The 2016 Ryder Cup Has Not Aged Well To Thomas Pieters

A breakout star for Europe in 2016 who made a late, unsuccessful bid to make the 2018 team, does not have fond memories of the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National.

Snippets of a full length interview slated for Bunkered magazine, include his views on American fans and their inability to handle alcohol that is sold by the PGA of America starting at 7 am.

Pieters was particularly concerned by fan comments directed at Rory McIlroy.

“They shouted stuff at him that you shouldn’t shout at anybody anywhere. Maybe that’s because they sell beer at 7am and Americans can’t drink. 

“But to be honest, you don’t really hear the words most of the time. It’s just a big wall of noise.” 

Pieters called the setup a one-dimensional putting contest and without question, the placement of nearly all hole locations the final day in the green centers stripped a course already devoid of much strategy and made it…a putting contest.

This will be fun at the next Callaway group ad shoot!

“The set-up of the course was ridiculous. You could hit it anywhere."

Citing Phil Mickelson as an example, Pieters added: “He was sometimes hitting it, like, six fairways left or right but was still able to get it on the green and then make a 40-footer. I didn’t think it was a great Ryder Cup set-up, to be honest.”