Fromnowhere, 20otherpeople were in the studio withme
I have been lucky enough to cover incredible comebacks in subsequent Ryder Cups at Brookline and Medinah.
But the event at Oak Hill was one great sporting story after another.
When Europe fought back in the Singles on the Sunday to win, it was one of the greatest days I’ve ever been involved with in television.
What made it even more special was that it involved players I grew up with who had become friends – Howard Clark, Mark James, Ian Woosnam, Sam Torrance, Colin Montgomerie.
It was an emotional day because these players produced something special just when they were entering the autumn of their careers.
To then watch Nick Faldo make a par at the 18th to beat Curtis Strange, we were witness to one of the greatest pieces of course management you’ll ever see.
If he didn’t get it up and down, he was finished. Strange would have got a half, and the United States would have retained the trophy.
But it was the same scenario for everyone. It was that close, and the drama was worthy of Steven Spielberg.
When Philip Walton won his match to secure the Cup for Europe and the celebrations began, I turned around – and there were 20 people in the studio.
That had never happened before or since. I didn’t know anyone else was there. That’s how engrossed I was in the action.
And I remember it all like it was yesterday.
Oak Hill was the first Ryder Cup we broadcast live, and Sky’s golf coverage came of age that week.
On the Saturday afternoon, US hosts, NBC, went off air to show college American Football. They weren’t that fussed about things back then.
We asked to use their cameras, otherwise we wouldn’t have had pictures.
Director, Mike Allen, did an incredible job on a gripping afternoon.
When you think of how the Ryder Cup is covered now, Oak Hill was a defining moment.