RETURN TO HAZELTINE
I won here in 1970, but USA are in the mood to triumph this time
Ican hardly believe the Ryder cup has come around again so soon. The years seem to be slipping by so fast I’m starting to think it must be an annual event!
It’s obviously a tournament that remains very close to my heart and never more so than this year’s edition at Hazeltine, where I’m lucky enough to be an honorary member.
It is the place where I won the United States Open in 1970 and enjoyed the best week of my golfing life. I increased my lead day by day and eventually won by seven shots.
Back then it was a young course and it came in for a lot of criticism, with the runner-up Dave Hill particularly vocal. ‘They ruined a fine farm when they built this course,’ he reckoned.
I’m confident you won’t hear any complaint this week, never mind anything as outrageous as that. I think it has grown up over the years and become a great test of golf.
I like the fact it is a good driver’s course, with well-situated bunkers to punish those who stray off line. It’s very long, but it’s not just a bomber’s paradise. You do have to think your way round if you’re going to be in position to make birdies.
It’s the captain’s prerogative to set the course up as he sees fit and I think that come this morning Davis Love will have the greens at lightning fast speed, and woe betide anyone who finds themselves frequently above the hole. They’re not going to score very well.
When it opened Hazeltine had a lot of blind dog-leg holes but it’s been altered a couple of times over the years and is now a very fair test.
What hasn’t changed over the years is the environment, and Minneapolis can be a pretty wild place, so it will be interesting to see if the weather plays a part. One thing you can guar- antee is the members will embrace the occasion. They’re as enthusiastic a group as you will find.
This is a club that is very conscious of its place in the game. I was at their 50th anniversary a few years ago and it was clear the members have a keen sense of history.
Inside the new clubhouse they’re building a museum and I was delighted to subscribe to it in the form of donating the golf bag I used in winning the US Open. Make no mistake, this is still going to be a major venue in 50 years’ time, I’m quite sure of that. It’s the real deal.
It might be a long time now since I was captain of Europe for the fourth time in 1989 but I still get wrapped up in it. I’ve followed the evolution of the teams over the course of this season and I’m looking forward to seeing it unfold in person. I’ve been here since Tuesday and there’s a great sense of anticipation.
as a former skipper it’s going to be fascinating to me to see how Darren goes about handling a team with six rookies. It wouldn’t surprise me if some didn’t play at all on the first day, while you’d expect to see those who do get on the course to be paired with experienced players.
It’s Darren’s deal, though, to do as he sees fit.
Who’s going to win? It wouldn’t surprise me if america came through this time. Living in Florida, I’ve been conscious of how determined they are to end this long run of defeats and bring the cup back.
It seems to me to be vital Europe get off to a fast start and quieten the galleries. They need to reach the end of that first day level. Otherwise, if america gain momentum it could become a one-way street.
Let’s hope for another great one, though, and played in the right spirit that we’ve seen in recent matches. Medinah in 2012 was amazing and Gleneagles last time was absolutely fantastic.
This is our chance to showcase all that is good about our game and let’s hope the players seize that opportunity.