Rome Wasn’t Built In a Day
September 29th marks the start of the 44th Ryder Cup. With Rome, Italy serving as this year’s host, I can’t wait for the boys in red, white, and blue to take on the hostile European crowds. Going back all the way to 1927, the Ryder Cup has been a sight to see, with the 12 best golfers from the U.S. taking on the 12 best from Europe. Playing in front of home crowds is quite an advantage, as the American’s haven’t won on European soil since 1993. We need that to change.
One of my first memories of the game of golf was watching the 2016 Ryder Cup on TV. It was really when I fell in love with the sport. The emotion, patriotism, and love the fans had for the players had me in awe. There were a few moments from that Ryder Cup I still remember.
Patrick Reed vs. Rory McIlroy
Possibly one of the greater matches in event history, Reed and Rory threw haymakers all day playing off the crowd’s energy. Whether they were finger-wagging at one another, or Rory shushing the crowd after making a putt from another area code, a Hollywood director couldn’t have scripted more drama if they tried. Watching this match and the intensity that came along with it will make you want to run through a brick wall, and that feeling is what the Ryder Cup is all about.
Another scene from that U.S. Victory at Hazeltine was the singles match between Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia. Two of the more mature players on each team, they both shot in the low 60’s, with Phil edging out Garcia on the 18th green. The quality of golf displayed in that match under the immense pressure of playing for your country was so cool to watch.
Another aspect that I love about the Ryder Cup is for one week a year, it is all about the TEAM. Golf is a very individual sport. While that can be very rewarding at times, I think playing for the name on the front of your jersey is even more rewarding. Whether it was in high school golf, or currently in college, it doesn’t get much better being surrounded by friends and teammates working towards the same goal.
When watching the Ryder Cup, you will see emotions all over the place from the guys. Massive highs are combined with massive lows because every shot is going towards not just one guy, but the entire team and country.
This year in Italy feels different. On paper, the U.S. team should win. I want the U.S. team to win, of course. Yet for the last 30 years, the Americans have struggled to adjust to opposing course set-ups and opposing fans. With all of this being said, bring all you got Europe! Let’s get a victory for the stars and stripes. Experienced players like Jordan Speith and Brooks Koepka should provide pivotal wisdom to newcomers like Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman, handing Europe a loss. Hopefully it comes down to the Sunday Singles matches, with the U.S. pulling away towards the end.
