First published 2018
John Feinstein pulls back the curtain on golf's most heated competition. The 2016 Ryder Cup arrives with American pride wounded after losing six of seven recent matches to Europe. Both teams converge on Hazeltine, Minnesota, carrying the weight of Arnold Palmer's recent death and years of built-up animosity. Feinstein documents how Phil Mickelson assembled his veteran squad for revenge while Europeans fought to maintain their dominance. The tournament explodes into one of the most contentious Ryder Cups ever staged. Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed nearly trade punches during their brutal singles match. Tiger Woods makes his return to the American team. Crowds turn vicious as national pride overwhelms sportsmanship. Feinstein reveals the private moments between public battles, showing how the Ryder Cup transforms normally composed golfers into warriors representing their countries in golf's most emotional battlefield.
Genres: history, politics, sports, non-fiction
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, sports-rivalry
Setting: Hazeltine, Minnesota
Period: 2016
336 pages · Paperback · Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group