United States captain Keegan Bradley demanded the Ryder Cup's envelope rule "has to change" before the next contest in Ireland in 2027. His call came after the rarely-used rule potentially cost his team a historic comeback victory at Bethpage Black.
The envelope rule requires both captains to name one player who would sit out if an opponent withdraws through injury. When Europe's Viktor Hovland pulled out with a neck injury before Sunday's singles, both teams received half a point instead of the US gaining a full point.
Rule's impact on comeback
Bradley's frustration stems from his team's position entering the final day. The US trailed 11½-4½ and needed every possible point for their comeback attempt, but the envelope rule immediately made their task harder by awarding Europe another half-point.
Metro reports that an MRI scan confirmed a disk bulge in Hovland's neck, preventing proper rotation and flexion. Harris English was the American player who missed out due to the envelope rule implementation.
European reaction and controversy
Bradley refused to detail his proposed changes but made his position clear. "It has to change," he said after the 15-13 defeat. "I have a few ideas but I'm not going to tell you right now. It's obvious to everybody in the sports world, in this room."
The Mirror reports that Team Europe burst into laughter when told about Bradley's demand for rule changes. Europe captain Luke Donald firmly defended the longstanding regulation, stating: "The rule is the rule and it's been in place for a long time."
Historical precedent
The envelope rule was introduced in 1979 when European players joined the biennial contest. Donald pointed to previous implementations: "The US have used it before, in 1991 with Steve Pate. It happened in 1993; Sam Torrance couldn't play with an injured toe."
The Scotsman reports this marked the first implementation of the envelope rule in 32 years. At the women's Solheim Cup, no such rule exists - if a player withdraws through injury, the opposition receives the full point.
Sources used: "PA Media", "BBC", "Mirror", "Metro", "The Scotsman"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
