Ho-hum, the Ryder Cup's over and Europe won. So what? I've never understood the purpose of the event, and still don't. Especially from a fan's perspective, and especially at this time in golf. TV and a fifty-two week year roster of tournaments give all top golfers huge exposure, and it seems to me that they pick up fans regardless of the player's nationality.
I also realize that team golf is played in schools, and that many top players learned the game and about competition while in college, but the PGA isn't about team golf and the pro tour certainly isn't either. Pro competition is stroke play and every one of those guys plays only for themselves every week. So, you put them in a team tournament like the Ryder Cup and they're not only playing in a foreign country, they're playing a game that's foreign to them too.
In terms of the players themselves, I'm a big fan of Lee Westwood's. He's English, but that doesn't matter to me, except when he played Steve Stricker a real favorite of mine. Thus, I was happy that Westwood did so well, regardless of nationality. I'm also a fan of Padraig Harrington, so I root for him too, no matter he's from the other side.
Similarly, there are players like Jim Furyk who plays painstakingly slow, has no personality and likely needs a mirror under his nose to prove he's still breathing, I was never a fan of his, don't care who beats him at all, just hope they play fast. Then there's Phil Mickelson who'd win every tournament he enters if he could learn how to putt consistently under pressure, especially from two or three feet. But, if he can't even putt for himself, who'd expect him to help a team just because it's the Ryder Cup? Pressure putting doesn't work like that.
I really don't want to mention Ian Poulter because he's a loudmouthed legend in his own mind who, if he lived to be two thousand, would never become the player he thinks and claims he is. In his case he could play for the U.S. instead of Europe and I'd still root for his opponent to win. Of course, I'm really not sure what shape his game's in because when the camera's on him I flip to an alternate channel.
Lastly, there's Luke Donald, originally from England. He won a golf scholarship at Northwestern University in 1997, studied art theory and practice, and became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. In 1999 he won the individual NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships title, beating the scoring record formerly held by Tiger Woods. He has homes in Northfield, Illinois and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. So, although he now plays all over the globe as most pro's do, he really lives here in the U.S., yet he plays Ryder Cup golf for Europe. Well, if Europe's that important to him, I think he should move back. In fact, he wouldn't even have to say "please," and I'd help him pack.
In closing, I can't say I ignored the matches because I did watch here and there when I wasn't involved in football games, or awoke in the early hours. But having played the game fervently for many, many years and seen countless numbers of tournaments to boot, maybe it's me, but I just don't understand what all the Ryder Cup hype and smoke is about.
That's it for today folks.
Adios
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