Final Ryder Cup Question: Would Rough Have Helped...

...of course not. But because we need to shift focus to the totally meaningless and devoid-of-drama Tour Championship, there is one more Ryder Cup question worth considering.

It was clear that the Azinger cut was enormous and from the scalping I saw, maybe a little tighter cut than originally planned. Based on the shots hit from it, the lies were almost comparable to fairway heights. So Valhalla's landing areas played 40-50 yards wide in most cases.

Yes, there were some ankle deep areas we'll call "native" but in terms of 3-4 inch fertilized and pampered stuff lining separating fairways from gallery ropes, there just wasn't much rough. Nor was there much around the greens. I recall one Hunter Mahan chip from behind a green (17?) sitting in some thick stuff, otherwise there is not another shot of significance that we saw played from the pitch-out junk that lines all too many fairways and engulfs putting surfaces.

Now, if this were a stroke play event and the boys faced this setup, people would be calling Valhalla names and downplaying the course's quality. If it were an individual stroke play event, the press would be calling it un-major like and not a true "test." Scores might have been, gasp, low and we'd be deprived of the flukish fascination of seeing drives just barely missing fairways getting a raw deal as wild miss-hits find a nice matted down lie.

So why isn't this rough-free Ryder Cup's integrity being questioned? Don't tell me it's little old "match play" giving it the free pass here.

Could it be that we're seeing a realization by the media that rough is a cancerous growth on any golf course and that it's been depriving us of excitement? Could the combination of the Masters losing its appeal, the U.S. Open climbing quickly thanks to tiered roughs and the PGA at Oakland Hills contrasting so starkly with Southern Hills, actually awakening the media to the vagaries of rough and absurd setup ploys?

I give to you example A of why I think this may be the case, but of course welcome your thoughts. Tim Rosaforte at GolfDigest.com writes:

Everybody talked about the way Azinger tweaked Valhalla, but it didn't really favor either side. What it did was create the most exciting shootout of the year, with holes being halved with birdies and flagsticks peppered with shots. It's too bad major golf associations such as the USGA don't take more of a page from this, letting the guys play with an open collar instead of a straightjacket. With the ball bounding on those Kentucky fairways and balls releasing off those contours toward the hole, it was similar to Augusta National when it was exciting, not the year's first U.S. Open.

Update on 2008-09-25 04:08 by Geoff

On this subject, Michael Bamberger in SI:

The golf course helped make the event. Captain Paul Azinger, working with PGA of America officials and Valhalla's course superintendent, Mark Wilson, had it just right. Fairways wide enough to encourage the players to hit driver. Rough that was penal but playable. Greens that were probably slightly slower than regular Tour speed, which meant the players could get putts to the hole. Just enough water on the greens to make them receptive. They weren't U.S. Open conditions, and you wouldn't want U.S. Open conditions in this event. They were ideal match-play conditions. I had never been a big fan of Valhalla — its scale is too huge — but this time I felt differently. I hope Billy Payne and Fred Ridley and the boys at Augusta were watching closely. They could get some tips on course setup from Azinger and Co. I'm not saying make it Mickey Mouse. I'm saying let them play and put on a show. All these things today are TV events anyhow, right?

"Basically, if your commercials air during golf tournaments, you're done."

I admire Jim Gorant's optimism about the financial meltdown's impact on pro golf, but it seems a little early to say how this will play out.

Amy Poehler finished up a routine about the Wall Street meltdown on last week's Saturday Night Live by saying, "Basically, if your commercials air during golf tournaments, you're done." Funny, and seemingly true, since 26 banks, brokerage houses and insurance companies have their names attached to PGA, Champions and Nationwide tour events, and even more advertise during tournaments. The list includes AIG, Merrill Lynch, which was acquired by Bank of America (also a sponsor), and the troubled banks Northern Trust and Wachovia, the latter of which considered a merger with the Memorial's presenting sponsor, Morgan Stanley.

But not all is necessarily as it appears. "Competitors of those troubled giants like AIG and Merrill Lynch have every reason to pump up ad spending to steal away customers," Media Life magazine reported last week. "And of course the new owners of these institutions will want to up spending to repair what damage they can." To that point, Golf Channel president Page Thompson says, "At this time we have not seen any negative impact on either this year's sales or on future advertising plans."

Zinger's Pods

The raves are rolling in for Captain Paul Azinger. Douglas Lowe reviews the "pods" Azinger split his team into:

Azinger grouped what he called his four aggressive personalities, Anthony Kim, Hunter Mahan, Justin Leonard and Phil Mickelson in one set. None of this testosterone-laden quartet played with anyone else for the entire week and they were also the four that led the singles.

Then there were Azinger's steady-Eddies "that are just rock solid, unflappable personalities" of Stewart Cink, Steve Stricker, Ben Curtis and Chad Campbell. They, too, were a completely bonded four and in the singles, as you might expect, they anchored the team in spots nine to 12.

It was the other four that were probably key, the charismatic quartet of Kentuckians JB Holmes and Kenny Perry, Boo Weekley, the good ol' southern boy who was adopted as one of their own by the home fans, and the Florida-based Jim Furyk, who said: "I was trying to be as southern as I could this week."

Look at their results in the singles, and while the gung-ho, crowd-whipping opening four managed just a point and a half on the last day, the charismatic boys weighed in with an irrestible four out of four and put the blockers on Nick Faldo's plans to bring it down to the wire to his strong four at the tail end.

Tim Rosaforte also writes about the pods, says there's no doubt this team bonds and wins with Tiger, then asks...

What foursome would Tiger been a part of? Past history shows it wouldn't have worked to slot Woods with Mickelson, so it would have been T-Dub and the country bumpkins. "Tiger would have been with Kenny Perry, J.B. Holmes and Boo Weekley," Azinger said. "It would have been unbelievable. Tiger and Holmes? Tiger and Boo?"

T-Dub?

Jeff Lancaster reported yesterday that Lee Westwood was not happy with Azinger's attempts to make the crowd his "13th man" by telling them they could cheer Europe's missed putts, were to blame for the less savoury moments of crowd behaviour.

After the United States won by 16 to 11, to reclaim the trophy for the first time since 1999, Westwood revealed he had been abused "from start to finish". The 34-year-old did not want to repeat what was shouted at him but did reveal one was a "particularly nasty reference to my mother" and that his parents had also been woken by a phone call at 4.30am on Sunday.

"They were trying to ring me but called the wrong hotel and got the wrong Westwood," he added. "It really upset my dad's preparations for walking around the course. I also got a phone call at 12:30am wishing me good luck.

"I must be taking on the Monty role. Let's pick on the old guy with a few grey hairs."

His agent decided this could be a PR problem and issued this statement today regretting the comments.

John Hopkins sees irony in the way things played out:

How ironic it was that the United States won the Ryder Cup in part because Nick Faldo, the Europe captain for whom no detail was too small, was outmanoeuvred by Paul Azinger, the US captain who would always try to wing it but for this match spared nothing in his quest for a first US victory for nine years. In Kentucky, the biter was well and truly bitten. 

Rosaforte lists the possible successors while Steve Elling explains Davis Love's mixed feelings about being a candidate.

Oliver Wilson Exhausted By His Two-Match Appearance; WDs

Let's see, 28, flew back to Europe in a chartered jet after playing two matches in three days and too tired to play the British Masters? And he's not American?

"Yes it was only two matches I played, but they were 14-hour days," he said.

"The week was everything I thought it would be and more. I'm worn out, it's been hard to switch off and so I don't think it's right to play.

"I can't afford to go and not play well. This way I can rest and prepare for the Dunhill Links in Scotland next week.

"My main goal now is to qualify for The Masters next April and one big week can get me there through the world's top 50 at the end of the year."

So is this a product of the world rankings, uh, incentivizing him to sit out if he senses it'll probably be a lousy week?

If that's the case, nice system.

Ryder Cup Ratings Up!

Pretty impressive considering the competition from the NFL and MLB.

From Tod Leonard's golf column:

The Ryder Cup is one event that got a bump in television ratings despite not having Woods. The national overnight Nielsen rating for NBC's six-hour Sunday telecast was 3.7, up 22 percent from the final day in '06, when the U.S. got blown out early in the morning (U.S. time) in Ireland.

Woosie: I'm Available!

From an unbylined report on Ian Woosnam wanting the 2010 gig:

He told The Sun: 'If the players want me back I would be delighted to do it. It is one of the greatest honours a golfer can get.'

He added: 'I’ve already had my turn and don’t want to put anyone else’s nose out. But as I’ve always said you have got to put your name forward if you want it.'

Second Ryder Cup Question: Did Tiger's Absence Help?

Brian Murphy makes a compelling point:

But Tiger and the Ryder Cup, no matter what he says publicly, and no matter how supportive he is in the Team Room, are a weird mix. I always flash back to the moment in ‘04 at Oakland Hills when we were pressing Tiger on whether or not he cared about the Ryder Cup, and Tiger finally had enough and asked us: “How many majors has Jack Nicklaus won?” Dutifully, we all answered “18.” Tiger then asked, “And what’s his Ryder Cup record?” When we all sat there like dumbstruck sheep, unable to produce the answer, Tiger sat back, satisfied.

Team USA has now won as many Ryder Cups without Tiger (one) as it has with Tiger in five other Cups. Tiger was part of a losing team in 1997, 2002, ‘04 and ‘06, and while there are tons of reasons other than Tiger why they lost those Cups, I had a feeling that his absence would be important two ways.

One, it would allow Team USA to operate in a Tiger-free zone, not worrying about what he thinks or says, or having to answer any questions about him. His absence allowed rookies like Hunter Mahan, Anthony Kim and J.B. Holmes to play and act more naturally.

Azinger has said that a key moment in the week was the Thursday night pep rally in front of 4,000 that was supposed to only be attended by the Captain. Then the team decided to crash it and apparently bonded. I couldn't help but think that Tiger would not have wanted to attend because of the security issues and the desire to get his rest prior to a long day one.

But there's also this key point from Mike Adamson in The Guardian:

Likewise it is hard, albeit not impossible, to imagine the debutants Anthony Kim and Boo Weekley playing with such uninhibited personality were they in Woods's shadow. Although Azinger lost the world's best player, it is not too much of a stretch to suggest that his uplifting captaincy has also benefited from the absence of such an intimidating figure in the team room.

Think Tiger's absence helped?

Update on 2008-09-23 15:29 by Geoff

Tod Leonard in the San Diego Union Tribune:

Look at how much fun the Americans had. Look at the camaraderie they shared. Compare that with the dour grinding they'd done over most of the past decade of Ryder Cup play, when Woods couldn't overpower Europe alone in three straight terrible losses.

It's not that he tries to make it hard, but Woods' presence changes everything. There's more security, more hoopla, more pressure. With Woods' aura dominating the room, the influence and power of any captain has to be shrunk.

Four-time American Ryder Cupper Stewart Cink put it most succinctly last week: “Even though everybody likes Tiger and we get along with him, we all feel like we're more similar to each other. When 12 players walk out of a clubhouse, there's one cart to take one person and the other 11 have to find their way.”

Poulter: Kim Hit On Me!

Well, he hit him, or so the blonde wonder claimed after chewing on Saturday's incident during the long flight back to England.

Mike Adamson confirms what Tim Rosaforte first reported on NBC Sunday morning: it was a shoulder barge. But Poulter wouldn't say who, just that he was short, had just lost his match with Phil Mickelson and his last named was started with a K and ended with an M.

It is believed the culprit was Anthony Kim, who led America's rout on Sunday with victory over Sergio García. Kim and Poulter were caught on television exchanging words after they collided during the Englishman's Saturday fourballs match, a game Kim was following. Without identifying the player, Europe's top points-scorer said: "He hadn't played very well and decided to walk around in the afternoon and make his point. As opposed to walking around me as I was walking off the tee, he shoulder-barged through me. It was pathetic. He should grow up. I said: 'That wasn't awfully nice.' I said in the team room: 'Let's use their energy and turn that in our favour.'"

WorldGolf.com: "Fight breaks out on shuttle bus among drunk media after Ryder Cup Matches"

Brandon Tucker files the best exclusive of the week:

According to our shuttle bus driver from Valhalla to downtown Louisville, her van turned into The Octagon.

“There were two Americans in the van and the rest British,” she recalled. “One of the Americans said something about Sergio’s putting…and they started arguing.”

It’s about a 30-minute drive from Valhalla to the downtown hotels. The argument escalated along the way.

“When we arrived at the hotel, they got out of the van and went to blows,” she added. “They scratched my van!”

First and foremost: what is there to argue about Sergio's putting?

Scribblers and lens luggers: I want names and details. Now!

First Ryder Cup Question: Was Faldo Really That Bad?

Paul Hayward of the Daily Mail lays into "Captain Calamity" while AP's Robert Milwood compiles the other not-so-flattering morning headlines.

Nick Faldo, not the crowd, was America’s 13th Man, sending an aircraft carrier to a conflict that was already over.

Hindsight is the media’s favourite language, but there is no escaping the gruesome fact that, when the Americans broke Europe’s Ryder Cup dominance here last night Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and the dual Open champion Padraig Harrington, were all stranded on the Valhalla course.

And...

Emotionally overcome by Muhammad Ali’s visit, and the tension of a draining week, the captain’s gaucheness in press conferences and at the opening ceremony were minor foibles compared to yesterday’s aberration.

Maybe the warning came when Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia were rested in Saturday morning’s foursomes. The abiding point is that Europe squandered their man-for-man advantage over an inferior American dozen. To have the better team and lose is the mark of all managerial fowl-ups.

Okay folks, was he that bad?

Poulter played brilliant golf and justified his selection.

Oliver Wilson came through Saturday morning when stars were benched.

Padraig, Garcia and Westwood weren't even close to resembling themselves.

A few putts here and there and Europe wins. Oh and Faldo, made up for the opening ceremonies speech with an excellent presentation at the closing ceremonies.

And just think, by losing this time the Ryder Cup has been restored to its place as golf's most thrilling and anticipated event.

Thoughts?

Monday Ryder Cup Clippings

On GolfDigest.com's Ryder Cup Rumblings you can find my final installment of the daily clippings analysis, or you can access it directly here.

There's also an archive of all posts for the week.

I'm also really enjoying your comments. Great stuff, keep it coming. I'm especially happy to see how many people equated the reasonable setup with the quality of the golf we saw. Oddly, there have not been articles about that yet, and I've been looking!

Your Ryder Cup Reactions

Azinger, Faldo, the lineups, the drama, Boo, Valhalla, the setup, NBC...tell us what you thought.

Sunday's Ryder Cup Clippings

You know the drill. Another epic, so lots to read here at GolfDigest.com

Make sure to check in tomorrow during the matches. And if there's anything you missed, here's the archive of posts.

Lift, Clean, Place Claims Another Victim

From the AP story on Will MacKenzie's costly mistake Saturday at the Viking Classic.

MacKenzie's triple bogey Saturday on the par-5 18th left him tied for second with Brian Gay, two strokes behind Turnesa on the Annandale course. MacKenzie was penalized for moving impediments in the hazard while his ball was also in the hazard.

Turnesa, a PGA TOUR rookie who also topped the second-round leaderboard, shot a 6-under 66 for a 17-under 199 total. MacKenzie and Gay had 67s.

MacKenzie, who has one TOUR victory, the Reno-Tahoe Open in 2006, opened with birdies on the first two holes and made the turn at 32. His only stumble before 18 was a bogey on the fourth hole.

MacKenzie said he "spaced out" after a day of being able to lift, clean and place his ball because of wet conditions. There were a a few blades of grass near his ball, not anything that would be a problem, he said.

MacKenzie said he brushed them away with his hand, then he realized what he had done and told an official, who assessed the penalty.