The Ryder Cup always seems to capture more than just golf. It reveals the chemistry of two teams, the cultures they represent, and sometimes even the fractures within. So when Team Europe captain Luke Donald unveiled his captain’s picks, the atmosphere on the screen felt light, even celebratory. Smiles beamed from Shane Lowry , Jon Rahm , Viktor Hovland , Ludvig Åberg , Sepp Straka , and Matt Fitzpatrick as Sky Sports broadcast the announcement. It looked less like a pressured selection process and more like a reunion of friends. Sky’s Nick Dougherty captured that moment perfectly: “ Look at those happy, smiley faces.” Team U.S.A., however?

For starters, Dougherty called it a “mugshot” compared to the European Team’s energy. A week earlier, the U.S. team revea

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