Howell: It’s best to give Ryder Cup rookies their shot as soon as possible
Nobody forgets their first time playing in the Ryder Cup, and for David Howell that was back in 2004.
He was one of five rookies in Bernhard Langer’s European team, which also included future Cup hero Ian Poulter, as they romped to an 18.5-9.5 victory at Oakland Hills, their record win on American soil.
The memories of being part of an event he had watched as a young boy are indelibly etched as he recalls being part of Langer’s all-conquering side.
“Growing up watching Bernhard, Seve Ballesteros and so on was inspiring,” he told The Sunday Post.
“You get to the point where you’re maybe good enough to make the team, and it becomes a burning desire to play in a winning side.
“Getting to Oakland Hills, though, was surreal as I was thinking that this was what other players do. Normally, I would have been settling down in front of the TV for three days’ enjoyment and drama as a fan.
“This was a whole different prospect, but enjoyable in a different way. The pressure is enormous, and you’re anxious not to let anyone down – your team, your family, other people.
“You know that it could come down to you to hole that crucial putt.
“I liken it to doing a driving test for three days. You just want the thumbs up at the end to say you’ve passed. If you get that, the emotions are amazing.”
Howell sat out the first day, but got his chance in the Saturday morning Fourballs when he was paired with fellow rookie, Paul Casey.
They combined to win on the last hole to beat US duo, Jim Furyk and Chad Campbell, and push the team one point closer to their massive win.
But speaking from his own experience, the Englishman knows how important it is to get debutants out on the course.
Captain Padraig Harrington has three this time in Shane Lowry, Bernd Wiesberger and Viktor Hovland. American captain Steve Stricker hassix.
Howell, who also played in the 2006 victory at The K Club, would have no issue about pairing any of them together.
“Playing with another rookie was perfect for me,” he recalled. “I would have found it more daunting or intimidating if I had been put alongside one of the moreexperienced players.
“It was a case of Paul and me being in it together, and I took a captain’s role within our Fourball team.
“Paul asked me on the way to the tee: ‘Who’s going to tee off first?’.
“A little voice in my head wanted to say: ‘You do it!’ But I just went: ‘You know what, I’m oldest, I’ll go first’.
“We were thinking this could be our only time in the Ryder Cup, so let’s smile, enjoy it and have fun. That worked well for us.
“We had an absolute ball. We made it as much like playing for England in our amateur days as possible.
“The thing is you only feel like a rookie when you’re on the first tee, ahead of your first shot. That’s when the nerves are there.
“So it’s best to get the rookies on the course as soon as possible. If they contribute a point or a half, that’s great. But even if they play well and lose, that’s something to make them feel like part of the team.
“Shane is an Open Champion, Bernd is a regular European Tour winner, and we all know what a talent Viktor is. So they aren’t rookies in the way me, Paul and Poults were. We were just starting our careers at the top.
“These are world players, whereas for me back then, playing in America was still a bit of a novelty.”
Remarkably, four of Europe’s class of 2004 will be at Whistling Straits this week in Casey, Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia.
And Howell, who will be working on the match for Sky Sports, can only admire that longevity.
He added: “Golf is unusual because if you keep that desire and keep your game, you can stay at a high level for 20 years. That is no mean feat. And it speaks volumes about their class.
“For a while, I used the Ryder Cup as a springboard to elevate my game. But Poults is the ultimate example. He became a superstar on the back of that.”