Jack’s Blog

Did Rory McElroy come closer to convincing everyone he’s the #1 golfer in the world?  Not sure, but with his career winnings, how about buying a reliable alarm clock - one that has all the time zones?

Does the enormous amount of tour money lessen the pressure?  Dottie Pepper, commenting at the 17th hole yesterday, made the comment, “It seems like there’s no oxygen here in Chicago.”  So the answer seems to be the pressure is astronomical because this is the only time all year these guys are not playing for cash?  There’s nothing more difficult than knowing if you fail, you’re letting down millions of people, in particular the guys you see on a weekly basis during “business” hours.

Terrific, to the point of almost exasperating, sportsmanship displayed by both sides.  It appeared like there was more positive acknowledgement of good play than laser focus on the next shot.  Don’t they care as much, do they respect their opponents to the point of so much public admiration or is it a method of masking a kind of fear?  Or maybe it was just a select number that caught my eye.

After Saturday’s Ryder Cup concluded, the United States held a commanding 10-6 advantage, needing only 4 1/2 of the 12 possible Sunday singles points.  The Americans would need to win another 4 1/2 points to reclaim the Cup.  To put it in another context, nine all-squares and three losses would mean victory for the US.  Harken back to Saturday when the score was actually 10-4.  Going into Sunday down 6-10 isn’t so bad when your team won the final two points, the last of which coming from Ian Poulter who broke from the gates with five straight birdies.  Talk about a serious shift of “Mo.”

Speaking of Poulter, England’s favorite son (as of today) went 4-0 in Ryder Cup play and probably would have earned the MVP but that’s more of an individual honor for someone from a team sport, whereas the Ryder Cup is a team award for an individual sport.

Brandt Snedeker played much below his normal game.  Could it be because he had a letdown after just winning $10,000,000 in the FedEx Cup?  Yes, the zeros were included for effect.  It’s tough to tell as the sample size for that particular problem is too small.

So, was it an amazing European comeback or a classic US collapse?  Depends upon which team you’re pulling for or where your money was.  Also, how you look at life.  Are you a “There must be a scapegoat” type of person or “Unless it was just an out-and-out gift, congrats to the winners” kind of guy?  Before you answer, ponder the comments from former UNC offensive line coach, Howard Mudd in the 9/24/12 edition of Sports Illustrated.  What he was saying was directed to the “incredible psychological stability” of future Hall of Fame center, Jeff Saturday.  Take from it what you will regarding the clutch vs. choke argument:

“The really good players don’t rise to the occasion, as people like to say; they’re just not as adversely affected by the situation.”

Golf got it right.  The best players play in all the majors and most of them play in the big tourneys.  It’s world-wide competiton that, because it’s an individual sport, naturally produces stars.  They’re recognizable, they’re “understandable,” and they’re all over the place - TV, magazines, billboards.  It’s always been a rich man’s game but more and more “lesser income” kids have been getting involved.  Now, a program called “First Tee” is reaching out even more.  Imagine better athletes who couldn’t afford to play golf deciding, “This is a pretty cool sport - and I can play it a loooong time, making BIG bucks into my 50s and 60s.”

Golf also has the Ryder Cup.  The Ryder Cup is team golf- the US vs. Europe.  The twelve best from each group.  Intense is a perfect word to describe the competition.  Millionaires playing a game in which other people (not their posses) are dependent on them.  Other people as in their peers.  It’s not just “I do well, I reap the benefits.  I fail, I don’t get paid.”  Now it’s, “Hey, how I do affects other golfers beside just me.”  The pressure increases exponentially.  Missing a five foot putt and losing a half a mil pales in comparison to missing it and losing a point for your partner.  And your team.  And your country.  Note: I wasn’t very good in world geography but this blog is written for residents of the US of A only.  When my international numbers skyrocket - or enter single digits - I’ll make the post geographically correct.

Plus, it’s not overdone.  The Ryder Cup is played only every two years.  Make the people wait - increase interest, increase excitement, increase pressure.  Of course, the Ryder Cup’s success begat the Presidents Cup which is the US vs. non-European players - also biennially, during the off-years.  There’s no reason to think America’s fan base can’t handle this team format on an annual basis.  Heck, every other sport is so saturated, mainly because if there’s a buck to be made, somebody out there will sponsor it, corporations will buy blocks of tickets, television will air it, etc., etc., etc.

This year’s Ryder Cup has its own identity, from Bubba Watson encouraging fans to cheer, i.e. scream during his opening drive to Keegan Bradley exhibiting the enthusiasm of a college substitute who hit the game-winner to send his team to the Final Four to . . . Tiger Woods.  The former #1 in the world (and, at one time, talked about as, gasp, the best golfer of all-time) has hit the skids professionally, stuck on 14 major titles (we should all be “stuck” in such a tough place) and struggling to find, or remake, his game.

Tiger is 0-3 so far this Ryder Cup (this blog is published prior to his Sunday single pairing against Francesco Molinari).  If you’re a Tiger fan, it’s agonizing to see him, along with friend and partner Steve Stricker self-destruct each time out - although Friday afternoon I’m not sure any pair in the world could have beaten Nicolas Colsaerts and . . . anybody.  Or even nobody.  As any competitor knows, when things aren’t going your way, the last thing you need is to play against a guy who’s having a career day.  Colsaerts’ eight birdies and an eagle - by himself - qualified.  So if Tiger is not your favorite, did/do you root against him, meaning the team he’s on - representing your country - could also lose?  Really?

In the 1920s Samuel Ryder was so impressed with the US playing against their European counterparts, he donated food, champagne, prize money and, oh yeah, a cup to insure more meetings.  The Ryder Cup is a true example of Thomas Watson’s quote:

“The great accomplishments of man have resulted from the transmission of an idea of enthusiasm.”

This past Ryder Cup was such a thrill for golf fans because it was such a thrill for the players!  To see Boo Weekly, the complete opposite of what we’ve come to think of as a golfer even in PGA tournament play, ride his golf club like a horse (a la Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore), is, to state the obvious, not something we’re likely to see on the weekly tour television coverage.  That, alone, made the viewing worthwhile.

Golf has become such a lucrative occupation, that when we see one of its competitors miss a shot which would have extended his lead or pulled him to within a stroke or two of it, we can almost see his thought process: “Damn, I really needed that one … but I’m still assured a pretty good paycheck.”  The last part of that thought is a rather presumptuous conclusion on my part, but the fact remains the only person who is affected by the tour golfer’s performance is the golfer himself (and those close to him, e.g. his family, caddie or anyone whose livelihood is dependent on his performance).

In Ryder Cup play, however, the atmosphere completely changes.  Anyone who watched this past weekend and couldn’t tell the Kentucky crowd gave a distinct “home course” advantage to the Americans, ought to take the mirror under the nose test.  Just watching Phil Mickelson, who, if he were to play the way he did for the USA in a PGA match (major or not), would be incredibly disappointed.  Yet, there he was, acting like a school kid, after it was all over, celebrating his team’s victory. 

When Kenny Perry said he thought playing for the Red, White and Blue and winning the Ryder Cup would define his career, but he was mistaken - it made his career and hearing J.B. Holmes, along with Perry, a Blue Grass native, try to explain how much winning the Cup meant to him, his voice cracking throughout the interview, showed how much more pressure playing for a team - for others beside yourself - there is in a game that’s loaded with pressure to begin with.

The entire experience is reminiscent of Booker T. Washington’s line:

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”     �