Furyk Vows U.S. Foursomes Overhaul Ahead of 2027 Ryder Cup

Jim Furyk and Luke Donald met the media at Adare Manor this week, roughly a year before they lead the United States and Europe into the 2027 Ryder Cup, the 100th-anniversary edition of the event first played at Worcester Country Club in Massachusetts in 1927.

What changes is Furyk making?

Furyk, who went 10.5-17.5 to Thomas Bjorn's Europe as a losing captain in 2018, said he is reworking how the U.S. team prepares for alternate shot after going 2-7 in foursomes at this year's Presidents Cup. He described a new points system and a new analytics team aimed at improving pairings and preparation specifically for that format, calling it a weakness he intends to fix rather than repeat.

Why does Furyk call his team the underdog?

Despite typically carrying a world-ranking edge into Ryder Cups, Furyk pointed to the 34 years since the U.S. last won on European soil as reason to view his side as underdogs at Adare Manor, where Donald and vice captain Edoardo Molinari will set up the course. Furyk is also pushing American players to travel to Adare Manor next summer, noting that only Justin Thomas had played the venue ahead of the 2018 defeat at Le Golf National in France.

What did Donald say about crowd behavior?

The 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage drew criticism for fan abuse directed at Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and players' partners, and raucous U.S. crowds resurfaced at this year's Presidents Cup, including a heckling incident during Nico Echavarria's tee shot that prompted Scottie Scheffler to concede a chip for par. Donald said "it's certainly my responsibility as the home captain" to keep next year's galleries in line, while Furyk acknowledged the Bethpage behavior went too far and said he expects a loud but fair European crowd.

Thirty-four years without an away win says more than any press conference.

What did Snedeker's 'problem' comment mean?

After the U.S. rallied from a deficit to beat the Internationals 9.5-2.5 in Presidents Cup singles, winning captain Brandt Snedeker said the Americans would be a "problem" at the Ryder Cup next year. Donald agreed, saying he has no complacency about the U.S. team's strength given its usual world-ranking advantage, while pointing to changes Furyk has already made to the Americans' qualification and statistical approach.

Adare Manor is hosting its second Ryder Cup, with the match set for Sept. 17-19, 2027.