European Tour's Ryder Cup success stems from off-course

For the better part of the past two-plus decades, there’s been a lot of hand-wringing on the part of American golf in an effort to figure out the secret sauce behind why the Europeans regularly dominate the U.S. in the Ryder Cup.
Hours, days, months and years of analysis, theorizing, research, format changes and soul-searching have gone into this without finding the answers.
The Europeans enter this week’s Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits having won nine of the past 12 meetings, including four of the past five.
What’s most confounding to the Americans is this: On most occasions (including this one), they’re favored to win the cup because they have more of the higher-ranked players in the world. That’s particularly pronounced this year with eight of the top 10 in the world ranking on the U.S. side compared to Europe, which has only one.
As the Americans search for the right mojo with their task forces, think tanks and white boards, the beat goes on: The losing continues and the search for why is never-ending.
One place where at least part of the answer lies is on the European Tour’s social-media platform — which features some of the most brilliant, playful, self-deprecating video content that encapsulates their all-for-one camaraderie and their penchant for not taking themselves too seriously.
It’s difficult to decipher which is the best among the numerous videos done by the European Tour’s social-media team because there are so many. But the one that drew the most attention was one they produced after the last Ryder Cup — in 2018 in France, where Englishman Tommy Fleetwood and Italian Francesco Molinari became rock stars as partners in Europe’s rout of the Americans.
During a night of partying and celebration at the team hotel in Paris after Europe’s victory, Michael Gibbons, one of the European Tour’s masterminds behind these videos, got Molinari and Fleetwood, who’d drawn the nickname “Mollywood’’ for their heroic performance, to get into bed together under the covers with the trophy.
Gibbons stood on the bed over the shirtless Fleetwood and Molinari in a white T-shirt and shot the video on his iPhone, adlibbing the dialogue as they went along.
The video begins with the two waking up next to each other with the Ryder Cup between them.
“How good was that for you?” Fleetwood asks Molinari, whose five points were the most ever won by a European player in one Ryder Cup.
“Four out of four,” Molinari says.
“I’d give you five out of five, Frankie,” Fleetwood responds.
“On the Sunday as we got closer to the victory, I started thinking ‘I’m going to try and get them in bed,’ ’’ Gibbons told The Post. “The team had partied at the course and we got back to the hotel and there was this nice quiet sort of half hour where just the players families were in the room. At that point, I went up to them and said, ‘What do you think of this idea?’ And they both said, ‘It’s absolutely brilliant.’ ’’
Imagine for a moment, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau spooning together under the covers caressing the Ryder Cup together for a video. Or any combination of U.S. players. Not likely to happen.
The hilarious “Mollywood’’ video went viral, and it was followed by many more gems — such as the more recent “Angry Golfer’’ video that depicts an anger-management therapy session featuring Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, known for his on-course temper.
As silly as it may sound, these social-media videos are representative of the special bond on the European Tour. They’re a reflection of the unity that exists on the European Tour compared to the PGA Tour, which is a more buttoned-up corporate environment with its players exuding a more individualistic culture.
It all ties into the Ryder Cup, which is won by the best team, not the best players.
“I think it’s harder for the PGA Tour, because they’re a little bit more constrained,’’ European captain Padraig Harrington told The Post. “The European Tour are going at it a bit more, having a bit more fun with it. They don’t take themselves as seriously as the PGA Tour does.
“These videos show a little bit of our relaxed side. You always see the PGA Tour as the incumbent. They have their own burden. Whereas the European Tour has their own freedom to go and come up with these ideas and have fun with it. It’s amazing that the players are very happy to have fun poked at them.’’
Gibbons, who used to work in the European Tour’s media relations department, is the liaison between the players and the social-media team. He credits the players for their trust and cooperation in the endeavors, the social-media team of about six people who brainstorm the ideas and Keith Pelley, the CEO of the European Tour.
“Working in any sporting governing body, you’re kind of restricted by things you can and can’t do,’’ Gibbons said. “When Keith came in, he kind of was the one who unleashed us. He said, ‘Guys, go for it. Take the shackles off.’ ’’
Pelley, who’s Canadian, is all about expanding the tour’s entertainment brand. In