Rory v Rickie - post Ryder Cup

[AmandaJR]

I was thinking as Rory gave Rickie a bit of a thumping today whether that will have any lasting impact after The Ryder Cup?

Rickie is a big tip to win a major and rightly so. He and Rory are up there at the top competing and today looked different class when it came down to a head to head...

Will that play on Rickie's mind should they be near the top of the leaderboard on the Sunday of a Major? Has Rory added a Tiger-esque air of invincibility today?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Interesting question but I think these guys are so use to playing to win alone that it'll make no difference. Playing the back nine of a major, strokeplay, is different to matchplay and I don't think Fowler will give it a second thought

 

[FairwayDodger]

I think Rickie just has to take that on the chin and accept how much he has to improve to compete regularly with Rory. Mcilroy was unplayable today, just blew him away over the opening holes.

 

[BubbaP]

He may have been unlucky in being against Rory today, but his ranking and good play made it a possibility. He may have beaten a few today. Wasn't many months ago a number were writing of Rory, so who knows what each of their form will be like in future majors.

 

[NorfolkShaun]

He may have been unlucky in being against Rory today, but his ranking and good play made it a possibility. He may have beaten a few today. Wasn't many months ago a number were writing of Rory, so who knows what each of their form will be like in future majors.

I think this is very much the case Rory just blew him away at the start, cannot see it having any lasting effect on Fowler though. I'm sure he will win a major sooner rather than later. He played some fantastic golf this weekend

 

[Pin-seeker]

Fowler is a very good player on his day,but if Rory brings his A game he's in a different class.
None of the Americans would have troubled Rory today.

 

[c1973]

Fowlers a good player who'll be clued up enough to realise that no one could have taken anything from Rory in that form. He was unbeatable today.

I reckon he'll take it on the chin, move on and look forward to the next chance he gets.

 

[groundskeeperwilly]

Fowler's been on an upward trend this year since starting to work with Butch Harmon - if he continues to improve he'll be a big threat in Majors for a while BUT what strikes me is that pro golfers seem to be fairly much in agreement that if Rory brings his best stuff then no one can match it!

 

[drs1878]

Rory 9 under through 14...... Think when he's in that form you just got to stand back and admire!!!!!

 

[NorfolkShaun]

Rorys start was 3-3-3-3-3-2

Not sure anyone could of kept up with that

 

[6inchcup]

Rory Ricky and to some extent Sergio have been the best players this season,looking forward to next season should be some great games between them but to be honest dont think Ricky will win a major if Rory in field.

 

[freddielong]

Rory on his day is a lot better than any other golfer in the world at the moment, so its hardly news that he is better than Fowler

 

[SVB]

I was thinking as Rory gave Rickie a bit of a thumping today whether that will have any lasting impact after The Ryder Cup?

Rickie is a big tip to win a major and rightly so. He and Rory are up there at the top competing and today looked different class when it came down to a head to head...

Will that play on Rickie's mind should they be near the top of the leaderboard on the Sunday of a Major? Has Rory added a Tiger-esque air of invincibility today?

Most of the replies to the OP question seem to say it won't have much effect.

I hold a different view, especially if Rory and Ricky are in the final pair together come Sunday in the future. Often there is clear water between the top two or three and the rest of the field so there is a strong element of matchplay about it (although the format is stroke-play I know!) as they tend to trade more birdies than bogies in this type of situation.

Even if most of the replies already are closer to reality and only make -5% difference to Ricky, the +'ve reinforcement that Rory will take is worth a +15% and in a game where margins are tight, an extra 20% over your opponent is worth having!

My 2c anyway.

S

 

[FairwayDodger]

Just saw Rickie getting interviewed as he left Gleneagles and it doesn't sound like it's scarred him much. He made the good point that Rory started brilliantly, birdying so many holes at the start and was hard to live with but after that the match was fairly even. Just too much of a head start to claw back.

 

[guest100718]

Rickie is overrated and with only 1 PGA win has a long way to go before he can be considered anything other than a journeyman pro.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Rickie is overrated and with only 1 PGA win has a long way to go before he can be considered anything other than a journeyman pro.

I see where you're coming from with that and agree Rickie needs to get more wins under his belt but he's much better than just a journeyman. He's a really good player, much improved this year and still improving. Potentially a great player. Potentially.

 

[guest100718]

interestingly his 1 win was against Rory in a play off.....

 

[JustOne]

I don't think 18 holes of matchplay is going to affect Rickie's career.

 

[Foxholer]

I think Rickie just has to take that on the chin and accept how much he has to improve to compete regularly with Rory. Mcilroy was unplayable today, just blew him away over the opening holes.

There's every chance that he'll actually do exactly that! Rory was indeed unstoppable that round, but the number of times Rickie had tricky putts to halve the hole - and did exactly that - shows, to me, there's grit there. He might have competition with Reed and Spieth, but he's certainly got talent and tenacity!

 

[Stuey01]

Rory is starting to build a bit of an aura of invincibility about him, today only adds to that. I think they all know that Rory when he is "on" is better than anyone else. But he is also streaky, his consistency is improving but is not yet near TW levels.

Rickie has improved massively recently (since working with Butch), I see a multiple win season for him next year, and majors in his future. He's not Rory level, but I think just behind him. He has to start winning though. He played well but still didn't actually win a match at this Ryder Cup.