THE SHOW MUST GO ON Derek Lawrenson
Think big and stage the Ryder Cup to raise morale… with a little tickle to the rules
THE Euros have been kicked down the road and the Olympics will assuredly follow suit. No wonder there is a doom-laden feeling in some quarters that the Ryder Cup should be postponed for 12 months as well, and we write this off as the lost year of sport.
After all, might it not free up some space to cram in a rearranged major or two?
Thankfully, those in charge are not currently thinking along those lines at all.
It’s time to think big not small, and how the Ryder Cup draws in millions of sports and non-sports lovers alike, who don’t normally watch golf.
By late September — if we’re all, please God, up and running again by then — imagine the role the biennial contest could play in raising morale, and particularly with the loss of the other two major sporting events?
Rather than run for cover, it’s the sport’s duty and responsibility to stage the Ryder Cup if at all possible. What about the qualifying process, with so many tournaments lost? Sure, it’s going to need a rethink — but it’s hardly rocket science.
The easiest solution would be to scrap automatic qualifying and give the two captains the freedom to pick their teams in their entirety, which would certainly create plenty of debate.
But, given the qualifying process had proceeded smoothly for six months without interruption, it would hardly be the fairest solution.
With hopefully at least a month’s golf before the autumn showpiece, including two or three majors, there would be time for those who have done little to this point to show some form.
There’s one change that should be made. Europe’s Padraig Harrington gave up one of his captain’s wild cards because he believed in the integrity of the 12-month qualifying period. Now it has been compromised, he should have four picks instead of three.
Worrying about the whys and wherefores of qualifying, though, ought to be secondary.
Last week, Gary Neville called for a festival of football when the time was right, and if players had to play every day, then so be it. That should be golf’s attitude, too. Never mind worrying about staging majors either side of the Ryder Cup and fretting about overkill.
If we’re in a blessed place by then where it’s safe to play and watch sport, we’ll be desperate to celebrate and revel in the fact.
With the Olympics about to be postponed, let’s not forget the biggest event of all that can now take place this year is the Ryder Cup.
Time to put on a show, if we possibly can.