Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LE GOLF NATIONAL, PARIS STRIPES AND
way. They bring a lot of intangibles. And for them to be here, we are in a position with a chance to do something special. Tiger and Phil have never won over here – I know that would maybe help cap off a missing piece in their careers.”
It was a theme that ran through the American build-up as they look for that first win in Europe since 1993. The picture for Thomas Bjorn’s team is broader. A loss here would mean back-to-back defeats for the first time since 1991 and that loss, two years later, at The Belfry. The wealth of young talent that makes America favourite for this showdown could threaten an era of domination.
That favouritism does not take any heat off the Europeans. Jim Furyk’s team might well boast nine players good enough to have won Majors, and is certainly the stronger line-up on paper, but Bjorn has been able to set up Le Golf National to suit his players.
Of the 60,000 who will pack the grandstands and cover the mounds of this magnificent course, most will be cheering the Europeans. And in the likes of Mcilroy and Justin Rose, Europe has its own bona fide megastars, capable of truly inspirational deeds.
But Tiger’s re-emergence as a leader has just made this Ryder Cup an even more mouth-watering prospect than the sport-loving world thought possible.
It will not be a case of take Tiger down and take the American team down – but it would go a long way towards Europe reclaiming the trophy after what will surely be one of the sporting events of the year.