Farmingdale, N.Y. – The opening shot is two days away from the opening, and the Ryder Cup game trick began on Wednesday, when European captain Luke Donald gave some subtle jabs on salary in his opening speech.
“We can’t buy something that’s money,” Donald said.
Europe, 1.
Then, when Captain America Keegan Bradley talked about the 17th Green in Brookline next to one of the biggest moments in Ryder Cup history, he mistakenly said Justin Rose, not Justin Leonard, which was a 45-foot putt.
Europe, from 2.
Real golf begins until Friday morning at Rowdy Bethpage Black. More than 5,000 fans who attended the opening ceremony were moved by the ongoing ode to “America” and the booing of Europeans.
Donald is the first European team to play in a row to play Ryder Cup since Bernard Gallacher (1991-95). Donald polished in Rome, using the perfect Italian in a brief message to fans, who likewise has a clear message to the clear message about this week.
Europe has actually owned the Ryder Cup, which is in the modern era, until 1979, and has established a legacy that is full of the highest confidence.
“The United States is proud of their legacy, but so are we,” Donald said. “Our European legacy stems from resilience, solidarity and proving people wrong.
Donald wasted very little time to bring money into the conversation, saying the Ryder Cup “has nothing to do with the bonus or the world ranking point. It’s about pride.”
Since 1999, Americans have received $200,000 in donations to charities. This year, the charity amount is $300,000, and the allowance is $200,000. American players have said from the outset that they will donate all $500,000 to charities in their community.
Still, Europeans say they don’t need compensation to compete for the 17-inch-tall gold trophy, which is enough ammunition, suggesting that this is an example of why the Ryder Cup is more important to them than the Americans.
Europe has won 10 of its 10 games against Team USA in the last 14 games, usually looking stronger on paper in terms of world rankings and big championships. Now, it is trying to win for the fifth time on American soil. The Americans have not won in Europe in 32 years.
“We’re not here to be part of the show. We’re here to win a spot in Ryder Cup folklore,” Donald said. “We’re not only going to win. We’re playing for each other and every young golfer who dream about representing the European team one day.
“We know it’s not easy. Victory will never be. The hardest road brings the biggest reward.”
Bradley had to wait for the hymn death, and he talked mainly about his history as a New England son of PGA professionals – his aunt Pat Bradley is the great great of the LPGA Tour in the World Golf Hall of Fame, playing at St. John’s and playing at Bethpage Black while his teammates were on the other side of the 3-to-Nos.
He even gave up local references when introducing his team and announced world No. 1 Sktie Schefler from New Jersey. That was where Schefller was born and lived until he moved to Dallas when he was 6 years old.
Bradley said the Ryder Cup became very personal at the age of 13 in 1999, sitting on his father’s shoulder “watching Justin Rose’s miracle putt fall at 17” and how his father got him to join the celebration at the end of the 18th.
“That was the moment when golf stopped being a game,” Bradley said. “That day changed my life.”
Bradley intends to be the first captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963. Bradley is ranked 10th on the rankings and is even better than his team’s four players in the world.
Eventually, he decided to be elected captain, a selfless move that showed that his only concern was leaving Bethpage Black to Ryder Cup.
Bradley and other Americans are counting on a large crowd to support. Bethpage Black hosted two U.S. openings on the PGA Tour, a PGA champion and two FedEx Cup playoffs. One subject is a gallery that knows nothing about telling golfers what they think of “their” classes. Sergio Garcia was so annoyed that he pointed his fingers – yes, the middle fingers – open at Bethpage Black during the 2002 U.S. Open.
“Bethpage Black is known as the People’s Country Club. It’s called the New York family course,” Bradley said. “But this week, with your passion and energy, you’ll be a family course in the United States.”
The opening ceremony is usually Thursday afternoon, and the ceremony ends the lineup that announced the opening training session. The day’s rise is a day ahead of rain forecasts, and one day will be given to the players again before Donald and Bradley deliver the roster – how much golf they can play depends on the weather.
It has been two years since Europe defeated Rome’s Americans. There have been a few days to wait for Friday.
