Golf needs Tiger Woods; the Ryder Cup does not.
While the FedEx Cup took a back seat on “SportsCenter” to preseason football and fantasy drafts, the Ryder Cup captured lightening in a bottle and showed us why golf can still be one of the premier sporting events in the world.
Was it a bit sweeter because the United States won? Absolutely. It was even better because the win came on American soil. But the greatest part of what happened this past weekend at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., was the camaraderie of the U.S. side. A group of individuals, six of whom were playing in their first Ryder Cup, came together in a sport that is inherently individual and showed us what it’s like to play as a team and have fun doing it.
Legendary golfer, Lee Trevino was once asked about how much he enjoyed the game of golf., Hhe responded, “It’s the most fun I’ve had with my clothes on”.” Somewhere, Lee must have been smiling as he watched U..S.. Ryder Cup rookie Anthony Kim pump up the crowds, waving them to their feet and giving high fives between holes. Or watching fellow rookie Boo Weekly horse rideride his driver off the tee box., reminiscent of Adam Sandler’s club trot in “Happy Gilmore”. In a game stereotyped for its uptight rules, bad sweater vests and checkered pants, the young guns on the U.S. side showed this countryus what Ryder Cup golf is all about.
The Untied States not only wonone the Ryder Cup for the first time since 1999,;, but they ran away with it. It was the largest margin on victory for a U..S.. side in the cup since 1979 and they accomplished it by leading the event wire- to- wire. It was in the year of 1979 when the format for the Ryder Cup changed, before 79′ The United States would take on Great Britain every two years rather then all of Europe. Since the format change Europe has won eight titles, to the American’s seven (including 2008).
While many critics will point to the rookies of the U..S.. side as the difference- makers, the biggest difference was made by the man who didn’t swing a single club all weekend8212;, first- time team captain Paul Azinger.
Azinger turned the tables on the European team and his counter part Nick Faldo by taking a page out of their own book. The U.S. had been criticized in years past for lacking the team camaraderie and togetherness that the European’s shared, even having too many egos for one captain to manage. But it was Azinger that challenged the PGA to alter the team selection process, making room for two more, and a total of four captain’s picks to the roster. He knew what he needed to win, and built a team equipped to do just that.
Azinger knew he would be without Woods, and, perhaps, that was the best thing the captain had going for him. Without Tiger in the locker room, the U.S. players had no where to look but to them selves., Tthey couldn’t count on Tiger to bring them back or look for him to pick up the extra slack. Tiger’s commitment to the Ryder Cup had even been questioned in the past;, how was a team supposed to rally around a leader if who no one really knew if he wanted to be there anyway? Was the United States more skilled without Tiger Woods? I don’t think anyone could make an argument that the United .States. was more talented without Tiger Woods, bsaying they were. But they were bthey better off without him.? Without question.
After selecting a young, emotional team, Azinger knew the crowds would be a huge factor if his team waswere to succeed at dethroning the Europeans. D Leading into the week, during the week’s practice rounds, Azinger mentioned numerous times the enthusiasm of the Valhalla galleries, referring to them as his team’s 13th man. Not only did the team buy into this perspective, but the crowds did as well. Late Sunday, as the U.S. made its run, chants of “U.S.A! U.S.A!” greeted every two-some grouping match as itthey approached the greens on the back nine.
It was the back nine where the U.S. side made its living all weekend, finishing strong everyday holding some of the best players in the world winless on the weekend. Three of Europe’s top dogs, Padraig Harrington, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood, were all held winless on the weekend.
While European captain Nick Faldo has publicly stated he is unsure if he will ever captain the side again, there are already calls for Paul Azinger to be back at the American helm in 2010.
“Zinger for 2010” said Phil Micklson.
“Zinger for 2010” added Justin Lenord.
In some cases, every two years too much is made of the captain’s performance on the winning side, just as there is too much blame on the captain of the losing side. But not many, including my self gave the United States a chance this year at recapturing the cup. What Paul Azinger did was, come in two years ago, determined to change the system and change the way America looks at the Ryder cup. It was a change the U.S. needed and the change that brought the Ryder Cup back to United States soil.
The United States will defend their title in 2010, when the Ryder Cup will be held at Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales. Whethereather or not Azinger, or Woods, will be there, remains to be seen. What we do know is that in the Ryder Cup, one is much more important thaen the other.
Bryan Chouinard