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Ryder Cup: 'Players at fault not skipper Watson' says Hal Sutton

Skipper Hal Sutton at the opening ceremony of the Ryder Cup in 2004
Image: Skipper Hal Sutton at the opening ceremony of the Ryder Cup ten years ago when he captained the American team

Former Ryder Cup skipper Hal Sutton believes the American players should start dissecting their own performances from Gleneagles and not criticise losing captain Tom Watson.

Sutton has experienced the Ryder Cup both as a player and captain, leading the United States at Oakland Hills, Michigan, in 2004 when the hosts suffered a heavy 18½-9½ defeat at the hands of Europe.

Two weeks ago in Scotland, Europe made it eight wins from the last 10 Ryder Cup meetings with Watson receiving criticism from America’s most senior player Phil Mickelson.

The PGA of America are setting up a task force in the wake of another poor result but Sutton believes the problem is quite simple – it was the players who failed their skipper not the other way around.

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The 56-year-old said: "I dare say that nobody who has ever played on a Ryder Cup team has thought that every decision made by the captain was right.             

"I just think we're looking to blame the wrong folks. The players should go there with one mission in mind, to play well because that's all they have control over.      

To me, when you start blaming the captain you're looking for excuses already.
Hal Sutton

"To me, when you start blaming the captain you're looking for excuses already."

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Sutton, who made his debut at The Belfry in 1985, added: "I knew I had to play well and I didn't care who I was paired with and I didn't care who the captain was.           

"It wasn't about the captain. It was about a bunch of individual play that added up to a team effort. It's not a magic recipe.           

"I really believe that it boils down to good play, simple as that, and not being worried about everybody else, not being worried what the captain does.

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"The Europeans are just playing better. That's all there is to it. By nature, golfers want to blame somebody else. It can never be your fault but at some point, if you want to be better, you have to address the truth.”

Hal Sutton has played in four Ryder Cup matches (1985-87-99-02), with a 56% success rate from 17 games.

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