It’s time again for the Ryder Cup to take place, an event I find the most exciting three days of golf.
As a golf fan, the Masters is the event I look forward to each year as the beauty of Augusta and the pageantry of the event make it golfs’ most special event. But for three days every two years when the United States takes on Europe in the quest for the Ryder Cup, the enthusiasm of the golf reaches nationalistic pride and shifts it into over drive.
I really enjoy and respect the European players throughout the year, but when the Ryder Cup come along, they are the bitter enemy! To the golf fan, it’s like the Olympics and World Cup all rolled into one.
The United States has lost the last three Cups and have dropped six of the last seven. What has made it tougher to swallow, is the United States enters the competition each time with seemingly a better team on paper or in terms of the World Rankings.
Yet the end of the weekend, there are the Euro’s popping the Champagne corks and celebrating. Meanwhile the USA boys are left wondering what could have been.
As the European wins rack up, so does the confidence or shall we say arrogance level of their players rises. They certainly have earned the right as they have punished us, but that doesn’t make it any easier.
On the other side, the United States seems for the most part, either indifferent or are quick to throw the US Captain under the bus instead of taking responsibility for their own bad play.
After the debacle in Scotland two years ago, the PGA of America formed a Ryder Cup committee players, past captains and others to move forward. It is an exciting time, as no longer will the players have the excuse of blaming everything on the Captain as there will be input from all involved.
And as many times before there is reason for optimism for the United States side and it’s not just from the players making up the team.
It is exciting to see the blend of young players and veterans for the United States. Youngsters like Patrick Reed bring not only the game, but the passion we need in order to bring the Cup back.
It may not have been the smartest thing in the world to tell the Scottish fans to be quiet in the last Cup, but that is fire, something the standard Stepford players we have been trotting out.
The Captain and his assistants are great as well. Davis Love III returns as the Captain after skipping a turn and he has surrounded himself with a perfect blend of Vice-Captains.
Jim Furyk, Tom Lehman and Steve Stricker bring valuable experience to the staff and the passion of Tiger Woods – one who has grown to love the competitive aspect of the Cup – and Bubba Watson figures to bring the right mix of fire and the right way to approach the Cup.
It all starts Friday and ends Sunday at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota. Check back here for updates as we go!
By Dennis Miller