Thomas Bjørn says his Europe Ryder Cup team will adopt a no-fear approach to facing a resurgent Tiger Woods at Le Golf National this weekend and has urged his players to focus on the USA team as a whole rather than pinpointing the 14-times major champion.
Victory at the Tour Championship, Woods’s first for five years, has blasted the 42-year-old back to the forefront of sport, not simply golf. As the USA team touched down in Paris on Monday lunchtime, all eyes were again on Woods.
“These are 24 of the best players in the world and, when they go up against each other, they are all capable of amazing things on both sides,” Bjørn said. “We don’t fear anyone because we’ve played against them so many times before individually but we respect our opponents and know what we are up against.
“We’ll go out and do what we can and play our game. What stands on the other side, we know, is one of the strongest American teams of all time. We know we’ve got to play our best to come up against this team and that’s what’s in front of us.
“We do what we do as a European team and then we go out and take that on the golf course, and that’s all 12 Americans. It’s not one individual. It’s the whole team that we are up against.”
Bjørn was, however, full of praise for Woods’s latest and 80th PGA Tour triumph achieved after four back surgeries. Only 12 months ago Woods himself questioned whether he would play competitive golf again.
“I spent 25 years playing professional golf with Tiger Woods on the scene and any time he does anything great that’s a story and that’s where we want to see him,” Bjørn said. “We want to see him at the top of the game. He does so much for the game of golf. Watching that [East Lake win] last night, I thought it was brilliant. It was great for the greater aspect of the game.
“Tiger Woods for the game of golf and him winning golf tournaments is something that’s brilliant and I think we all benefit from it. Because in the end, whatever it is these 24 guys are going to do this week, the game needs that boost of somebody like him that transcends the game to the masses, needs him at the top of the game. So for everyone in golf it’s brilliant.”
Bjørn’s opposite number, Jim Furyk, is charged with overseeing a successful defence of the Ryder Cup and a potential first USA win in Europe for 25 years. Furyk credited Woods with quickly switching into team mode.
“I think what’s so special is Tiger has ingrained himself in our team atmosphere and became such a big part of the team in 2016 as a vice-captain and then again in 2017 as an assistant captain at the Presidents Cup,” Furyk said. “I think it’s special for him now to join these younger players as a teammate.
“What’s important to him right now, what’s special for him, is to be a part of that team, to be a part of that group, and as Thomas talked about, it’s a 12-on-12 type of atmosphere. I think he really enjoys that right now. He won yesterday as an individual and I know how much that means to him and how important it was, but he’s flipped that page pretty quickly and is really excited to join his teammates.
“He’s played really well all year, I think, been knocking on the door at two majors and had a number of opportunities to win this year. It’s obviously a nice buzz for our team.”
Furyk played down the notion that his country’s dismal recent record in Europe could be a psychological factor in this 42nd Ryder Cup. “I started to be reminded about that the moment I took this opportunity as captain,” he said. “There’s not like a big 25 sitting in there anywhere. They are well aware of it and they are well aware of how difficult it is to win in Europe.”
