FAIRWAY TO HEAVEN Ryder Cup is one of the great team events
T
he American writer and humourist Mark Twain is widely credited with saying: “Golf is a good walk spoiled.” Now generally regarded as a myth, whoever did come out with it clearly hadn’t reckoned with the Ryder Cup. Held every two years at alternate venues on either side of the Atlantic, the showdown between Europe and the United States is a no-holdsbarred face-off, played to fiercely partisan and volatile galleries which make a mockery of golf being described as a genteel pastime. Under normal circumstances, maybe it is. But the Ryder Cup isn’t normal – not for nothing did former Europe skipper Mark James title his revealing behind-the-scenes book about the explosive 33rd encounter at Brookline “Into The Bear Pit”. Its format is unique. The teams are 12-a-side and based on a combination of leading points scorers and wildcard selections, nominated by the captains. The points are based on the prize money earned over a 12-month period, but because this year’s competition was shifted back a year, US captain Stricker has decided only six of his team would qualify via the points system, with the remainder being captain’s picks. Padraig Harrington, however, will stick with tradition and take four players from the European tour, five from the world list and three wildcards. As for the event itself, while playing pairs within a team set-up is not uncommon, the three-day
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competition embraces all the main facets – foursomes (two players on each side, taking alternate shots) and four balls (pairs again playing their own ball, with matchplay rules) over the first two days, then 12 matchplay singles on the Sunday. There are 28 matches with as many points at stake.
1979 when GB were allowed to call on the European professionals.
While it may all seem a bit confusing, it is those complications and permutations which make the Ryder Cup unparalleled for pure adrenalinfuelled theatre.
Some have been crushing, such as Europe’s record nine-point winning margins in Michigan (2004) and Co Kildare (2006). Others have been nerve-shredding, skin-of-the-teeth triumphs such as the ‘Miracle of Medinah’ in 2012 when the visitors clawed their way to the second successive one-point win.
The event’s history partially stokes the fire. It started in 1927 as a challenge between the US and Great Britain and, pausing only for the war years, it gradually became a onesided romp for the Americans until
And so, the touchpaper was lit. Although it took until 1985 for Europe to finally break the stranglehold ending a run of 13 straight US successes - they have since won 11 of the 20 renewals with one tied.
Yet none were more bitter than the ‘Battle of Brookline’ in 1999 when a one-point win for the US was marred by raucous celebrations from both team and supporters as Justin Leonard holed the matchwinning putt before JoseMaria Olazabal had a chance to hole his shot. This year we are back in the US, with Whistling Straits in Wisconsin playing host from September 24th to the 26th. What drama awaits?