Not every golf fan knows about the Ryder Cup envelope, as it’s seldom a storyline, but a Day 2 development could make the rule loom large ahead of the final day of competition between Team USA and Europe.
European captain Luke Donald had planned to send out Viktor Hovland for Saturday four ball play, but the Norwegian star was a late scratch with a neck injury. Tyrrell Hatton drew into the lineup alongside Matt Fitzpatrick for the fourth afternoon match.
Now, with Hovland’s status for Sunday singles presumably up in the air, the Ryder Cup envelope comes into play. Essentially, the rule protects the competition against injury, and when the captains submit their lineups for Sunday singles, each will have one player in the envelope. The player in the envelope is designated as a player who would sit out singles if an opponent is injured and can’t play.
Ryder Cup Envelope Rule Looms Large After Hovland Injury
So, Donald and Team USA captain Keegan Bradley will submit their envelopes, and if Hovland can’t go, the player in Bradley’s envelope will have to sit out.
The envelope rule was introduced in 1979. It has rarely been used, though. Just twice has it come into play, most recently in 1993. European team member Sam Torrance was dealing with an infected toe and couldn’t play Saturday, so he sat out, as did Lanny Wadkins, who was in the envelope for Team USA Tom Watson. That was a unique example, though. Wadkins, a captain’s pick, volunteered to be in the spot.
Prior to that, the envelope also was used in 1991 when American player Steve Pate was in a car crash that preceded the “War on the Shore” at Kiawah Island. David Gilford was the unfortunate man in the envelope for Europe.
Why Captains Hate Ryder Cup Envelope Process
As you might expect, it’s something captains hate about the process. No one wants to have to essentially pick their worst player and risk putting that player in a position to not be able to play a Ryder Cup singles match.
Curtis Strange, who captained Team USA at The Belfry in 2002, called it “the most uncomfortable thing I ever had to do,” per a Sports Illustrated story from 2021. The envelope loomed large in ’21, of course, with the risk of a player testing positive for COVID-19. Luckily for all involved, that didn’t happen.
As far as this year goes, the envelope might not be a major factor given the way things have played out. For starters, it’s possible Hovland after an afternoon off and a night of recovery, feels ready for singles play. It’s a much later start on the final day — the matches don’t begin until after noon ET — so there’s more time to rest and get treatment.
Donald could also pencil Hovland into the back of his lineup, which does two things. The first is it gives him as much time as possible to get better. The second is that it that Hovland’s match could be obsolete. Europe built a commanding five-point lead through the Day 2 foursomes and were just 5 1/2 points shy of clinching the Cup going into the afternoon session.
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