“So far, the Americans have done everything they possibly could have hoped for.” – Paul Azinger
“This is a hungry bunch of first-timers at the Ryder Cup here for the Americans. They are on a mission.” – Azinger
“No question – he is the emotional leader of this team.” – Gary Koch on Justin Thomas
“I don’t even know where it is – but it’s perfect wherever it is.” – Hunter Mahan on Bryson DeChambeau’s 417-Yard Drive on 5th Hole
STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 24, 2021 – NBC Sports presented exclusive coverage of Day 1 of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits Golf Club in Kohler, Wis., on GOLF Channel, as well as Live From The Ryder Cup post-round coverage on GOLF Channel.
Tomorrow’s coverage begins at 8 a.m. ET on GOLF Channel and continues at 9 a.m. ET on NBC. Peacock Premium and RyderCup.com simulstreams all coverage on GOLF Channel and NBC.
The United States leads Europe 6 to 2 after Day 1 foursomes and four-ball matches.
On Day 1
Paul Azinger: “U.S. hasn’t been in this position in a while…It’s been a real rough run for the U.S. team. They are a powerful squad, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th (ranked players in the world)…The Europeans have the best player in the world and he wriggled the hook today, but he needed to…So far, the Americans have done everything they possibly could have hoped for.”
Justin Leonard on European Team: “They’ve got some issues...I don’t see a comeback coming without the help and play of Rory McIlroy.”
Rich Lerner: “We talk about the United States turning the page on the Tiger and Phil Ryder Cup era. They ripped the page out of the book and threw it away.”
On the afternoon four-ball matches: American Team
Azinger: “This is a hungry bunch of first-timers at the Ryder Cup here for the Americans. They are on a mission.”
Gary Koch on Justin Thomas after his eagle on the 16th hole: “No question – he is the emotional leader of this team.”
Azinger on pressure of being the final group on the course at the Ryder Cup: “You’ve got to position players in spots where you think they can handle that kind of heat. It’s possible that every player on both teams could be on the course watching this group finish.”
Azinger on the danger of trailing by multiple points early in the Ryder Cup: “It’s very difficult to come back from being two points down after the first day…It’s only been done a couple of times.”
Dan Hicks on Bryson DeChambeau’s drives: “He’s turning Whistling Straits into Mesquite, Nevada.”
Azinger on Dustin Johnson’s birdie on 11th hole with Michael Jordan greenside: “DJ and MJ play a lot of golf together. No surprise that (Jordan) is out there hanging with his man.”
Notah Begay III on Scottie Scheffler being paired with Bryson DeChambeau: “He’s been the setup man today, done a great job in that role. Hitting a lot of greens, fairways, giving Bryson a chance to be more aggressive, which plays right into his mindset.”
On the afternoon four-ball matches: European Team
Azinger on Tyrrell Hatton’s putt on the 18th hole to halve the match: “That is going to be a huge emotional lift for the European team…What a big putt. If he misses this putt, Europe is in huge trouble.”
Azinger after Tommy Fleetwood’s shot into the water on the 16th hole: “The par 5s continue to be the Achilles Heel of the European team.”
Kay Cockerill on the European pairing of Shane Lowry/Rory McIlroy: “This team just seems deflated, particularly Lowry. His youthful rookie exuberance has left him.”
On Bryson DeChambeau’s 417-yard drive on the 5th hole
Hunter Mahan: “I don’t even know where it is – but it’s perfect wherever it is.”
Begay III: “He certainly isn’t afraid to put the gas down and play aggressively, which is why he’s a great fit in this four-ball format.”
Leonard: “(Scottie Scheffler’s caddie Scotty McGuinness) was telling me about this line Bryson might take at the fifth. It’s just amazing how much he’s cut off this hole.”
On Jordan Spieth’s hill-side chip shot on the 17th hole
Mike Tirico: “One of the shots of this or any Ryder Cup. 24 steps backwards, Jordan Spieth takes, he never sees it. He’s staring at Ludington, Michigan, and we’re staring at one of the great shots we’ve ever seen.”
Tirico: “Nobody made the step back in basketball cooler than Steph (Curry). But Jordan Spieth gave you an all-time golf step-back, even though Europe got the win in their one point.”
On the morning foursome matches: American Team
John Wood on Johnson/Morikawa pairing that defeated Casey/Hovland 3&2 in morning foursome match: “I love this pairing for the rest of the week. Dustin Johnson used to love to play with Matt Kuchar because he was so steady. DJ knew that he could be aggressive. Collin is in that same mold. When you put Johnson with another really aggressive guy, DJ said he can struggle, but when he’s got a partner who’s super steady, he feels really comfortable and he can go for everything.”
Curt Byrum on Collin Morikawa: “Collin Morikawa has started out putting really well today. He’s a rookie on this team…”
Nick Faldo: “A ‘Major’ rookie.”
On Whistling Straits
Azinger on the course design: “It felt like the eighth wonder of the world the first time I walked on the property…What a piece of architecture this is.”
Stephen Curry speaking with Steve Sands
Curry on his first time at the Ryder Cup: “This is amazing. I’ve heard so many people who’ve been here talk about the atmosphere and the team energy, and the part of golf you can’t recreate anywhere. It’s lived up to the expectations for sure.”
Curry on noise in NBA arenas compared to noise at the Ryder Cup: “It’s tough because if I’m at the free throw line, and it’s deathly quiet after 19,000 fans have been going crazy and then it goes to a hush, that would mess with me a little bit. For these guys, the atmosphere at the first tee, and you’re hearing all these fans going crazy, and the sounds as you’re doing your practice swings, and then it goes down. I can’t imagine what that adrenaline rush is like.”
--NBC SPORTS--