Ryder Cup 2021: Daniel Berger aims to serve up winning debut

Daniel Berger is aiming to serve up Ryder Cup success for the US on his debut after heeding advice from his tennis star dad.

US captain Steve Stricker and Daniel Berger pose with the trophy prior to the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

Jay Berger reached a career-high seventh in the tennis world rankings in the 1990s and also represented the US in the Davis Cup.

Now his son is relishing the opportunity to step on to a team stage as one of six rookies on Steve Stricker’s side in the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.

“A little bit,” replied Berger to being asked if he’d talk to his dad in the build up to the contest about his Davis Cup experience.

“I talk to my dad a lot about a lot of his advice is not golf related. But one of my biggest goals was to make a Ryder Cup team, him having played the Davis Cup which is kind of the Ryder Cup of tennis.

“But they are just different sports, so it's tough to really equate the two.”

What's the biggest thing he has learned from having a fellow professional sportsman as his dad?

“Hard work, dedication, putting time in,” said the four-time PGA Tour winner. “I don't think I'm the biggest, I'm not the strongest, I'm not the fastest golfer out here but I'll outwork any of them and I think that's my biggest asset.”

Berger played on a winning Presidents Cup team in 2017 and said of that: “It brought out a different side of me that I didn't really know that I had, so I'm imagining that this is going to be times a hundred.”

A message from the Editor:

Get a year of unlimited access to all of The Scotsman's sport coverage without the need for a full subscription. Expert analysis, exclusive interviews, live blogs, and 70 per cent fewer ads on Scotsman.com - all for less than £1 a week. Subscribe to us today https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions