What Keegan Bradley told the USA players about Jim Furyk immediately after their Ryder Cup loss

“But Keegan made a heck of a speech on Sunday night after the Ryder Cup that he felt like it was a perfect opportunity for Jim to come back and try another shot at an away Ryder Cup. I don’t know if that carried weight.

“Obviously, we all know it was probably Tiger’s job to take, and then that fell through. Certainly, we can name guys on the list that are deserving that played in a bunch of Ryder Cups, but Jim’s intimately involved with all of the guys from being the Presidents Cup captain two years ago, and then assistant on the Ryder Cup team last year, and he’s trusted among the team, the guys, and I think you would struggle to bring in an older guy that has experience that just isn’t involved with the younger guys anymore. I think that’s what the young guys like. They feel comfortable around Jim.”

Furyk’s experience will have been vital to Bradley’s plans at Bethpage

Furyk would have almost certainly been the most important member of Bradley’s backroom team in New York.

Bradley also had Kisner, Gary Woodland, Brandt Snedeker, and Webb Simpson as his assistants. Neither Woodland nor Kisner had played on a Ryder Cup team in the past.

Meanwhile, Furyk was the one member of the set-up no longer playing on the PGA Tour. So he arguably had an important perspective as the team came together.

Team USA will hope that Furyk has learned lessons from the mistakes of the 2018 Ryder Cup. Like Bradley, his tenure will be remembered for some bizarre pairings.

The visitors took just 7.5 points from the final four sessions in France. Anything like a similar return in Ireland in 2027 will lead to another heavy defeat on European soil for the Americans.