Ryder Cup: the tantrums and set-tos that helped define the rivalry

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/sep/20/ryder-cup-tantrums-rivalry

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Bolt off to a flyer

The 1957 Ryder Cup at Lindrick GC in Rotherham was somewhat ahead of its time in showcasing some of the contest’s less amicable elements. The United States player “Terrible” Tommy Bolt had already described the home crowds as “the worst I have ever seen in my life” when he came up against Scotland’s Eric Brown (more of him later) in a bad-tempered singles match. Bolt’s mood was not helped by his 4&3 defeat, after which he said to his opponent: “I guess you won, but I did not enjoy it one bit.”

One-iron in the soul/face

Destined to be remembered for the act of sportsmanship with which it ended, events before Jack Nicklaus’s famous concession to Tony Jacklin to halve the 1969 outing at Royal Birkdale were nowhere near as fluffy. Brown, now the Europe captain, had instructed his team not to help opponents search for lost balls in case they stepped on one and conceded a penalty, and things kicked off in the fourballs. The Europeans Bernard Gallacher and Brian Huggett had words with Dave Hill and Ken Still over putting etiquette on the first green, but that was just the start. When Huggett and Still engaged in a shouting match, Hill is alleged to have said to Gallacher: “If you say one more word I’m going to wrap this one-iron around your head.”

Seve battles Zing the merciless

Seve Ballesteros once described the American team as “11 nice guys and Paul Azinger” in light of a series of contretemps between the pair over the years. Their singles match at The Belfry in 1989 was a case in point. On the second green Ballesteros wanted to change his ball but Azinger could see nothing wrong with it and the referee agreed, to which Ballesteros is reported to have inquired of his opponent: “Is this the way you want to play today?” Clearly it was, and Azinger won at the last despite finding the water with his drive.

Monster Island

Where to start with the “War on the Shore”? At Kiawah Island, in 1991, the hitherto massive boundary between golf and modern warfare became blurred. From Corey Pavin and Steve Pate’s Gulf War‑inspired camouflaged headgear, to early‑morning calls to “wake the enemy” from a local radio DJ, many felt the USA team had confused sport with operations in Iraq. History will also remember this as the birthplace of the “get in the hole” curse. Shudder.

No way, José

Eight years after Kiawah Island and following two defeats, the USA were pumped up at Brookline. So were the crowd, whose heckling of Colin Montgomerie became so bad that his father retreated to the clubhouse. But the actions of those inside the ropes caused a far greater stir when, after a monumental comeback, Justin Leonard sank a long putt on the 17th green to all but seal the trophy for the home side. Even though José María Olazábal still had a shot to halve the hole to take the match to the final hole, the home players went bonkers, dancing all over the green, and his line, in their terrible shirts. The Spaniard missed his putt and followers of golf etiquette fainted on the spot.

The Vikings would not approve

Things got a little cartoonish at Valhalla in 2008 with the USA captain, Azinger apparently not discouraging home fans in Louisville from heckling the opposition. Europe’s Lee Westwood was even haunted by a man in a ghost mask shouting “Boo” at him. Ian Poulter also claimed Anthony Kim had “body-checked” him on the 14th tee, in a rare departure from the game’s non-contact roots.

Cheerio, Cheerio, Cheerio …

Allegations of unsavoury chanting followed at Medinah in 2012, some in relation to the late Ballesteros. After a suitably historic victory for Olazábal’s team Poulter got his own back. The cheeky chap posted online a video of him eating the popular breakfast cereal Cheerios from Samuel Ryder’s famous trophy with his kids. Take that Lucky Charms.