Let’s get ready to enjoy the Ryder

It has to be the most exciting month of the golfing year for enthusiasts around the globe – it is of course countdown time to the biennial Ryder Cup. This year the Samuel Ryder trophy wings its way over the Atlantic on the team jet of the European players, firmly clasped by the giant hands of captain Nick Faldo.

The Ryder Cup was for so many years, dominated by the US against GB and Ireland. Between 1959 and 1977 the US won all but one, with the exception being a 16-16 tie in 1969. It was during this period at Royal Birkdale, where at the close of a titanic battle between two legends, Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin, an incident took place that is now regarded as one of the greatest sporting gestures in sport – Nicklaus conceding a three-foot putt on the final green to give GB&I the tie.

The Ryder Cup has been, and we hope will continue to be, one of the kingpin events that drives the game of golf.

The greatest players from Europe now take on the best of the United States, to create not only a spectacle of tremendous golf, but also an opportunity for the sport to showcase its camaraderie, team spirit, passion and tradition.

There is no doubt that the Ryder Cup affected my outlook on the game as a child; to be able to see such fierce competition played with such grace and empathy was humbling.

So who will win this year’s shakedown? The days of US domination have long passed.

In recent years, many think the Europeans have tipped the balance with greater team spirit. There is no doubt that there is an air of truth to this, as from an outsider’s view looking in, the Europeans seem to bond exceptionally well – perhaps this is the old underdog spirit? As underdogs this year, will the US have what it takes?

My take on it is that team matchplay (which accounts for 80 per cent of Ryder Cup matches) requires players to gel well, forgive each other and support each other as well as energise each other. The captain’s role is also critical. Some think it’s overrated, an honorary position to organise team shirts and to cheer on his players. Tactics and building team spirit accounts for 75 per cent of the victory. Personally, I think this will be one of the best Ryder Cups in history – let’s face it, Faldo and Azinger are two of the all time master tacticians of the game.