Bradley had selected vice-captains Kevin Kisner and Gary Woodland despite neither having any Ryder Cup experience – compare that with Europe’s stacked backroom team.
It included winning skippers Paul McGinley (director of strategy), Thomas Bjorn and Jose Maria Olazabal. Alex Noren is firmly in touch with the leading players, likewise Francesco Molinari.
The other Molinari, Edoardo, is a statistical wizard. He compiles his own extensive data rather than rely on less complete stats that might be available.
The Italian, who played with his brother in the 2010 victory, has a track record of successfully informing which partnerships will work and which ones will not.
So when it came to the foursomes, where the home team traditionally dominates, Europe won 6-2. They built a record lead of 11½-4½ by the Saturday night and throughout it all the players knew their leaders had their backs.
“We said it from the start – we’re a big band of brothers,” Robert MacIntyre told BBC Sport the morning after Europe’s fifth away victory.
“It’s a special feeling to do it again, but to do it when we were kind of written off and to do it in the style we’ve done it was huge.”
Europe had plans to deal with the hostility of the crowds. “It was absolute carnage out there, but it makes it that much better that we managed to handle it,” MacIntyre said.
“I mean, we play for each other. We do anything. Look, Luke told me I was playing foursomes. I play foursomes.
“I don’t argue or ask ‘can I play fourball?’ I do as I’m told. And I think everyone in the team does the exact same.
“Luke tells you to jump, you ask ‘how high?’ As Europeans that’s the only way we know.
“When I grew up playing team sports, you listened to the coaches, you listened to people in charge and did what you were told.
“And everyone in there, from myself to Rory [McIlroy], to [Jon] Rahm, everyone just does what we’re told.”
Professional golfers are the ultimate sporting individuals – their own bosses week in, week out. They are not used to having others order them around.
Europe have long since known this and created the culture described by MacIntyre, a veteran of many a shinty team room, to get the best out of such characters.
America are some way from finding such a formula – it is why they seem to only perform when they are on their own.
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