MEDINAH MISSIVE A RYDER CUP MISCELLANY:Paul McGinley's defining moments have come in team golf – in his World Cup win with Pádraig Harrington in 1997 and playing on winning Ryder Cup teams in 2002, 2004 and 2006 – and he's seeking to continue that trend in his role as vice-captain here.
The Dubliner – one of those in contention for the captaincy at Gleneagles in 2014, a decision that will be made at a tour players’ committee meeting in Abu Dhabi next February – has been part of José Maria Olazabal’s back-up team that is intent on trying to maintain the winning formula.
“This is not a case of reinventing the wheel. We’ve a lot of knowledge among the backroom team as to what works and what doesn’t work. Trying to do things differently would be wrong . . . there’s a strategy there and it’s (about) rolling out that template again.
“Five of the last six Ryder Cups I’ve been involved in and we’ve won them all. I think I’ve learned a lot of lessons, a lot of things have worked. It’s important to put my ideas of what works on the table and then it’s up to the captain to decide whether he does down those lines or not. That’s his prerogative.”
McGinley – who sank the winning putt for Europe at the Belfry in 2004 – is a devoted disciple of the Ryder Cup. “As a golfer it’s the ultimate for me. It’s everything, it’s great, it’s not just about golf, but sport too. I love the team aspect.”
Steve Stricker may be the oldest player in the Ryder Cup here at Medinah, but he showed all the dexterity of youth in jumping from a golf cart that played up during practice.
The 45-year-old was forced to abandon the cart after losing control on a steep slope near the par three 17th green as it slid sideways down the wet slope. “I think the cart actually ended up doing a 360 (degree) spin before it stopped . . . my clubs were kind of all over the place, but nobody got hurt,” said Stricker, whose caddie Jimmy Johnson also jumped out.
WEBER BAGS JOHNSON
Davis Love'sregular caddie has been called into action for the Ryder Cup after big-hitting Dustin Johnson was left without a bagman. A back injury sustained by Johnsons regular caddie, Bobby Brown, has not improved sufficiently and Jeff Weber, in Medinah on standby for such an eventuality, has got the gig.
Five ofthe top 11 finishers in the 2006 US PGA Championship at Medinah Country Club are in the 2012 Ryder Cup. They are: Tiger Woods (champion), Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald (tied for third), Steve Stricker (tied for seventh) and Ian Poulter (tied for ninth).
Jump for it: Stricker makes speedy exit from sliding cart
Steve Stricker may be the oldest player in the Ryder Cup here at Medinah, but he showed all the dexterity of youth in jumping from a golf cart that played up during practice.
The 45-year-old was forced to abandon the cart after losing control on a steep slope near the par three 17th green as it slid sideways down the wet slope. "I think the cart actually ended up doing a 360 (degree) spin before it stopped . . . my clubs were kind of all over the place, but nobody got hurt," said Stricker, whose caddie Jimmy Johnson also jumped out
