Ryder Cup envelope rule must change, per Bradley

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- Following his team's 15-13 nonaccomplishment to the Europeans successful the 45th Ryder Cup astatine Bethpage Black connected Sunday, U.S. skipper Keegan Bradley said the event's longstanding envelope regularisation involving injured players should change.

But Luke Donald, who became lone the 2nd European skipper to triumph back-to-back Ryder Cups, said the regularisation is determination to support players and should stay successful place.

The substitution regularisation successful the captains' statement requires each squad to taxable the sanction of 1 subordinate Saturday nighttime successful a sealed envelope who wouldn't play successful the lawsuit of an wounded to a golfer connected the opposing team.

It was invoked for lone the 4th clip Sunday erstwhile Norway's Viktor Hovland had to retreat from singles due to the fact that of a cervix injury.

"The regularisation is the rule, and it's been successful spot for a agelong time," Donald said. "We person contracts for a reason, a captains' statement for a reason, for situations that occur."

Hovland was scheduled to play Harris English successful the anchor singles match. English happened to beryllium the subordinate that Bradley submitted successful his sealed envelope, truthful helium had to ticker Sunday's action.

"I would person had implicit religion successful him to present a constituent today," Donald said of Hovland. "He couldn't play. He was gutted."

Said English: "It sucked not going retired determination and playing. But it is what it is, and I was portion of the assemblage contiguous and contributed arsenic overmuch arsenic I could."

The teams halved their match, giving the Europeans a 12-5 pb going into the last session.

Bradley said the regularisation "has to change" but wouldn't specify however helium would change it. The astir evident mode to bash it would beryllium to person the injured golfer's squad forfeit a afloat constituent alternatively of a half-point.

"I person a fewer ideas, but I'm not going to archer you close now," Bradley said. "I mean, the regularisation has to change. I deliberation it's evident to everybody successful the sports world, successful this room. Nothing against Viktor, but that regularisation needs to alteration by the adjacent Ryder Cup."

Donald noted that the U.S. utilized the arguable regularisation erstwhile it captured the 1991 Ryder Cup 14.5-13.5 astatine Kiawah Island Golf Resort successful South Carolina. Steve Pate was injured successful a car mishap the nighttime earlier the lawsuit started, and his bruised ribs prevented him from playing successful singles. If the Americans had been forced to forfeit a afloat point, the Europeans would person retained that Ryder Cup with a people of 14-14.

Scotland's Sam Torrance withdrew from his singles lucifer successful the 1993 Ryder Cup with an infected toe. Lanny Wadkins volunteered to beryllium retired for the Americans. The U.S. squad won 15-13 astatine The Belfry successful England to support the Ryder Cup, the past clip it won successful Europe.

Hovland, who withdrew from his four-ball lucifer Saturday, had an MRI astatine a New York infirmary Saturday night. He woke up Sunday incapable to determination his neck. Ryder Cup officials said Hovland tried to lukewarm up astatine Bethpage Black but had constricted movement.

"There is thing much I would similar to bash than beryllium retired determination representing Team Europe and trying to assistance them triumph the Ryder Cup today," Hovland said successful a statement. "Not being capable to bash truthful is beauteous heartbreaking. I volition beryllium backing my squad arsenic hard arsenic I tin and rooting them on."

Hovland, who said helium has been dealing with cervix issues for the past mates of months, started experiencing the latest symptom during his Saturday greeting foursomes (alternate-shot) match. He received medicine and carnal therapy connected the course, but the symptom didn't spell away.

"An MRI was arranged pursuing liaison betwixt Team Europe a...