"A lot better when you're winning"- Thomas Bjørn on keeping the Ryder Cup spirit rolling

Thomas Bjørn has been one of the Ryder Cup veterans with multiple appearances. He also led the European team to victory as captain in 2018. Recently, he was on the No Laying Up podcast, where he spoke in detail about his passion for the Ryder Cup.

Bjørn featured in three Ryder Cups during his career as a player and won all three of them. In 2018, he was the non-playing captain of the European team that registered a dominant 17.5-10.5 win over the US.

During the interview, Bjørn reflected on the team spirit at the Ryder Cup, stating that it is built over a long period. He added that it comes naturally to the senior players to pass the baton to the next generation.

"That’s what it is," he said. "I think that’s why I probably keep saying yes when I get asked to be vice-captain—it’s just a pleasure to be in it. It’s a pleasure to watch these guys, to watch the young guys, how excited they are, how they take to it, and how they want to pass it on.

"You play in one, and then all of a sudden, you want to play in the next one, and then you realize, 'Okay, now it’s my turn to pass it on to the next guys,' and that’s how it keeps rolling. And it obviously rolls a lot easier and a lot better when you're winning," he added.

He added that they came back better and stronger from the defeats because their values kept them together as a team, and that’s what they carried forward to the next team as well.

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How did Thomas Bjørn perform at the Ryder Cup events?

Thomas Bjørn made his Ryder Cup debut in 1997 under Team Europe's legendary captain, Seve Ballesteros. While Team Europe won the event 14.5-12.5, Bjørn remained undefeated in his debut. He won his fourball match and halved his singles match, contributing 1.5 points to the team.

Thomas Bjørn played his second Ryder Cup in 2002 when Europe secured a 15.5-12.5 win against the US. He earned two points in four matches, finishing with a 2-2-0 win-loss-halve record.

The Great Dane played his final Ryder Cup as a player 12 years later, helping the European team win 16.5-11.5. He didn’t contribute much in that event, adding just 0.5 points and finishing with a 0-2-1 record.