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Tiger Woods hasn't registered a point so far, but will he have enough to do the job should it go to the last match?
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Crouching Tiger
Tiger Woods hasn't registered a point so far, but will he have enough to do the job should it go to the last match?
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Dublin's Best New Comedy Club
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- Hugh O'Connor
- Hugh O'Connor is an Irish student, stand-up comedian, and avid golfer/cricketer/snookerer living in Dublin. He has been commentating on golf and cricket in his living room to the annoyance of his family for over a decade, and is hoping he'll be able to find a more appreciative audience for his musings. He is a member in Woodbrook Golf Club, which hosted the Irish Open throughout the '60s and '70s, and in Mount Juliet, host of the '93, '94, & '95 Irish Opens, as well as the 2002 and 2004 WGC American Express Championships. His cricket is mainly played on the beach in Derrynane and any cricket ground he can sneak into. He currently plays off a handicap of 7, but hopefully won't for much longer. His initial ambition is to get to 0.4, in order to enter the qualifying for the Open Championship. After that he'll be ready to open the batting and bowling for Ireland, once he's asked.
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One month ago, his name wasn’t in the ring. It was between José María Olazábal, Sandy Lyle, and Ian Woosnam, with the Spaniard as the bookies’ favourite. Suddenly, a word from Monty to the effect that he would do it, and that was it. Rumours that Olly had already agreed tumbled, Woosie’s chances of another go vanished, and Lyle became the unlucky man of the so-called Golden Generation.
Colin Montgomerie was born to be a Ryder Cup captain. Ever since his Cup career began, he has been the ultimate team player. He’s unbeaten in singles, he’s a point behind Faldo in overall points, but most importantly, he’s the European talisman. Last August, he was a possible captain’s pick despite his poor form – even if you don’t play him until Sunday, his presence in the locker-room is invaluable.
European teams are known for their cohesiveness, and their lack of hierarchies. In 2006, the US team entered the opening ceremony in order of world ranking – they might as well have flown home straightaway. Indeed, Azinger’s demolition of this individualistic mentality last September was the principal reason behind the USA’s resurgence. However, if the Europeans were ever to look to one man as a leader in the team room, it would be Monty. His name is synonymous with Europe and the Ryder Cup, and his justifiable omission from the 2008 team has done nothing to change this.
The only question hanging over Monty as captain was when. When would he get it? He had consistently mentioned a desire to lead out the team in 2014, in his homeland, allowing him to concentrate on playing in the intervening two. However, once the offer came this year, he grabbed it with both hands.
Given the stance the selection committee is taking, it was the wise choice. After the Faldo disaster (and it was nothing short of that, despite a magnificent and deserving performance from the USA), the committee focussed on the reason least offensive to Faldo. He was 51, and “out of touch”. On being offered the Celtic Manor job, Monty did the maths, figured he’d be 51 in 2014, and didn’t want to risk it. He’ll be 47, and it’s a foregone conclusion that Olazábal will lead the men to the States in 2012, also aged 47.
What of Sandy Lyle? He is the only one of the 1980s’ heroes to miss out on the role.
Ken Brown has been among the most vocal in his disappointment with Lyle’s omission, claiming that we are missing a trick. Lyle was a successful Ryder Cup player in his time, and indeed member of the backroom staff at the K Club, but sentimentality has been the key club in the arguments in his favour. He was a great player in the 80s, winning an Open and a Masters. However, unlike his fellows of that era, namely Langher, Faldo, and Ballesteros, his career as a contender ended prematurely, and he didn’t make it into the next decade. Despite being a similar age to Monty and Olazábal, he hasn’t been a significant name on the scene since 1989. Brown denounces the “out of touch” reasoning, saying all Sandy needs is a few invitations to tournaments. This is a friend clutching at straws. Monty is still a dangerous competitor in the locker-room, a man you could be paired with coming down the stretch, a man still hunting for victories and, most importantly, a Ryder Cup teammate of many hoping to make the team.
The 2010 Ryder Cup team will be an interesting mix. One group will be Monty’s old teammates, men such as Harrington, Stenson, Karlsson, Westwood, and Garcia. He can trust Harrington and Westwood, both future captains themselves, to lead the players on the course. Then there is the more recent generation: McDowell, Rose, Poulter, Casey. As for the first-timers, there won’t be any surprises if Rory McIlroy, Alvaro Quiros, Martin Kaymer, and Ross Fisher are on that team.
This is a healthy combination of innocence and experience, calm and fire, 30-somethings and 20-somethings. It’s also a good group of people for Monty in particular to captain. He’ll have guys he’s played with in Ryder Cups gone by. He’ll have players whom he knows well from the Tour, if not from as many Cup campaigns. Finally, he’ll have youngsters who have grown up watching Monty lead Europe to Ryder Cup victory. Olazábal will be a fantastic captain for similar reasons; he’s played with half of the team and inspired the rest.
This is what Faldo lacked, Lyle lacks, and Monty and Olly have in abundance.
Nobody has been too upset about José María having to wait, principally because it is almost set in stone that he will have the captaincy at Medinah in 2012. He’ll be the same age Monty will be in 2010, fulfilling the committee’s “in touch” requirement. He is also more popular in America than Monty, another reason for the Scot’s appointment this time round. Olly will need less protection from the Illinois crowds than “Mrs. Doubtfire”.
The Ryder Cup captaincy is the highest honour in the game. In Colin Montgomerie, the Europeans have selected a man who will not be outdone in his commitment, work ethic, and shouldering of responsibility. No other player could be more motivated to bring back Samuel Ryder’s trophy. Monty knows the burden he is to carry, and relishes it. The captaincy ensures a place in the history books, whether for the right or wrong reasons. With Montgomerie, they won’t be the wrong ones.
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