Golf-Morikawa betting on team spirit ahead of Ryder Cup
GOLF-RYDERCUP/ (PIX, TV):Golf-Morikawa betting on team spirit ahead of Ryder Cup
By Amy Tennery
FARMINGDALE, New York, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Collin Morikawa is hoping to clean out his Ryder Cup vice captains' pockets this week at Bethpage Black, as the American enjoys a few days of friendly bets before the competition begins on Friday.
The twice major winner said on Wednesday that vice captains Brandt Snedeker and Kevin Kisner have been keeping spirits high with an array of betting games as the U.S. team prepares to seek revenge after losing to Europe in 2023.
"Sneds is definitely trying to get in our wallet. Kis is talking smack," Morikawa said on Wednesday.
"I've had a lot of prop bets. I've had a lot of fairway bets, birdie bets... I'm positive on Sneds. Sneds is the main one that I think we all love to pick on and we love to have him as our bank."
Twice major winner Xander Schauffele "is taking the cake" in the wagers so far, Morikawa told reporters, as U.S. players appear to have bonded as a team.
"We know who is the goofball. We know who is the serious guy. We are all ready to play matches," said Morikawa. "But it's the vice captains, I think, that are kind of putting us out there and giving us a little bit of a nudge."
The team atmosphere provides a welcome boost for Morikawa, who has endured a frustrating spell without a PGA title since 2023, despite a pair of runner-up finishes this year.
"These weeks just pull out the best in you," he said. "You want to step up to the plate and you don't want to let not just the team down but the rest of the country." (Reporting by Amy Tennery in Farmingdale, New York)
