Viktor HOVOLAND does not play on the Ryder Cup on Sunday. And also not Harris Engels because of the ‘envelope rule’.
What is the envelope rule? That is the Ryder Cup protocol if someone is unable to play Sunday singles due to an injury. Instead of a team that finished the point, the parties agreed that every supplier, prior to the event, would select a player to sit outside – and the name of that player would be placed in an envelope to be disconnected in the case of emergency situation.
It is now playing in the game, because Team Europe announced that HOVOLAND would not play on Sunday due to a neck injury. In response, the envelope was opened, the name of English was unveiled and each team was given half a point, making the overall score 12-5 in favor of Europe.
The envelope rule became a possibility after HOVOLAND had left the four-ball game on Saturday afternoon and was replaced by Tyrrell Hatton. HOVOLAND played on Saturday morning, but after the game he took painkillers on the 7th hole on Saturday and received a physiosure on the 10th hole. He said that he then hit the reach after the game, and he felt that he could not play on Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday evening, according to a Ryder Cup declaration, HOVOLAND had an MRI in a nearby hospital and woke up on Sunday morning and could not move his neck. He tried to warm up, but his movement was limited and it was decided that he could not go.
“I didn’t want to risk it before the competition in case it got worse and I couldn’t go on,” HOVOLAND told reporters on Saturday, “especially in four balls when you hit every shot. I had to come out of the Travelers Championship earlier this year because of the last few months.
“I’m going to get a treatment this afternoon and tonight and hopefully I’ll do well for the singles tomorrow.”
The ‘envelope’ has been in the game twice.
In 1991 the American Steve Pate suffered a few days before the event bruised ribs in a car accident. He was sitting until Saturday afternoon, but recognized the injury and the call was made, he could not go on Sunday – and the name of David Gilford was taken out of the envelope.
Two years later a European was injured. Sam Torrance had to deal with an infected toe and he had to sit on Sunday – but this time American Lanny Wadkins offered himself to sit and the envelope was never opened.
Wadkins said at the time: “I was the choice of a captain. The other boys deserved their way to the team with two years of great game. I have now played in eight Ryder Cups and I don’t know how many competitions, and I would hate someone of the experience.”
On Saturday evening, the American captain Keegan Bradley said that he was unclear what the protocol would be if the envelope rule were to be enforced.
He also said that he had not spoken with the player whose name was in the envelope, who turned out to be English.
Note of the editors: Click for more information about the ‘envelope’ and the history behind it here For this story written by Golf’s Dylan Dethier.
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