Pavin's Rules Of Ryder Cup Order

Douglas Lowe reports on the one-year-out Captain's 2010 Ryder Cup preview and says Corey Pavin will not stand for cheering missed putts.

Pavin indirectly criticised Paul Azinger, his predecessor, who urged spectators to cheer when the Europeans missed. “Cheering for missed putts or missed shots is inappropriate and I think true golf fans understand that,” Pavin said.

Montgomerie reminded everyone that the Americans will be guests here. “If there’s anything that goes around I will be the first person to stamp that out,” he said.

Is he talking about a virus or noisy fans?

Now, this Guardian story includes a bit more of Captain Pavin's remarks and he seems to be laying some ground rules for just when it's okay to applaud a missed putt. A proper pause Celts, got that?

"I think it's OK to applaud after a proper pause, whatever that might be. It's fine to have some applause to show your team's just won a hole but you can't be disrespectful to the US players, and vice-versa."

Pavin, the US Open champion in 1995, cut a quiet, understated figure in today's match and that is a style crowds will get used to next year.

"I think I'm not going to be running around all over the place and patting players on the butt," Pavin said after the light-hearted match pitting him and the Welsh opera singer Bryn Terfel against rival captain Colin Montgomerie and the radio presenter Chris Evans had finished all square.

I think I'm getting a better idea why there haven't been any Pavin-Azinger phone calls.

Comments

[Rev Run]

Thump thump...

[court]

WELL SAID CAPTAIN PAVIN !!

Shots of Azinger driving that cart and waving his arms like the village idiot drove me nuts. Complete disrespect and poor sportsmanship - not what golf is all about. Just fueled my dislike for the man.

[OB]

Didn't Pavin's buddy Tom Lehman run around like an idiot at Brookline?

[Scott]

Let the propaganda begin.

It's nice to know as their country is rated "worst in Europe" for living standards, the British press is parsing the appropriate length of time between missed putt and cheering.

Should it be half a second?

How about 7/10 of a second?

And does anyone think Monty will stamp anything out besides the guy in front of him at the post-match buffet?

British galleries have always cheered missed American putts and shouted abuse at our players. I have it on tape. Jesus what a bunch of clowns.

[court]

AH - excellent point - so if we know someone, or even worse, are FRIENDS with someone who was in that bad moment at Brookline, we should never say anything or try to correct the mistakes that the friend made in the future. Brilliant assessment. Let's start the bad sportsmanship machine now since a friend of the next Captain ran on the green at Brookline. Once the bad behavior is out of the bag - it can never be put back. Right ?

[Politically Incorrect]

Fat boy won't stamp out anything other than his own inflated ego

[Patchy]

Hopefully we have seen the end of cheesy pep rallies.

[The O]

Cheering missed putts is bad sportsmanship, but cheering a won hole, is not. Sometimes, they are hard to distinguish. Just saying.

[Rev Run]

Corey need not consult Zing on what to do, but rather all he needs to do is the opposite, of what Lehman did.

At least Corey has the appropriate resume for captainship, Tom clearly did not.

Thump, thump.

[Ludell Hogwaller]

The outburst on #17 green at Brookline was triggered by Euro-gamesmanship and is rarely mentioned when it is time to chastise the Colonials.

Like Scott said above, let the propaganda begin.

But don't mention Sergio's infuriating, unnecessary practice of pacing all the way up to the green and back in an attempt to rattle the US team.
Let us forget that Olazabal went motionless for long periods of time, knowing that it would irritate the opponents.
The endzone celebration was the same reaction that occurs when a football team has been taunted the entire game and suddenly scores the miracle come-from-behind TD.
The Euros facemasked us and then acted shocked when we hit back.
We will probably endure this pre-match softening-up, don't-act-like-Americans-Psyop until the last day of the Cup.

I don't think Corey will be able to handle it--should probably send Ditka.

[chico]

Still think we will sneak past you in the next RC-but its still nearly a year away and its not the most important event in the world.Lets put this to bed for at least the next 8 months!
Think I'm going to spend the winter thinking of a new,punchy nick-name.Seemslike the non pc thing to do!

[court]

LMAO !! "Send Ditka"

What "Euro gamesmanship" set off that stampede at 17 ? Sergio wasn't in that match - that was Olazabal - one of the classiest guys on any tour. He didn't deserve that treatment.

[OWGR Fan]

Lets all remember @ Brookline in 99 that Lehman never actually ran out on the green. Truth hurts sometimes.

[Ky Laffoon's Ghost]

I think it was the currently sainted Padraig Harrington who "paced off" that >100-yard approach shot, not Sergio. Lehman didn't run out onto the green, but I'm still wondering what he did to merit his captaincy. A strange pick. Not that it really matters, of course. Maybe the karmic disruption caused by the dissing of Larry Nelson has run its course for the Americans.

[Ludell Hogwaller]

I do not wish to argue with a ghost, but I'm pretty sure it was Sergio doing the slowplay tactic--I remember thinking it was a Spanish conspiracy cooked up by Seve.

The slow play game is worse than key-jingling, moaning or hooking the opponent's testicles with a 4-iron during the backswing. But that's just me.

[Chema]

The disgraceful display on the 17th green had nothing to do with Euro "gamesmanship" and everything to do with the bible-thumping yobs in the ugly shirts. I've never heard of Olazabal going "motionless for long periods of time," whatever that means. Olazabal is one of the great sportsmen in the game.

Harrington was pacing off the distances against O'Meara.

[Chema]

The odd thing is that I'm American.