Ah, the Ryder Cup has finally arrived. The biennial struggle between the world’s best golfers and the best golfers from the United States. Since 1995, it’s been a virtual domination by the world team, much like the PGA Tour has become an international slugfest of epic proportions. Since that fateful day in 1995 at Oak Hill, the US team has been eclipsed 8 out of 10 times in this battle for bragging rights. Honestly, it could have been 9 out of 10 if it weren’t for the heroics of Justin Leonard on the backside at Brookline. With the Ryder Cup teams chosen for this year, the big question becomes, why is it such a big deal anymore? When the tours were ‘separate’ and it was the US vs. Europe, this was a grudge match for the ages. Today, the lineups feature the same players that are on the course together every weekend, so why does it even matter any more?
That’s a tough question to answer, but ultimately, it still comes down to the fact that everyone wants to beat the Americans. It doesn’t seem to matter if you are German, English, Irish or Japanese, everyone loves to knock the US down a peg. Even on that crazy day back in 1999, when Leonard drained that 40 foot birdie putt on 17, the world was shocked by the behavior of the American team and their fans. Storming the green after the putt drops before his competitor putted out was almost unforgiveable. Still the best golfers in the world slowly moved on and came back to take their cup back 2 years later.
This year has a different theme to it. This year, pretty much the entire planet is saying that the American team is the more talented team, the better team. I, for one, do not see what they are all talking about. Sure, the US team is strong with players like Dustin Johnson, Jimmy Walker, Jordan Spieth and the amazing Phil Mickelson, but so were the teams with Tiger, Phil, Furyk, DiMarco and Love III. Those teams looked better on paper as well. That’s the funny thing about paper, it doesn’t play out the way you draw it up most of the time. Instead that 2004 team was slaughtered by Bernhard Langer’s group that included Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Colin Montgomerie. For the record, they dismantled the US team with a final score of 18 1/2 to 9 1/2.
Before I jump on the US bandwagon, which I am more looking forward to seeing some amazing golf this weekend rather than either side winning, keep in mind that the World team this year features an Olympic Gold and Silver medalist, the FedEx Cup Champion, the Master’s Champion and The Open Champion. This is not a push over team here and the US will have their hands full to say the least. Most importantly, this group of international champions have a common goal of beating the US and keeping their Ryder Cup at home for another two years. It’s going to be a long weekend for US fans and these high expectations, but they definitely have the talent to do it, if they can only find that one goal that will bring them together and push them over the top as a team.
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