2014 Ryder Cup

Davis Love III – 2016 US Ryder Cup Captain

/ The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Davis Love III will be the 2016 US Ryder Cup Captain. This is his second try at the helm; is first being a loss at Medinah in 2012. As a reminder, the 39th Ryder Cup was held at the Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois, U.S. The team captains were Davis Love III and José María Olazábal for Europe. As defending champions, the European team was down 10-6 going into the last day! Depending on which side of the fence you sit, the results were either a miracle or a meltdown! The Europeans rallied and won the match 14 1/2 to 13 1/2. It was the greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history!

There is little question that “how” Love failed to keep his team together on the last day will be a focal point of future conversations. There will be plenty of second guessing and armchair quarterbacks who think they have the answer. But, the decision is made and now is the time for the potential US players to start thinking as a team.

Names like Fred Couples (who I actually would prefer) and Paul Azinger (2008 winner at the Ryder Cup as US Captain) were bantered about. In the big scheme of things…..it does not matter.

Adam Sarson makes a great point:

The role of the captain at the Ryder Cup is to put your team in the best possible place for success. Love did that at Medinah and it didn’t work out, while Watson very clearly didn’t do that and unsurprisingly, it didn’t work either. The PGA of America tried to hit the home run with Watson and it didn’t work, so they went with the safe, reliable play in Love but all of it will mean nothing if the players don’t perform better at Hazeltine and get a little bit of luck along the way as well.

The players have to take ownership for how they play at the Ryder Cup. Past records are fine, finger-pointing is not helpful, and hoping for a magic solution just does not cut it. If the US Ryder Cup Team plans to beat the Europeans in 2016, the players are the ones who have to step up.

The ifs, ands, and buts will change 50 times before they players tee it up at Hazeltine National Golf Club from 30 September to 2 October, 2016. The only thing I am confident about is that it will be interesting to watch Davis Love III navigate his way through all the minutia in attempts to bring the Ryder Cup back to the US.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

2014 Golf Season is Over

/ The Grateful Golfer / 10 Comments

The 2014 golf season is over! The Ryder Cup was the pinnacle event that capped of a very interesting golf year. In future articles I will talk about the goods, the bads and the uglys of the golf season. But for now, we go into hibernation waiting for the 2014-2015 to start!

But wait, the 2014-2015 golf season starts in only 2 weeks! Thank goodness we do not have to wait too long! The 2014 Ryder Cup extended the professional golf season by 2 weeks, so that means we will have our golfing fix sooner than expected. For that, I am grateful.

Here is the schedule for the first seven events of the 2014-15 PGA TOUR season.

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FRYS.COM OPEN
Date: Oct. 6-12, 2014 | Location: Silverado Resort and Spa (North Course) | Napa, Calif.
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $5,000,000 ($900,000 to winner)
Website: frysopengolf.com

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SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN
Date: Oct. 13-19, 2014 | Location: TPC Summerlin | Las Vegas, Nev.
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $6,000,000 ($1,080,000 to winner)
Website: shrinershospitalsopen.com

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THE McGLADREY CLASSIC
Date: Oct. 20-26, 2014 | Location: Seaside Course | Sea Island, Ga.
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $5,500,000 ($990,000 to winner)
Website: mcgladreyclassic.com

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CIMB CLASSIC
Date: Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 2014 | Location: Kuala Lumpur Golf & CC | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $7,000,000 ($1,260,000 to winner)
Website: cimbclassic.com

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WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS – HSBC CHAMPIONS
Date: Nov. 3-9, 2014 | Location: Sheshan International Golf Club | Shanghai, China
FedExCup points: 550 | Purse: $8,500,000 ($1,400,000 to winner)
Website: HSBCgolf.com

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SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIP
Date: Nov. 3-9, 2014 | Location: Country Club of Jackson | Jackson, Miss.
Website: sandersonfarmschampionship.com

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OHL CLASSIC AT MAYAKOBA
Date: Nov. 10-16, 2014 | Location: El Camaleon | Playa del Carmen, Mexico
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $6,000,000 ($1,080,000 to winner)
Website: ohlclassic.com

It is unlikely that any of the big names will be playing in the first few tournaments. The Ryder Cup cut into their down time and they will need some time to recharge their batteries. The absence of the top golfers will present an awesome opportunity for journeyman to start quick and, like Jimmy Walker, ride their early successes into a top position in the FedEx standings.

What are you going to do during the 2-week layoff as we wait for the 2014 – 2015 PGA Tour Season to start?

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

2014 Ryder Cup – Wrap Up

/ The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Congratulations to the European Ryder Cup team for winning this year’s premier golfing event 16.5 to 11.5. As predicted, the underdog US Team could not overcome the consistent play of the Europeans. The last day of the Ryder Cup is by far the most exciting. The singles matches are as much a chess game as it is a golfing match. The slightest error can have cascading effects on the outcome. However, heading into the final day down 4 points, the US team could not rise to the challenge of defeating a stronger team.

Earlier, I predicted that the European team would win. My choices were made through analysis and research. I generally vote for any team Phil Mickelson is on, but this time the cards were stacked against that choice. As it turned out, my prediction was correct. This morning, just for fun, I made predictions on the singles matches. Here is how I made out:

Jordan Spieth 2 and 1 – Graeme McDowell won.
Henrick Stenson 1 up – Patrick Reed won.
Rickie Fowler 3 and 2 – Rory McIlroy won.
Justin Rose 2 and 1 – Havled
Phil Mickelson 1 up – Phil Mickelson won.
Martin Kaymer 3 and 2 – Martin Kaymer won.
Matt Kuchar 2 and 1 – Matt Kuchar won.
Sergio Garcia 1 up – Sergio Garcia won.
Ian Poulter 1 up – Halved
Keegan Bradley 1 up – Jamie Donaldson won.
Jimmy Walker 2 and 1 – Jimmy Walker won.
Victor Dubuisson 4 and 3 – Halved.

So my total was 5 matches correct, 4 wrong and 3 a push. Well just over 50 percent is not a bad track record considering the variables for selecting a winner are….well….astronomical. Picking winners in golf does pose great challenges for most golfing pundits and regardless of the results, it is fun to do.

Many people are talking about the strategy employed by the US Team. Additionally, reports about Phil Mickelson and Tom Watson having a disagreement,is making headlines.The only thing I can say is that you win and lose as a team. Finger pointing, or at least the perception of finger pointing, is not productive and as such I have no further comment on that matter.

Through my readings, I have found some great articles I would like to share. They talk about gifs, wrap-ups, and in-depth articles about the Ryder Cup. They are quite interesting and are worth the read.

The Ryder Cup. European Glory at Gleneagles. By Pete Robbins

2014 Ryder Cup GIFs – Part Five. By Adam Sarson

Ryder Cup Day 3 Recap: Europe wins 16.5-11.5 at Gleneagles. theScore.com

Wei Under Par -The Ryder Cup. By Stephanie Wei

The 2014 Ryder Cup is in the books. The media hype, the golfing frenzy, and the tale of David and Goliath is over. The best player from each team was Justin Rose (Europe) and Patrick Reed (US). They approached the game differently, but in their own way showed that competing at this pinnacle event is challenging, rewarding and most of all fun. Because if it isn’t fun, what is the point!

I am a grateful golfer! See you all at Hazeltine in 2016!

Congratulations to the 2014 Ryder Cup Champions – Europe!

 

2014 Ryder Cup – Day 1

/ The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

rydercup2014-There should be no surprise that the European Ryder Cup team is leading the US Ryder Cup Team by 2 points. After a shaky start, the Europeans rallied and scored 3.5 points in the afternoon session of Day 1. With 8 matches complete, it is time for the pundits to start second guessing the Captains and offer unsolicited advice on how to improve the team’s standing during play on Day 2. I however, do not see the value in second guessing the team Captains, but see the value in being grateful for the great golf on Day 1.

My approach might be a little altruistic, but I would not be ‘The Grateful Golfer’ if I used the US Team Captain, Tom Watson, as a punching bag. I would suggest that his game plan was solid and if not for a couple bounces here and there the score would be tied. Continuing on my positive approach to the play on Day 1, here is what I would like to share:

  • Rickie Fowler’s approach on the 16th hole in the afternoon was the shot of the day!
  • Sergio Garcia’s chip in from the sand in the morning and his stellar play in the afternoon!
  • Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed walked the walk!
  • Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose are looking like the team to beat!
  • The Scottish crowd was awesome! They truly understand the game of golf!

Here are some other fantastic highlights of today’s matches!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXhi_lVC6UI

The Ryder Cup is a fantastic event. Each team understands the value of never quitting, never giving up, and grinding out a half point that could be the difference between winning and losing. The only prediction I have is that tomorrow’s play will be more of the same! Great moments, more highlights, and fantastic sportsmanship! Each of these professionals is a true gentleman whose desire to win their match is only eclipsed by their desire to win as a team!

I am a grateful golfer! I can hardly wait until tomorrow!

 

2014 Ryder Cup – The Real Story

/ The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

In a few short hours, the 2014 Ryder Cup will be underway. The golfing world is waiting with much anticipation to see if the European team is as strong as everyone suggests. It is difficult to cut through the minutia to follow the real stories, so I thought I would share the thoughts of a few people I follow:

Who do you think are the real game changers for this year’s Ryder Cup?

Who is the better team Captain – Tom Watson or Paul McGinley?

Looks pretty event to me! What do you think?

Is this an exciting match up or what?

I could go on and on. However, I think you get the point! The 2014 Ryder Cup is about to start and we are ready! All I have left to say about that is:

GO EUROPE GO!

I am a grateful golfer! Time to get in front of the TV!