blonde poker forum

Think we ought to have a Ryder Cup thread, so here we go.

As it happens, I ought to be the last person to start it, as I detest all the overblown hype it attracts from the Media almost as much as I dislike the "football crowd" mentality from the, err, "gallery", though it's hardly a gallery when everyone is booing, screaming & heckling.

But I'm going to try very hard to enjoy it.

Venue?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Golf_National

Apparently, it has a spectator capacity for 80,000.

Even a quarter of those chanting U S A or whatever will make quite a racket.

Looks like there's a bit of water on the course.


(http://i.imgur.com/0d3x5XI.jpg) (https://imgur.com/0d3x5XI)

USA have named their three "wild cards".

Tiger Woods

Phil Mickelson

Bryson DeChambeau.


Delighted to see Woods in the Team.

Yes, he has his detractors, which is fair enough, but he's surprised everyone this year by the comeback in his form & the apparent improvement in his demeanour. His presence will certainly be a bonus to neutrals like me. I actually don't give a monkey's who wins, but would love to see a good, close contest played in the true spirit of golf. 

Europe name their wild cards at 2pm today.

Names in consideration include Poulter, Stenson, Casey & Garcia.

Garcia must be the difficult one. So much ability & experience, but so out of sorts right now. Bet they include him though.

Betting markets?

There are a zillion of them, but for the outright, it's something like this;

USA 4/5 or 5/6

Europe 6/5 or 5/4

Draw - 10/1 & 12/1

Here;

https://www.oddschecker.com/golf/ryder-cup


A wheelbarrow job on USA @ those prices?


(http://i.imgur.com/kcVMDl3.jpg) (https://imgur.com/kcVMDl3)

Europe's 4 wild card selections have just been announced;

Paul Casey.

Sergio Garcia.

Ian Poulter.

Henrik Stenson.

No surprises there, then.

Not sure Garcia's form warrants selection.  His value in the team room could be met by making him a vice captain.  At the Ryder Cup, form is far more important than experience and you only have to look how well rookies on form have performed in previous Ryder Cups and how experienced players out of form have flopped.  If you have won on Tour you will cope with the Ryder Cup.  Matt Wallace must be scratching his head at not being selected.

Got to feel for Rafa and Matt Wallace after the weekend performances.

Not sure I would want to pair Serge with his usual Spanish blade this time as Rahms head will drop when the going gets tough(as I know to my cost).  Instead, I would be tempted to pair Garcia with Poulter. Could be quality.

For all that the US squad seems so strong.

The French track is one of the toughest out there, and that is when the best thrive. We may have more experience of it, but a few warm up rounds will soon level that out.

Will be hard to funk against Europe, but the wheelbarrow has been unloaded.

In my opinion Paris National is the best course on the European tour, and by quite a distance too. It's set up really well, it's tough and the last 4 holes  are really tough. Doubt there will be many firework comebacks a la Poulter down the stretch here in the pairs rounds unless the oppos combine to have a mare coz par on all those 4 holes is a really good score.

It's a world away from your typical US event, drive it long flick it to the green kind of course which is a good thing for the Euro team this year as The US team look much better on paper. Can deffo see a few of the Yanks not having the correct mindset to get around here and the good thing about Tiger and Phil is their weakness is their driving and you can get in some horrid spots or water easily off the tee here.

Alex Noren posted a score in this years French Open there and then watched the guys in front of him fall back down that stretch for him to get the win about an hour after he had finished his round. The 3 players level or in front of him after he had posted 7 under in the clubhouse shot a combined +7 for those last 4 holes.

Was hoping TB didn't pick Casey, with the camaraderie angle of the Euros over the years looking like a strength of the US team these days too Casey is so disliked by most of the players on tour for being super aloof and condescending that I can't see how he is going to improve the locker room above his undoubted golf ability. The one big thing in his favour is its a track that should suit him.

Matt Wallace instead of Casey would also show that committing to the European Tour and earning your way close to the automatic picks will get you in the team. Casey made almost no effort to get into the team himself via European tour results.

If Ed Molinari can get a pick instead of Casey the form Ed  was in leading up to Celtic Manor then Wallace's 3 wins this season and the way he won last weekend, think he birdied 7 of his last 8 holes to win in a play off might have sent a better message out to the European Tour players and team.

Excellent stuff old chap.

Wish you had posted before I went mad.


Please post more on golf!! :)

The Ryder Cup just got revved up big time.

Team USA arrive in Paris.

Clearly, team uniforms are all the vogue these days, though I'm not sure I've seen sunglasses included in team apparel before. 


(http://i.imgur.com/7SVs6sT.jpg) (https://imgur.com/7SVs6sT)

This is part of the Grandstand behind the 1st tee.

Imagine having to tee off in front of that when it's full of spectators.


(http://i.imgur.com/U8UAIM6.jpg) (https://imgur.com/U8UAIM6)

Seen on Twitter;


Put your glasses on if you hate Patrick Reed

If the Ryder Cup was a 24 runner 72-hole Strokeplay event on the exact same course setup, who’s your top 3 in the betting and bottom 3 in the betting?

what are their odds?

Great question!

Top 3:

Rose 8/1
Woods 10/1
DJ 10/1

Bottom 3:

Poulter 50/1
Mickelson 66/1
Watson 66/1

The excellent website giving past individual match results seems to have shut down - here is the archived version

https://web.archive.org/web/20161018233850/http://golf.about.com/od/teamcompetitions/a/rydercupresults.htm


For those that can, shybet's 2 or more draws on the first day seems a reasonable bet on the basis that a draw is a 5/1 chance (which seems to be backed up by the stats).  2 or more would be a 39% chance (if my sums are correct) and shy go 2-1.

2/1 i  cant find that...

https://m.skybet.com/golf/ryder-cup-2018/event/22592130

Bubba Watson getting interviewed at the moment and he sounds ill - said he's been battling a cold for the past few days and that 'half the guys at the fedex last week were battling something' and that all the travelling this week doesn't help.

4 or 5 high pressure rounds in 3 days is a lot so might we see some of the US team run out of steam on Sunday?

cheers

USA currently a fairly tempting 1.98 on the machine.

Ended up playing the draw @12/1 with a view to possibly trade later.

Hello

who would we have as the almost certainties to play all five matches, for either side?

Rambling thoughts - I don't have enough info on personalities so completely guessing on pairings.  But would think in any case that the euro team has a far higher chance of 5/5.


Rory and Justin Rose have both 5/5 the last three years (don't think 5/5 was possible in 2010 for Rory because of weather).  Who will they kick-off with though?  Molinari and Fleetwood?  Then maybe different players in the second session?  Rahm will start I would think - with Sergio?  Working with a Spanish rookie seems to bring out the best in Sergio, but is Rahm's personality too strong?  Poulter will start surely - with Stenson or Noren? 
So my guess for the Euro starting eight McIlroy, Rose, Rahm, Sergio, Poulter, Fleetwood, Noren, Molinari with only the first two looking like 5/5
 
The Speith/Reed partnership was 5/5 last year but there are recent form doubts with both but I would guess they'll get a start in the first matches and take things from there.  Koepka played 4 last year and won 3 so he will surely be playing in the first matches - with Johnson?  I'd be surprised if Woods didn't start, but with his age, the chance of him being rested must be high maybe paired with Thomas?  Phil will probably get an early start - he's a captain's pick so maybe paired with Finau so two captain's picks get a chance to justify their selection early and a rookie paired with a veteran.

So my guess for the US starting eight are Speith, Reed, Koepka, Johnson, Woods, Thomas, Mickleson, Finau without any real confidence that anyone will play five matches.

(http://i.imgur.com/vExvkRa.jpg) (https://imgur.com/vExvkRa)

WTF!

7am?

France is a hour in front (CET), so yes, an early alarm call tomorrow.

(https://media1.giphy.com/media/6GY01XQBkf3lS/giphy.gif?cid=3640f6095bad194c395845596bc2d114)

Tikay, what time do the foursomes start?

:)

7.10'am uk time. Saturday,

Let's refer to it as the afternoon foursomes to prevent all them collar necked peeps silently judging you. The answer was 12:50, Marky should be out of bed by then.

I should just make those ;D

thats fourballs not foursomes

foursomes they hit alternate shots the fourballs they all have a ball and best score per team counts for the match

Ha, good read Sir.

;)

And dear Sarah gets things off to a good start with her usual piercing, incisive questions, this one to Jim Furyk;

"So Jim, how exciting is this?"

God give us strength, 3 days of that.

Unlike Colin Montgomery, I've never been a winning ryder cup captain, but when it comes to team strategy, this seems sensible to me:

Fourballs

Different playing styles a plus. If plan A doesn't work, plan B might. Want the players to see alternative options on the course management day 1.

Foursomes

Closer to each other's style the better. Want the shot the player is left with to be as familiar as possible.

Singles

Lead off with form guy. Shoutiest bloke out early, so he can cheerlead/vice-vice-captain afterwards. Last two players should be clutch for the Miracle and Medinah repeat.

Do I get the gig?

Well I'm very impressed with "shoutiest bloke", so you move forwards to a second interview.

Don't think Reed and Tiger have said a word to each other yet

Neither the easiest partner, feels like they need a "Relate" councillor or two on the bags to keep the peace

Reed is definitely a bit quirky. When he gets the hots though he's some golfer.

SO good the ryder cup. I really wish they had at least SLIGHTLY different uniforms though it's tiling me a little they are basically the same. WTF Europe doing with red on the shirt?

Luckily, the Yanks have white trousers, otherwise it'd be a job to tell them apart.

Would have thought different colour tops would have been sensible though.

Rahm is loving it. Could have gone either way but he's a Poulter like rah-rah figure out there

Yup. He's Mr Hot & Cold, isn't he?

When he's hot he's hot.....

Not sure I'd want to trust my cash on him.

It's because it's chilly and they've got their jumpers on.

Ah yes the trousers, even still, bit of blue on there would have been the way. Minor criticism of a worldie sporting event though!!

EUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPE

Brave or stupid - or neither - to select Rory for this afternoon after the dreadful morning he had?


(http://i.imgur.com/glXFkMc.jpg) (https://imgur.com/glXFkMc)

Garcia is justifying his selection this afternoon

^^^^

Seems like they all did, amazing afternoon. Rory's 2nd shot on the 13th was pretty handy, too.

Just a bit of wind and some tough rough to make the best US players shoot around +12 between them this afternoon.
At this rate Phil will be blaming Tom Watson again come Sunday night.

Playing Mickelson in foursomes has to go down as one of the strangest choices in the modern Ryder Cup. Coudn't hit 30 odd yard wide fairways last week or many fairways for the last 6 weeks or so yet put him in playing the one ball format. Crazy

Very odd indeed as was his selection as a wildcard, which I can only assume JF was attempting to justify.

I’m not sure what Furyk was thinking. The Yanks always play all 12 on day one yet he front loaded with his best 8 in the foirballs. Meaning he was left with the 4 weakest players playing foursomes. I thought Bjorn should have chosen to open with foursomes but whether it was by luck or judgement opening with fourballs has worked out nicely due to Furyk’s errors.

A few weeks is a long time in golf.

As we are seeing with Serge, who was bang OUT of form when he got picked, having a RC pedigree is worth a boat load.

Still crazy foursomes pick though as Bobby said.

Ps, how long before we see tiger proper hobble, grab his back etc?!......

Same applies to Spieth, who has been off his game all year but looks the business here.

USA need to get their heads in order PDQ, or this is going to be over as a contest by this afternoon.

Easy to say after but Furyk seems to be missing the mark tactically, agree playing Phil in single ball format is mystifying, and alongside Bryson, I'd have thought the spot for Phil would have been alongside someone like Fowler in the better ball, everyone knows he's liability with a big club into tight fairways. Reed and Woods a very unusual paertnership too, can't see any logic to that, Spieth and Reed have been a great team in the past see no reason to split them up, put woods alongside someone like Thomas or Brooks who is an easier character.

Lot of luck in sports of course and if Phil has of had a good game we'd have been saying what a genius he is, conversely Bjorn's captain picks (Casey, Stenson, Poulter, Garcia) are not only getting the job done with tthe clubs but evidently are amazing for morale around the place, his parings seem to have worked out well as well, sticking with a few tried and tested partnerships as well as conceiving Fleetwood and Molinari which seems inspired now, the Rory/Oleson pairing appears to be the only spot where he might have missed the mark.

A lot of variance obviously just feels like Bjorn is reacting a lot better to what he's seeing on the course than Uncle Jim.

Probably the main issue in finding a partner for Reed outside Speith and why Tiger or Bubba kind of make sense is Reed is basically very unpopular with the younger generation of players for a variety of reasons. Bubba and Reed were both top class college players for Georgia  and are friends thru that link. Tiger being so much older and basically off the tour for such a long time hasn't been exposed to all the Reed stuff from his college days or his less tactful boasting on tour.

Good link here to the Reed background stuff.

http://tobaccoroadblues.com/2015/01/30/the-villain-patrick-reed/

ah interesting, thanks!

SO what's the logic in your opinion for breaking Spieth and Reed up? We know they are a great team, I get the attraction of putting JS and JT together but you could put JT with pretty much anyone surely?

On another note, Woods looked great first 9 today but seemed to really really struggle towards the end of the game and looks drained now, seems another bad call to put him back out?  Not got much idea as to what partnerships he should use but I wouldn't have thought Woods again was a good decision.

its not a bomb it and putt layout thats for sure

It does seem strange to split up the Reed and Speith pairing doesn't it. It could just be that Speith and Thomas are such good friends and play a lot of golf together that he thought that would help them. Reed and Tiger been awful haven't they, Tiger looks either Ill or hurting. Reed got some kind of two way miss going and just looks down in the dumps too.

Be interesting to see if he improves when he gets to the singles match given his previous. Tho when the comms are commenting that the top of his body is moving in a different direction to the bottom half during some of his swings then it seems hes got big technical problems.

I'm gonna lose a pot of cash, as I thought the yanks would crush, but I will be happy to be wrong.

Its been great.

In terms of singles betting betting, I fancy Simpson to beat Rose,  hope that Poulter wins the cup by beating Dustbin, and think its a max on Hatton to beat Reed who seems so bad he must be totally shot mentally.

I've been considering whether to have a yankee on the last four matches being ties.

Superb argument, I'm in.

On the basis that it might be over and they just walk in, or because you think they are especially even matches?

Cant recall if they give up normally, but pretty sure they have kept going in the past. If not its a great idea.

We've done it before, maybe on thread?  There are definitely more ties at the end, but the bookies were getting wise to it a few years ago.  Not many bookies have priced the matches up right now, but looking at the prices, I guess the older traders have moved on.

I see 356 don't have the time priced.

Void if a draw?

Not finding anyone that will let me do combos?

Any joy anyone?

Ladyboys

Is that what your spell checker corrects laddies to?  what you been up to Ralph?  rotflmfao rotflmfao rotflmfao ;djinn;

Is the data not skewed by an increased number of draws in the early years when they effectively called it a half and walked off? Nowadays they always play it out. It was a huge angle years ago but I’m not sure it exists nowadays.

My picks for the singles are.

MOLINARI vs Mickelson @ 1.53   Mickelson has no game at all atm

HATTON vs Reed @ 2.1  Really like this one as Reed couldnt hit it straight from the tee yesterday.

SPIETH vs Olesen @ 1.62

FLEETWOOD vs Finau @ 1.85 

THOMAS vs McIlroy @ 2.15

I'm 7/8 over the first two days for picks   ;bigadz;, but unfortunately thought USA would win overall.

looking at the recent years where the win margin was big there aren't many draws in the last 4

2016: 17 - 11 no draws

2014: 16.5 - 11.5 no draws

2008: 16.5 - 11.5 no draws

2006: 18.5 - 9.5  no draws

2004: 18.5 - 9.5 no draws

2002 might have been the year that some players walked in?  It was 15.5 - 12.5 with 3 draws from the last 4.  McGinley clinched the cup, with a draw on the 18th, with two matches behind him, which must have been either ties or one up at that time (unless they had fallen behind and were still on the 16th), so even if they did walk in there was quite a lot of "draw equity" in the matches anyway.

Looking at the singles match-ups on paper, it wouldn't be a great surprise if the US won six of the top eight matches.

I think there might still be a little life in this contest yet.

yes -bet everyday are 9-1 US betfair are 10-1 which seems a bit long.

I keep having these moments where things I thought were failry recent were really 20 years ago, so 2002 is probably right.  In my defense, there have only been 9 tournaments since then, so it wasn't that many tournaments ago!   I suspect the previous discussion was on the betfair forum and not here.  I thought there was one more recent than that, but I am now pretty sure I was thinking of this one.  https://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/tiger-woods-concession-what-2012-ryder-cup-revealed-about-man-and-event.  Ironically it cost draw bettors money.

I think the conclusion is it is pretty marginal unless you can do multiples; and everybody seems to refuse multiples; so if there ever was an edge it has gone.   

Obviously there will be 2 or 3 draws in the last 4 now.   

Last three matches are currently all-square.

HOLD PLEASE

Thought this was the case, hence the questioning.

Anyway, let's just hope Europe get it done early....

How about this question?

Oh Ralph so defensive.

You and Doobs convinced me against my better judgement and memory. I was showing some respect for what I thought was a good spot.

Should have known you were wrong but the Doobs rarely is.......

How on earth did I convince you without offering any reasoning whatsoever for a bet I simply said I was considering?

You convinced me  :)up

That's another matter ;)

We're still just about live even if in intensive care.

I am not even sure who was convinced of what and why.   Did you get combos on Marky?

Oh f off Ralph. ;nana;

If you had pulled it off you would have claimed genius status etc.

It wasn't because you feel the last 5 times were so evenly matched you were convinced they would all be a draw,

Just let it go ffs

Molinari Mickleson was likely a bit optimistic.  Only need one win to make a profit assuming the prices remained 6/1 or 13/2 they were when I looked.  Gl Marky on whatever bet you had.

Nah, only Betbright offered it, Doobs.



Wouldn't think you two were almost as old as Tikay :D

 ;applause;

Poultry dragging his heels so he can be THE one

You should have taken my advice(with rationale) and bet on Europe @2.61 about ten days ago.

Didn't you say you were on the draw at 12/1 and tipped 1.98 USA?  Guess there is some profit somewhere if you got 2.61 Europe too.

I didn't tip USA @1.98/99 but just pointed it out(on Twitter I think) to a mate who thought they were a sure thing and had taken shorter.

I did bet the draw @12/1 but failed to trade any out although it did briefly touch 8(7/1) earlier.

No, strangely I didn't take your advice, despite your tremendous record........

Congrats

Convinced me


Convinced me


Convinced me

Meanwhile, Bobby1 really nailed it with that post, what a tough course that is.

We hear & see all this hand-wringing about how pro golfers are murdering courses as they hit the ball so far & the rough is only pretend rough, it does not inhibit the next shot. The rough at Paris National was proper rough, real tough to play shots with control once you get in that stuff, & the fairways narrowed in at the likely landing points of those who bomb it a mile.   

Curious how so many of the players were out of sorts, too.

Bobby should be on his way to Dubai for Xmas after that write up!

It remains baffling that at no point in the last 20 years have the Americans discovered a Monty, a Sergio, a Poulter: someone who brings their best, most elevated, game to the Ryder Cup.

Why, for such a patriotic country where chest out fist pumping wrap in flag jingo-ism (amongst the white money-ed classes) is so prevalent, might that be the case?

They thought they had it in Reed. He just fell right out of form at exactly the wrong time (for them).

lol at his (http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/hand-gestures/shush-smiley-emoticon.gif) (http://www.sherv.net/) to the crowd after they had already lost the Ryder Cup  rotflmfao What an idiot  ;dingdell;

I thought that showed a decent sense of humour to be fair!

That Patrick Reed moment was fantastic. Was blatantly joking and he actually applauded the fans with a smile on his face after it.

why would tiger/mick et al care about the ryder cup when they make £100m a year for 10+ years?  They are playing heads up for £10m next month in a game (that based on world rankings) would be like Barney and Steve Beaton (both older than 50) playing for £10m at darts.  they are ranked 13 and 25 in the world currently the same as tiiger and phil.  You can't tell me that helps team moral in the US golf team when these two washed up has beens are playing for such a comical amount of money over a weekend?  Could you imagine having an England v rest of the world darts team where Beaton could earn £10m in a weekend in a meaningless tv donkfest and it wouldn't effect moral with the other players?

They only turn up surely because their sponsors demand it?  You can tell by looking at their body langauge (and results) that over 20 years they couldn't care less about it surely?  Once these two are the wrong side of 40 and still being selected its like a tip in itself.  

https://www.pdc.tv/pdc-order-of-merit

Only sky could hype such a paceless boring exhibition event that pays the players nothing and they have no motivation for imo for the vast majority of them (esp the yanks).  Sky actually totally change their EPL football schedule this weekend just to accommodate this donkfest.  They put on the worst tv games of the season to give the shit teams their quota to justify their huge expense on this golf donkfest.

The fact the wives are ssuch a big deal on the opening day sums up what a joke the event is and how out of date it is in the modern world.  Why aren't the husbands/boyfriends paraded before the women's equivalent of the ryder cup?

Someone was clearly pissed last night and had done his dough on something. rotflmfao

Every cloud has a silver lining. The Cardiff v Burnley game was so bad I enjoyed it. And Joe Hart was great with a motm performance  :)

Not at all i just don't see what all the fuss is about with the event at all.  It is incredible in the 21st century they still parade the wifes/wags and shows maybe how out of touch golf is as a sport and the decline in its popularity.

One of the greatest sporting events of the year for me but then I play golf and enjoy watching it, I guess you don’t do either ?

I agree that it doesn’t mean much to some of the Yanks, but not too many, if any Europeans feel that way. Surely playing for your country transcends money ? When you have enough money, and surely Tiger and Phil have enough, there has to be something else surely ?

Agree with you about the parading of the WAGs obviously.

I dont buy that Tiger doesn't care about it.

in the run up to it all we heard about was how often he was calling Jim F and how keen he was to play in it.

He sulked when he was losing and everytime he forced a little comeback he was fist pumping the air and giving it the usual welly, unitl he lost a few holes then the walk slowed down again and back to sulking.

I am sure the toll of the previous few weeks had a bearing, but the plain fact is he aint no good at the format. It happens, I am shit with a medal card in my hand but a demon at matchplay(only a few rungs below Tiger obvs....).

Cringeworthy, wasn't it?

Bet those ladies LOVED having to all dress identically, too......

It's a throwback to a previous age, but these days it is an awful gaffe imo.


(http://i.imgur.com/Xs40XRu.jpg) (https://imgur.com/Xs40XRu)



(http://i.imgur.com/HAgmjZS.jpg) (https://imgur.com/HAgmjZS)



(http://i.imgur.com/bgTBnu7.jpg) (https://imgur.com/bgTBnu7)

This was better, but this was 1949.....



 (http://i.imgur.com/KdFXQd4.jpg) (https://imgur.com/KdFXQd4)

Then, things started to go wrong.



(http://i.imgur.com/dUaKAeZ.jpg) (https://imgur.com/dUaKAeZ)

Not too bad in '85 at The Belfry.


(http://i.imgur.com/wF6qu2C.jpg) (https://imgur.com/wF6qu2C)

Back to the chaps now, also in '85, how many of these can you name?

And exactly where (what hole) was this photo taken? Very famous hole at the time, & I clearly recall playing it shortly after & getting down in 13.

 (http://i.imgur.com/eCKQmvo.jpg) (https://imgur.com/eCKQmvo)

Kind of sad how the WAGs have got more attractive as the money in golf has increased.   Would be good to see a few more that broke the mould. It all feels very outdated displaying them at all. 

I love the ryder cup, but dare say golfers are all different on trophies vs cash.  Justin Rose seemed really stoked with his Olympic Gold, but so many others didn't want to play on both sides of the pond.   

How many millions can you need?

I noticed that too, I guess "trophy wives or girlfriends" were not a thing back then.

As to the players, none of them are obliged to play the Ryder Cup, but I think they genuinely want to, it's a big notch on their CV, and my read is that they love it.

If someone strong-minded with attitude did not want to play it - Reed, say - pretty sure they'd turn it down and revel in the attention that gave them.

I don't particularly enjoy it, all the hype and hoopla is a bit ott for me, and I don't like to see the galleries behaving so oafishly, but I reckon most golf fans love it, so good luck to them. 

That would be the 10th at The Belfry I think?

I was at the 1993 match for the Saturday and stood at the dogleg for that hole. Crouching in front of us as her husband came down the fairway was Mrs Woosnam. Some American fans applauded a bad European shot and she gave them a mild telling off in a wonderfully lyrical welsh accent.

The WAGs will know each other and to me it seems that their being ‘uniformed’ builds on the team ethos.

Can’t defend the whole introduction of them and ceremonial stuff though.

1985 is the Belfry. From memory Europe's first win since57

Lanny Wadkins
Calvin peete
Ray Floyd
Curtis strange
Tom kite
Andy north
Craig stadler
Fuzzy zoeller
Mark o'meara

Trevino the captain

That's 10 out of 13

I can try most of the European site

Seve
Faldo
Lyle
Clark
Ken brown
Canizares
Pinero
Torrance
Woosnam
Paul way

Jacklin

Missing 2, frustrating, staple sport trivia quiz memory stuff

Yup, 10th at The Belfry.

I played it a while later, as a guest of IG Index, as I was a "valued Client", in the same sense that Marky is a valued client of any sports book. Pretty expensive round, to tell the truth....

Good effort Tighty.

From Team USA, you missed Hal Sutton, Peter Jacobsen and Hubert Green I believe.

I don't play golf (and never have) but i enjoy watching the Masters etc but i am not a fan of watching team versions of individual sports.  The laver cup in tennis last weekend was on sky and it was just as big a joke to me as the ryder cup is and i am a big tennis fan.  Same as several attempts to have team poker formats on tv.

Ryder cup is one of the best sporting weekends of the year for me
it beats the world cup as a whole hands down IMHO

More Scottish representation in the ryder cup than the world cup.  Story checks out!

I find The Ryder Cups that are staged across the pond extremely tiresome due to their (mostly) ignorant and boorish "fans".

It seems that quite a few of the French fans thought that was acceptable behaviour too.

All the chest beating and fist pumping makes it pretty much unwatchable imo

Meanwhile, a nasty piece of news, if true;


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/45714544



(http://i.imgur.com/2HLk1EA.jpg) (https://imgur.com/2HLk1EA)

Wow horrible, truly horrible

The thing that amazes me is that this sort of thing doesn’t happen more, I always wonder the same at cricket matches, I have no doubt a cricket ball in the head could easily kill you  :(

Terrible news and a shocking injury.

Surely it has just been a matter of time until someone was seriously injured with so many players failing to shout "fore" when their ball is heading for the crowd, and fans standing so close when a player is in trouble trying to escape from trees or heavy rough.

Will she sue the organizers or the unfortunate player?

I imagine that there will be insurance in place, so it will probably be settled quietly. 

I haven't been to a live golf event in ages, is there any safety guidance on the ticket? 

Don't know about the actual tickets, but presumably tickets are sold in accordance with the Tournament & Course regulations, here;

https://www.rydercup.com/2018-ryder-cup-official-ground-regulations

And specifically, right down the bottom (Clause 20).....


20.Persons entering the Venue do so acknowledging the general risks associated with the game of golf and attending a major golf tournament, including risks associated with errant golf shots, the attendance of large crowds in confined spaces to watch limited golf holes (and surges of spectators accordingly) and those other risks related to attending a sporting competition in a golf course environment exposed to the natural elements.

The worst thing, which Ralph alluded to, is when a player has to hit a recovery shot back to the fairway or to the green from in amongst the viewing areas, & the gallery form a sort of "funnel" just a few yards wide. Scares me to bits every time I see it. Similar in a way to some tees, where the gallery line up either side to watch the guys tee off. I know it's pretty rare for a pro golfer to shank it or mishit that badly, but that ball would kill anyone instantly if it hit them in the face or head. These shots from the rough can be over a concealed tree root & anything can happen.

Given how extreme, silly maybe, some H & S requirements are these days, it's remarkable that it's allowed.



(http://i.imgur.com/gp7bo2j.jpg) (https://imgur.com/gp7bo2j)

You had to show that shot didn't you Tony - it cost me a small fortune as I was on Louis Oosthuizen to win that Masters @~50/1.

It was in the playoff and Bubba played a miracle 50 yard hook with a 7-iron to around 8 feet and holed it to beat my man who had been trading big odds-on before that shot.

Doubt that that small print will cut much ice with a court given the present interpretation of unfair contract terms.

In any case it's doubtful that a payoff will be of much consolation to the poor woman.  I have a friend who recently sold his business and retired only to have eye surgery botched, leaving him virtually blind in the eye affected.  He is obviously investigating legal action, but without any enthusiasm as putting some more cash on his fairly large pile won't really make much difference to his now affected lifestyle.

The US fall out has started and Patrick Reed (and his wife who seems to be of the same ilk) has been firing shots at Jordan Speith and Jim Furyk with a side swipe at Tiger along the way. It must be a big price he is ever a captains pick if he doesn't qualify for future events now.

What caught my eye tho was that DJ and Brooks Keopka who were very close friends had to be separated from fighting in the European (?) team dressing room on Sunday night. In the last few months DJ has been playing a few extra holes away from home with a young lady that he met at a golf club. In a fantastic piece of having your cake and eating it syndrome it seems he took offense to Keopka and Paulina becoming closer friends and accused Keopka of trying to take his fiancee away from him. Seems a strange thing given Keopka has a long term girlfriend who was in Paris too.

On the Saturday night of the Fedex Cup finale that Tiger won DJ walked into a golf shop and bought a new putter which he used during the final round of that event combined with changing his putting stroke to left below right. That's in a comp he could still win, players don't do that if they are happy with their game or happy in general. He then changed putters again going into the singles matches last week. Doing strange things like that and then fighting with his friend after looking really unhappy on the golf course for weeks makes me wonder if he is that well at the moment.


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6154429/Yassie-Safai-named-socialite-sensational-Dustin-Johnson-Paulina-Gretzky-split.html

I can't see how the US team are going obtain the much heralded team moral they need in future teams given some of these young guys seems to have intertwining issues with each other. The last US team to play in Europe also had to deal with Jimmy Walker being in the same team as DJ who had been sleeping with his wife. Looks like they have more problems than not being able to play proper golf courses.

This really sad isn't it.

Rich sportsmen in shagging everything that moves shocker  ;danafish;

Dustbin must be back on the marching powder if he has swapped her for her.......oh my....

I wouldn’t be surprised Adz. He just looks wrong as well as doing strange things to me.

Now I'm worried. What sort of strange things does he do to you, Phil?

Is Phil a golfing socialite sweetheart?

....and engaged for nearly five years!?.......maybe they were saving to get married.

More on the lady hit by the errant golf ball;


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/45734449

I find it a bit odd, When I first heard this story I assumed she must be some poor woman who was dragged along by her husband.

But she is a regular golfer, and thinks somebody else should tell her she could get hit by a ball.  Even if she hears someone shout fore, she still gets hit?  I feel sorry for her that she was badly hurt, but I just don't see how you can make it safe other than banning spectators. Imagine the fun in watching golf from a covered stand behind bullet proof glass?

We all know the risks when watching golf.but that is also why you have golf insurance.

I am sure she could have got plenty of compo from this incident without making herself look so mercenary.

You can bet that a lot of the decisions she's made and things she's said have been influenced and encouraged by the media.

When we go to watch a Golf Tournament on the course, we get to see 2 golfers every 5 or 10 minutes. If that's all we see, surely we'd watch the guys tee off & know the trajectory of the ball. "Fore left" was shouted, and the little man behind the tee with the pointy sticks was waving "LEFT". 

I do understand it's very sad for her, but I'm not sure everything about the story stacks up. We don't even really know if she has been blinded in one eye.

We can cut her some slack for being emosh about it though, it must have been a horrible experience. 

There was another incident yesterday at the Dunhill Links thing, with Tyrrell Hatton the "culprit" this time.

The Media are all over this now, & I can see changes being made to how the galleries view golf Tournaments.

This one really does look like it must have stung a bit, but the young lady looks cheerful enough.




 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-45751456


(http://i.imgur.com/61CIqoH.jpg) (https://imgur.com/61CIqoH)

Having seen Phil shoot -7 yesterday, post Ryder Cup, travelling exhaustion, press condemnation etc, you cant help but wonder what was going on in the US dressing room in France. Phil was obvs not at the races, but seems ok now!

Phil Mickelson loses the plot.....


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/golf/2018/10/05/phil-mickelson-refuses-play-courses-brutal-rough-ever-failure/


Which brings us nicely back to this, by the other Phil - Bobby1....

Nailed it, huh?

How ridiculous is he getting now? After laying into Tom Watson because the US players couldn't play proper golf last time they played in Europe he's gone from blatant cheating by hitting a moving ball at the US Open to now saying this.

The best thing for him is in less than 2 years he can trot around on the Seniors tour on 50 yard wide resort courses where guys like Greg Hill and other good players on here would shoot mid 70's themselves. That's unless they decide to take all the long grass around the fairways off golf courses to suit this clown that is.

Confirmed tosser.