play, keep them moving, can’t lose a ball, hit it anywhere you want, hen run. That’s the PGA of America business and having lost on proper Professional tournament courses they had to make it easy and hope for the best.
Can’t wait to see how they handle the Golf national de Paris, a proper Course that’ll be set up for a professional tournament.
That’s what I love about the Ryder cup. The captains lay out their own course. McGinley done the best job ever of this. Narrow fairways, thick rough, lots of run-offs the greens. US just did the same this time. Huge fairways for their big hitters to let loose on. Also why Rory done so well also.
Unfortunately Darren let personal friendships get in the way cold calculated decisions on his picks,I wouldn’t have Lee Westwood in my Sun fourball.
Did well James, that’s why Rory did well.
@David Hanlon: how Knox never made the team is a joke…….world ranked 47 gets picked ahead of him & he’s at 19…..make no sense…
Rose is right. When you’re well up going into the final days singles and it’s set up with easy pins it leaves very few opportunities to force mistakes from the leading team. I thought they were easy pins.
They were easy pins but stupid of Rose to complain. It’s just one of several advantages the home team gets and which Europe will have in 2018.
I wondered how Sergio hit a 63 in the singles and only secured a half against big Phil! Two golfing gladiators all the same, providing great entertainment.
However, it’s the host’s prerogative as to pin positions on any Ryder Cup day. All part of the strategy to outfox the opponent, which the yanks did with aplomb.
Rose isn’t a sour grapes kinda guy; just telling it honestly as he saw it.
A USA win is good for the bi annual contest, given our treble success to 2014, and with their team members’ superior world rankings, US ran to form on this occasion.
Roll on Paris 18…
Justin..just bring your putter next time buddy and things will be fine!!
Too many Englishmen in the team. All 6 were defeated last night. Maybe the qualifying criteria needs to be looked at
According to world rankings Europe had 4 players better then 4 others. Alex noren Shane Lowry Russell Knox and Casey are all better ranked then Fitzpatrick Sullivan Westwood and kaymer
@Barry Newell: no issue with Fitzpatrick & Sullivan getting in but Westwood & Kaymer are not playing well enough at the moment…
If the pins were easy why did he not get more birdies ? Get over it Justin you lost fair and square.
Is it not the PGAs right as hosts to do as they see fit to help the US team? Also if the pins were easier then why didn’t Europe make more birdies. Needs to pipe down and except the loss. The US played well & majority of the Europe team didn’t turn (Westwood leading that pack).
Roll on France in 2 years. Bring back McGinley.
The English putted like a pro am
Paul McGinley openly admitted that he got gleneagles set up exactly like a European tour event in 2014 to suit his team. Oak hill was set up us open style in 1995 and the belfry once cut down their rough so that seve Ballesteros could play in the early 90s. Nothing new and complaining about it is sour grapes. Truth is you can’t lose a session 4-0 or carry passengers like Westwood if you expect to win.
Not sure of the logic here, if it was so easy why did he miss so many putts.
What a cry baby…let’s face it Europe were absolutely crap on the first day and that’s what caught them out. Likes it’s the pins fault the European players couldn’t play the game as well as the Americans.
He’s basically saying he can’t putt