Viewer Discretion Advised: Ryder Cup Opening Ceremony Must Go On At 4 CT

Yes the 4 pm Central start means East Coasters can get home just in time for the Captains speeches while Pacific Time zone fans will just have to DVR Golf Channel's live telecast (you can also watch at RyderCup.com or on the Ryder Cup app).

However, The Guardian's Scott Murray reminds us, the ceremonies have been the source of some fantastic moments.

In 2004, the freewheelin' Hal Sutton went one better, forgetting how many children he had. Having thanked his fourth wife Ashley for providing him with three kids, Halimony was forced to quickly backtrack as Mrs Sutton held up four fingers as a prompt. That she didn't configure those fingers in two groups of two is to her credit. Sutton, clearly not at the races, spent the rest of the week gadding about in an outsized cowboy hat, and pairing Tiger Woods with Phil Mickelson. The US were thrashed.

But perhaps Nick Faldo's efforts in 2008 did the most to give the opposing team a boost. He referred to Soren Hansen as Soren Stenson, suggested Padraig Harrington had hit more practice shots than there are potatoes in Ireland, and told Graeme McDowell it made little difference whether he came from Northern Ireland or the Republic.

Comments

[Stord]

Hal Sutton is probably the most underrated Ryder Cup captain in history.. had Mickelson & Tiger won the first session, all would've been different.

That said, the cowboy hat was an error?

[Claude]

When you think that Hal Sutton got a captaincy and Larry Nelson did not. Or that Lanny Wadkins managed to muscle Nelson aside....

[BrianS]

I think it is pretty cool that Phil is breaking the record this year for most appearances, not sure if he is really getting his credit for that at this point anyway. When you look at his first appearance, back in 95, you see that Seve, Faldo for the Euros, and Crenshaw, Couples, and lots of great stars for the US. Thats some pretty good institutional memory to pass down to the younger guys, and from all accounts he is doing so. Very nice.

[Stanley Thompson]

Another losing year for Phil.
Such a phoney!

[M]

No android app?nice...

[Press Agent]

Stanley Thompson obviously didn't watch Live from the Ryder Cup last night - probably too cheap to pay for the Golf Channel. If he had he would have caught the segment, almost a half hour long of nothing but the other players waxing on about how great a person and teammate Phil is. It would be very difficult to get so many players to say so many nice things about someone if he was indeed a phoney.

[John Morris]

Stord
'If wishes were horses beggars would ride' I had a cruder version but wanted to fit in with the class and politeness necessary for this blog
John

[Stanley Thompson]

Press Agent
What do you want them to say on TV?
It is all part of the hype.
Ask them later after the RC is over.

[gov. lepetomane]

Not too interested in more speeches, glowing praise, gaffes, other fluff.
Ready for some golf, not a discussion of who is the best table tennis player on the US team or yet another tearful Seve anecdote, no matter how great a golfer and Ryder Cupper he was.
Boys, get some fiber in your diet, Gov. wants to see you move!

[Press Agent]

Stanley, your one-note schtick is boring.

[digsouth]

WTF is the deal on table tennis. Down here in Texas we drink beer and play pool when the golfing is done. Ping pong is for teenagers. Grow a pair, Americans! Be men!

[Mick]

Lets not forget Corey Pavin leaving out Stewart Cink! Hilarious! Faldos was by far the worst I have ever or am likely to ever see.

[Del the Funk]

11 appearances for Faldo. 10 each for Langer and O'Connor. Is Phil's 9th team his last team?

[johnnnycz]

Halimony DID select Jakie Burke Jr as an assistant, so that's one small point for him....but that was the only thing he did right. That XXXXL cowboy hat looked as silly as his pairings.

Agree 100% with the poster who mentioned Larry Nelson getting the shaft. A self taught pro who served in the military and went on to win majors is a heckuva better resume than being the spoiled son of a wealthy oilman