Mike Thomas (sunmart)
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"I love the Ryder Cup. Watched every minute I could and was on the edge of my seat." For a fricking exhibition?
Ryder Cup
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Or Seve?
gmbtempe
New
I remember him much more for his major wins, in fact the lasting Ryder Cup thing I remember was him getting into it with Lehman about putting out from 2 feet when Seve wanted it marked.
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
It's great TV. Made for TV event. Awesome excitement.
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
Tell me Seve's Ryder Cup record off the top of your head.
That's not the point, Seve would have been able to tell you. It meant a lot to him, it was a defining part of his career.
It is simply the difference between winning for yourself and winning for a team. I love playing in foursomes or better ball competitions. It is a completely different game.
gmbtempe
New
Yea I can see it now at this introduction for Phil
4 time All American, US Am champ, won tourney as Am
40 time PGA winner
4 time major winner
PGA hall of fame
donated to countless charities
BUT.........he was not very good in the Ryder Cup
birly-shirly
New
I really think it's different if you're european. If you're an american golf fan, you've probably grown up with icons whose defining moments DID come in the majors. Take anyone down to Trevino or Watson - and the Ryder Cup in their prime was a walkover. If you're european, then things are a little different. 3 out of 4 majors are played on foreign soil. Access is much better now - but hasn't always been that way. At the risk of sounding chippy, european golf has been fighting for parity and recognition for 20 or 30 years. And the Ryder Cup is a biennial opportunity to assert exactly that.
Every time some American dismisses, say, Montgomery's career as "little else in terms of PGA [sic] or Major wins" that resolve to prove yet another point in the next RC just hardens. If you can't see that when Poulter's eyes pop out of his head, then you're not really watching.
Just lettin' ya know what you're up against...
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
I agree with everything you said except that it's the defining part of his career. He may be the exception because he helped make the event what it is today. But his career is defined more by his Masters and Open titles IMO.
mgranato
New
The Ryder Cup can only help a player's career, adding to it if you will. From a career standpoint, making the team is the boost, playing well is gravy, and playing poorly is forgotten with time.
It's a like a game show bonus round for a pro's career. It can add to the coffers, but it won't cost you any built up capital if you go deer-in-the-headlights.
The majors on the other hand are a different story.
It's a like a game show bonus round for a pro's career. It can add to the coffers, but it won't cost you any built up capital if you go deer-in-the-headlights.
The majors on the other hand are a different story.
Maybe Jim Furyk could have taken a couple of more minutes on 17. I'm pretty sure Keegan Bradley stole all of the 5 hour energy drinks at the course. Kind of reminded me of Jack Nicholson in the shining doing his routine.
I tried watching the first couple days and couldn't get into it. Too media driven or something, I don't know.
I tried watching the first couple days and couldn't get into it. Too media driven or something, I don't know.
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
The Ryder Cup can only help a player's career, adding to it if you will. From a career standpoint, making the team is the boost, playing well is gravy, and playing poorly is forgotten with time.
It's a like a game show bonus round for a pro's career. It can add to the coffers, but it won't cost you any built up capital if you go deer-in-the-headlights.
The majors on the other hand are a different story.
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drewyallop
New
Yes, yes, Drew. Absolutely. Suppose you have four guys in foursomes, two will play well, the other two have a bad day . If you pair the two bad players together you'll probably win one and lose one. Put a bad player with a good player and you'll lose both games, and who on earth can see what's going to come out that day?
The Ryder Cup is like a blackjack game in Atlantic City where the captains are trying to count the cards to give their team the 3% edge over the house. Problem is they're not sat at the table long enough to allow the edge to kick in: So the best laid plans of mice and men...[/QUOTE]
Like it Oli. The sample size is tiny. Anything can happen. Howse about a 30 day Ryder Cup? Then maybe the cream will rise (but a black swan may still appear).
drewyallop
New
I lost a lot of interest in this cup after Saturday. I was more disappointed with the probability of a lopsided meaningless singles session than I was excited about the home team having the lead. This isn't one of those flag waiving events for me, just really hoping to see a good old brawl (as much as golf can be one). And much to everyone's surprise (or dismay), that's what we got. The Euros needed to play great and get some help... including from the state police. It was a fun compelling day of viewing which IMO equals a good Ryder Cup.
As Mike Tyson says, “I take my hand off” to the European Team. Jolly well played.
As always Mike gracious and intelligent. And we (men) do like a brawl. And when it is over both contestants deserve our respect. They do what we dream of doing.
W. Mitty
I didn't watch a lot of it, but did watch a few hours on Sunday. I really liked the way Duffner's demeanor was on the course. Very workman-like and with a quiet enthusiasm. You could tell he was into the competition of the match without getting too emotional. Not many of the other Americans had the same demeanor. It may have been the fear of losing the lead, but there was something lacking in most of their actions/demeanor and saw a lot of what looked to me to be feigned enthusiasm.
What's the deal with the fist pumping after making 4 foot par putts? It's like the NFL players celebrating a 10 yard first down catch.
What's the deal with the fist pumping after making 4 foot par putts? It's like the NFL players celebrating a 10 yard first down catch.
Lindsey Newman
New
I loved Rose in the singles. Freak'n baller and a very smooth celebration on 17.
Golf, whether we like it or not, is an individual sport. And the players are graded by their individual records. That's how history judges them in the record book. Like tennis. Sampras' or Federer's Davis Cup record? So, IMO, Ryder Cup is a neat biennial event as good sport, but in no way compares to major championship golf.
Nicely put, DC. BirlyShirly alluded to the fact that up until the mid 1980's, when many of Europe's top players were locked out of 75% of the majors, it was a platform on which to show the Americans that they too could really play . I guess some of the antagonism, for want of a better word, has carried over a generation and therefore European players revere the Ryder Cup that much more.
To suggest that the form book and captain's 'strategizing' is worthwhile over a three day clobber-fest seems amazingly naive to me. Golfers are measured individually and over a long, albeit arbitrary period of time. As an Englishman I'm happy that Europe won and I'd love to gloat a little, but common-sense suggests that we also retain a healthy sense of perspective here.
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magicmarker
New
Well said.
The practice round is an exhibition. The Ryder Cup is way too emotional to just be an exhibition. This wasn't the President's Cup. Tell Stricker and Furyk that it's no big deal, this was just an exhibition...laughable. By definition, if there is a giant trophy on the line, it cannot just be an exhibition.
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