2008 Ryder Cup: European Fans Have Passion

ON WEDNESDAY AT VALHALLA I CHATTED UP some European fans from the UK. Judging from their accents, they were English.

They take their Ryder Cup seriously. One fellow has been to every Ryder Cup since Valderama in 1997 (six in a row). He has been a part of Europe’s dominating run. He is used to seeing his side win.

“How do you think the Americans will do?” he asked.

“I have no idea,” I admitted. “They have a lot of rookies with no bad history, so maybe that will help.”

I asked him about the Ian Poulter pick and how it played in the UK. Many questioned Faldo’s snub of the resurgent Darren Clarke, a solid Ryder Cup performer. He shrugged it off. Poulter is very popular in England, of course, and my counterpart was English.

There were two things on which we agreed. If Europe loses, Faldo, rightly or wrongly, will be criticized for his picks and failed captaincy. That’s the nature of the Ryder Cup.

We also agreed that the Ryder Cup would greatly benefit if the matches are close and exciting after two consecutive blowouts.

−The Armchair Golfer

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2008 Ryder Cup TV Schedule