Justin Rose was nominated as the recipient of the Nicklaus Jacklin Award – effectively for embodying the spirit of the Ryder Cup – for his play and attitude in Rome and you’ve got to think he is set to be a future Ryder Cup captain.
Maybe even as soon as Adare Manor in 2027? He’s be 47 years of age at that time.
Anyway, Rose – who has played in six Ryder Cups, with four wins – sounded very much like a captain in waiting when he talked about the whole bonding process that brought the sense of team into this latest European success with Luke Donald at the helm.
Rose talked of the reconnaissance visit to Rome and to how team members had been grouped together as recently as the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
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“Nothing was left to chance on that front. Every opportunity that we could have, could take to get forward and get more prepared, we took. And I think when you give people clarity, you know, they can kind of sink their teeth into something. When things are reactive, I don’t know, feels like you’re kind of hoping for something to change versus when there’s a plan, it’s just about execution then. And I think players, we spent our whole lives practising to execute.
“So if you give us a plan, something I’ll say to my caddie, if you have good information, there’s a good chance we’re going to hit a good shot. We got a lot of good information this week ahead of time, so kind of kept us all pretty calm. I think it just came down to the execution which these lads are a pretty decent set of golfers.
“Then the statistics come into play, and statistics only mean something if the players step up and keep their level, and I think that the captains and the vice captains kept us calm enough and kept the noise away from us where we kept our level, and then all the planning can mean something.”
Patrick Cantlay and his hat that didn’t fit
What is it with the name Patrick?
First, it was Patrick Reed who revelled in his role as Captain America in feeding off the ire of the European fans at the Ryder Cup.
Now, it’s Patrick Cantlay.
Whatever about the actions of his caddie Joe LaCava’s unacceptable actions on the 18th green on Saturday night when Rory McIlroy lined up his putt, Cantlay’s ability to turn a tweet by Sky Sports journalist Jamie Weir containing what the player claimed was “totally unfounded with complete lies” to fuel his fire was to his credit. “I did my best to embrace it,” said Cantlay.
The hat-waving by the crowds was accompanied by shouts from the gallery, among them lyrically “hats off to your bank account” in reference to that infamous tweet which claimed Cantlay didn’t wear a hat because he wanted to be paid to play in the Ryder Cup.
The actual truth of the matter was simply that the hat didn’t fit.
And while Cantlay’s father, Stefan, noted it was because his son didn’t want to get a clashing white tan line for his wedding photos – “I apologise for anything my dad said,” quipped Cantlay of that theory – there was at least a happy ending in that the US Ryder Cupper used his visit to Rome to get married to finance Nikki Guidish.
Word of Mouth
“If you asked us when we would like to play the Ryder Cup relative to our schedule, I think we would probably say, give us a week after The Tour Championship or two weeks after and then go, instead of five” – Jordan Spieth addressing the elephant in the USA team room, where the vast majority of the American team hadn’t played a tournament in five weeks before the Ryder Cup.
By the Numbers: 4/3
There are four Irish players in the field for this week’s DP World Tour event, the Dunhill Links Championship (which takes place at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns): Pádraig Harrington, a past champion, Mark Power, John Murphy and Tom McKibbin.
Just three of Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup team are playing in the tournament. Bob MacIntyre, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood, the man who secured the winning point in Rome.
On this day: October 3rd, 1982
Jay Haas secured the fifth of his nine titles on the PGA Tour when he shot four rounds in the 60s for a three shot winning margin over Curtis Strange in the Texas Open at Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio.
Haas finished with a 65 to add to his previous rounds of 63-67-67 for a total of 18-under-par 262 on one of the shortest courses on the US circuit, playing to a yardage of 6,525.
Both Haas and Strange were students at Wake Forest at the same time before embarking on professional careers and the event was yet another disappointment for Strange, making it his fourth runner-up finish of the season.
Haas, who had started the final round tied with Strange, earned $45,000 – from a purse of $250,000 – for his win while Jim Colbert achieved a notable feat in passing the $1 million in career earnings (the 38th player on the PGA Tour to do so) when he earned a pay-day of $5,250.
Colbert had earned his first professional cheque for $537.50 on the same course some 17 years previously.
X-Twitter Twaddle
What a week in Rome! Proud to have been a small help to Luke and the team. Memories and goosebumps will last a lifetime! Luke has been a truly outstanding Captain in the last 14 months and the 12 players delivered! 2 years ago no one thought this was even possible and now….. – Edoardo Molinari, the stats and data man behind Europe.
Massive congrats to @LukeDonald and @RyderCupEurope. Exceptional weekend of golf. Loved the emotion from Luke. Dramatic last couple of hours but they won this on Friday. Will always love this event whatever happens – Graeme McDowell tipping the cap to his old team. G-Mac had been favourite for the captaincy for Adare Manor in 2027 until making the move to LIV.
The double is a fact Congrats to the @RyderCupEurope and Captain @LukeDonald for an incredible show in Rome!! Ole Ole – Suzann Pettersen, captain of Europe’s winning Solheim Cup team
In the Bag
Rory McIlroy – The Ryder Cup
Driver – TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (9 degrees)
3-wood – TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (15 degrees)
Irons – TaylorMade P760 (2, 4), TaylorMade Rors Proto (5-9)
Pitching Wedges – TaylorMade MG3 (46 degrees)
Wedges – TaylorMade MG4 (50, 54 and 60 degrees)
Putter – TaylorMade Spider X Hydro Blast
Ball – TaylorMade TP5x
