The envelope rule is one of the Ryder Cup’s most debated traditions. At its core, it can hand out a “free” half-point that shifts the balance of a tight contest. The secrecy around a captain’s chosen golfer fuels suspicions that not every withdrawal is purely down to injury, leaving room for doubts about gamesmanship. On top of that, it forces captains into an unenviable dilemma: deciding which team member is the most expendable—without shattering confidence inside the locker room.

McGinley, on the 5 clubs golf channel, said, “It’s been there historically and both sides have benefitted, “but if there are misgivings, the captains need an open, honest conversation before the agreement is signed.”

In 1979, when the rule was first introduced, Europe’s Mark James withdrew, and the U.S.’s

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