Does he “Topload” The Singles to get momentum or does he spread the risk? At Gleneagles McGinaly left Rookie Victor Duibisson as tail end Charle, but he had Lee in that mix. As it happens Lee got stuffed and up stepped Jamie (a Rookie)
(Luckily, The Media Management Team also kept their finest back for the late groups, which is actually how I came to be in that insane melee on 14th and also the 18th)
I would send Rory Henrik and Justin out in the top 5 matches, maybe even as Top 3. Personally? It depends on how they have actually been swinging this week in practicebut I think mentally IF I was sending out a rookie in last place it would be Andy.
Putting one of your best golfers at the end can backfire, Padraig’s last RC meant he was playing exhibition golf instead of being “The Banker”
Also, we will miss Poulter on the course. he played like a drain on Day One in Scotland but then helped swing the momentum. Going back “AGES” ago, Monty famously “WON” the RC on TV and is still remembered for that shot. Actually in REAL TIME, Poulter had already holed out, shaken hands and was dancing on the green having secured the ACTUAL winning point. Marketing plays a role in what you see
(How does the Captain pick who plays? Well allegedly, in Casey’s last RC, he had an AWFUL 3 practice rounds . He hardly hit a fairway, as a result when the Fourballs / Foursomes were announced he was not out on the course. He exploded in a mega temper tantrum and ended up only playing in the singles.
Of course many golf fans question why he is not a Captain’s pick these days, (having played so well in the FedEx Cup) and to avoid Pap being Jailed, let’s just say the reason he doesn’t get a look in these days is through not actually being a member of the European Tour…)
Cows, European form, re-routing, good omens? Ahead of The 2016 Ryder Cup, RyderCup.com profiles host venue Hazeltine National and brings you a selection of little-known facts about the historic Minnesota course.
1. It has the two longest holes in Ryder Cup history
It might not quite be the longest overall course in the storied history of the biennial clash – at a heady 7,628 yards it still falls 30 yards short of Medinah Country Club in 2012 – but Hazeltine does feature no fewer than three par fives measuring in excess of 600 yards. In addition to the 606-yard 11th, the third hole comes in at a gargantuan 633 yards, while the sixth is an even-more staggering 642 yards – making it the longest hole in Ryder Cup history by 24 yards and relegating the ninth hole at Gleneagles to third place in the all-time long list.
2. It used to be tough to break 80 around here
When Hazeltine hosted the US Open back in 1970, nearly half the field failed to break 80 during the first round and the course received a fair amount of backlash as a result – none more vociferous than that of runner-up Dave Hill, who speculated that the only thing missing were “80 acres of corn and a few cows.” There were substantial renovations made as a result by designer Robert Trent Jones Snr and USGA President Reed Mackenzie and the formerly-scornful Hill returned to the club and declared the alterations an unqualified success.
3. The course has almost unparalleled major championship pedigree
Hosting this titanic transatlantic tussle for a first time in 2016, Hazeltine becomes just the second course to have hosted the US Open, the US PGA, the US Women’s Open, the US Amateur and now The Ryder Cup. The other? Pinehurst.
4. Tiger Woods held his last 54-hole Major championship lead here
Not only did YE Yang secure the first Major victory for an Asian-born golfer here back in 2009, there was another piece of history made at Hazeltine seven years ago. The US PGA of that year was the first time Tiger Woods failed to win after holding a 54-hole lead at a Major. It also remains the American’s last 54-hole lead at a Major.
5. The course has been re-routed for The Ryder Cup
Of the numerous changes, additions, and tweaks made to Hazeltine for this year’s Ryder Cup, the most significant sees an almost wholesale re-routing of the layout which will see the first to the fourth holes and the 14th to the 18th comprising the front nine and the tenth to the 13th and fifth to ninth holes making up the back nine. The changes see the better viewing holes for spectators move to the back nine and also bring holes 15-18 closer to the new 50,000-square foot clubhouse.
6. Team Europe has Hazeltine form
In the aforementioned US PGA of 2009, held here at Hazeltine, a third of the 2016 European Ryder Cup side finished inside the top ten: Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy (tied third) and Martin Kaymer and Henrik Stenson (tied sixth). Incidentally, two of the USA’s 12-man side finished in the top ten that week – Dustin Johnson and Zach Johnson. Darren Clarke’s vice captain Padraig Harrington also finished tied tenth here seven years ago so perhaps the Irishman might have a few pearls of course info to pass onto the troops too.
7. The course was originally named ‘The Executive Golf Club’
When it first opened in 1962 the course was not, as it is today, called Hazeltine National, but ‘The Executive Golf Club’. The club was originally intended to be the first of a series of Executive Golf Clubs around the country but the name, with its ostentatious connotations, was not well received and the other courses never materialised. The course was renamed Hazeltine National in honour of Lake Hazeltine, which borders the course.
8. Hazeltine has seen a number of previous European successes
In addition to Tony Jacklin’s famous seven-shot victory here back in the 1970 US Open, there have been two other notable European wins at Hazeltine in the last 20 years. Then a Northwestern Wildcats golfer, four-time Ryder Cup player Luke Donald won the individual championship when Hazeltine hosted the NCAA Division I Men’s Championship back in 1999. Seven years later, three-time European Tour winner Richie Ramsay prevailed at Hazeltine as the Scot returned triumphant in the 2006 US Amateur here. Good omens for Team Europe?
For those who meet up on the European Tour, I will happily expain the difference between Fourballs and Threesomes at the Ryder Cup.
Meanwhile tomorrow at 1:35pm UK time the gig ki9cks off with Foursomes.
So what does this mean and how does it affect the groups that Darren picks?
Foursomes means two teams of two players against each other but each team ONLY has ONE Golf Ball. So basically they take it in turns to hit the same ball.
(Fourballs are two teams of two players with each player using their own ball)
Now as all Sotonian Golfers will know, a Golf Ball is either 1) The cheapest thing you can find in the shop or 2) Some other poor sods’ golf ball you find while looking for your own.
But TOUR PROS are sponsored - ie paid money to hit one particular Brand of Golf Ball. Remarkably in a game of timing and muscle memory, a miniscule difference in the “feel” or “spin” or “Shape” that you would get with a golf ball becomes very significant.
Considering most Pro Golfers spend about 4 hours a day on a range hitting 3 or 4 HUNDRED balls when practicing or hit the same ball 244 times in a tournament, it can REALLY fuck them up to use a different ball.
Pairings must often be made not on ability or “team fit” but on who can hit the other blokes balls (oh there are a zillion tales as well)
Most memorable was the utter FAILURE of Tiger & Mickleson at successive RC’s simply because the discussion ALWAYS started with leftie saying OK get me some of your balls to practice with.
Darren must find guys happy to play with each others balls. (More stories).
IF you want to gamble in advance then go to European Tour,com and look at the Race to Meet Dubai Phil standings - alongside each name you can find each players balls. The most likely pairings are Taylor Mades together and Titleists and Nike’s…
So one way to be ITK and still get screwed because someone likes to play with someone else’s balls from time to time or when away from home
(Sorry it was early but off to gloat and get a hangover see you on the pickled on a Thursday thread)
Will watch the Tee Shots for each group to see the terror in their eyes
Then bugger off to the beach.
Fact is the Ryder Cup isn’t something you have to watch EVERY shot at. It is like a Wine, it matures with age over the 3 days.
Win or lose it is the drama of the Sunday unfolding before your eyes that is the bit you can’t miss. It is never won with one shot, a tone can be set but the Trophy isn’t won until that Fat Lady turns up.
At Gleneagles I worked teh afternoon shift so we watched them Tee off, wandered down to one of the beautiful layout holes and watched a few players come by checked out Apps for the Trends and headed back and watched a few holes over lunch. Obviously when I was out with my groups I watched every shot but actually had very little idea what was going on.
So no, even I won’t watch every shot. A bit of Beach Time, a snooze to get the remainder of this hangover out my system (Trader Vics - Samoan Cog Fuckers) and also to be ready to cope with 3 nights of 2:30am or later.
At least we have a public holiday Sunday so only have Monday morning to worry about.
Think Europe will hold their own in the Foursomes, maybe even a slight lead like the pairings Henrik & Justin should get the point, Rory should carry Andy into the event, and Thomas has the distance and putting to match well with Lee
Only European playing well is Sergio. Rose & Stenson steady but that’s not enough. Rory not quite there yet.
Lee playing to his form this year krap & Thomas looking like a rabbit in headlights - can’t even get his hat on straight. Early days USA won opening foursomes at Gleneagles…
“Dormie” is a match play term that means the leading golfer’s margin is the same as the number of holes remaining, e.g., 3-up with three holes to play. Where does the word come from?
According to the USGA Museum, “dormie” comes from the word “dormir,” which shares a French and Latin origin. “Dormir” means “to sleep.” “Dormie” means that a player has reached a match-play lead that is insurmountable (at least in matches in which halves are in use) - and so the player can, in a manner of speaking, relax, knowing that he cannot lose the match. “Dormir” (to sleep) turns into “dormie” (relax, you can’t lose). (Although golfers who have “gone dormie” can still fail to win if their opponent manages to halve the match.)
There are some legends floating around that Mary Queen of Scots had something to do with the introducing the term “dormie.” While it’s true that Mary is believed to have knocked a few primitive golf balls around, and she was a French speaker, there is no evidence - no reason at all to believe - that Mary coined the term or had anything at all to do with it.
(Although Mary’s husband certainly went dormir, didn’t he?)
Moisture on the Greens does affect the speed and how much the ball breaks, and seems the Europeans may simply have not been up and practicing early enough in the day to cope with that condition.
Cant stand teh US crowd though… yes we are partisan when in Europe… (will the English still participate after Brexit given the EU flag is use ) ut when we get all supportive is with a real sense of JOY… the US its just about winning and having a sense of superiority and that is why I cant stand their ‘USA, USA’ shit and wankish behaviour - andi am sure we dont boo the opposition either…
