Seve was punching the air with excitement, and so was I. Probably the most enjoyable Ryder Cup ever and I’ve seen a lot of them – going all the way back to black and white TV. There was just enough tension without too much worry that the match might end up tied or lost. It was close but never that close. All Europe had to do was keep doing what they’d been doing since Friday morning.
I had my doubts beforehand, but Marco Simone turned out to be a fantastic match play venue that did not reward length over accuracy. There was no advantaging or disadvantaging any one style of play, which is the sign of a truly great golf course.
I also liked the simplicity of the cup presentation ceremony. Nobody wants formality at this stage. Everyone wants to go somewhere to have something to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves. Preferably with both teams dining together. That is the essence of sport.
Since rival captains JH Taylor and Walter Hagen exchanged a few badly chosen words and glares at Southport & Ainsdale in 1933, the Ryder Cup has had many tense and angry moments. On Saturday morning I was referring to it as ‘The Whimper Cup.’ Three extraordinary putts holed by Patrick Cantlay and totally inappropriate behaviour by his caddy – and Tiger’s former bagman – Joe LaCava as darkness fell on the 18th green, suddenly changed the atmosphere into the Battle of Marco Simone, with each of the twelve Sunday singles matches certain to be played with an extra edge to them. While Zach Johnson may have been asking his team: “Where’s your f^@k*&g pride?” All Luke Donald had to say to rally his troops was: “What would Seve do?”
I could not believe my eyes when I read in the Irish Independent the following morning that – according to Eamonn Sweeney – “the Ryder Cup is a complete cod. Nothing is more reliably disappointing than this emperor of anti-climaxes.” Was he kidding? It isn’t perfect, but it is team match play – the purest and oldest form of the game as it was played at Bruntsfield, St. Andrews, and Musselburgh, before Allan Robertson and Old Tom Morris were even born. Emotional stuff, with the wins and losses coming thick and fast.
Team USA’s poor performance was all due to a radically changed PGA Tour Schedule, largely in reaction to the threat of LIV Golf. There had been no PGA Tour events since the Tour Championship ended four weeks previous. The USA team that arrived in Rome was competitively rusty, and foolishly complacent. Too many American golfers regard the Ryder Cup as ‘an exhibition’ whereas Europeans regard it as ‘life, or death’ and a ‘right of passage.’ If Tiger Woods becomes USA’s Team Captain soon it will be interesting to see how seriously he embraces it because he did not appear to do so as player.
Joining LIV Golf has destroyed the hopes of five Europeans worthy of being a future Ryder Cup captain: Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell, and Lee Westwood – all forgotten men whose deeds are fading into the mists of rushing time. For now, the ‘captain cupboard’ is bare. If Luke Donald doesn’t want a second term (it’s a big ask and commitment), I hereby nominate Francesco Molinari. Justin Rose needs to serve one term as a vice-captain before taking the reins in 2027. After that, it’s too far ahead to call, and besides, the landscape may have altered immensely.
Edoardo (Dodo) Molinari is too valuable as the team’s data analyst to be ‘wasted’ on the captaincy. He contributes too much from the engine-room to be elevated to ‘general management.’ The name Sandy Lyle has once again been mentioned, but he is far too old and there’s too much energy required. The players would not respond to him. There would be no connection. They would want somebody they know.
Maybe the proposed LIV Amalgamation may come to pass in 2024 and those I have already named will be back in the fold. That would need to happen quickly, or they’ll end up like Lyle – too old and too quickly forgotten. Former Captain Thomas Bjorn says the 2023 team should decide whom they want to lead them in 2025 and, in the immediate post-triumph press conference at least, they’ve already asked Luke Donald to do a second term.
That’s entirely up to him. It may be too big a commitment to give up another 2 years of his life… especially with the raucous insults of partisan New York fans awaiting at the end of it.
However, if Tiger were to become USA’s Captain in 2025 it may be too tempting a challenge to turn down.
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