There was a time when antagonisms between the American and European Ryder Cup teams were very real.
That time has long since passed.
Golf has gone global. Tiger Woods is probably closer to Lee Westwood than he is to any player on his own team.
Phil Mickelson likes Rory McIlroy so much he jumped to his defense Wednesday in the brewing fracas between the young Irishman and Woods.
Martin Kaymer lives in Scottsdale, Ariz. Ian Poulter is a Florida neighbor of many on the U.S. team. Luke Donald has spent most of his adult life in Chicago.
It’s hard to hate those you’ve grown to know and respect.
But we in the media -- particularly on this side of The Pond -- love to cling to the past and relive the glory days, so we contrive to return the Ryder Cup to a bygone age when the matches had names like “The War By The Shore.”
Turn back the clock 25 years, and golfers largely played on their own continents, didn’t know each other much when they came to Ryder Cups and, as happens when too many Type A egos crowd a room, quickly decided they didn’t like each other.
The other key ingredient, obviously, was the matches got competitive from 1985. No one much cared when the Americans dominated the exhibition for decades.
But buoyed by the Latin passion and swagger of Seve Ballesteros, who could agitate and aggravate as well as he could chip and putt -- character traits he shares with his successor as the spiritual leader of Europe, Colin Montgomerie -- Europe not only won, but also rubbed the Americans’ noses in their defeats.
Then, in 1999, at Brookline, the Americans returned the favor, triggering more tensions.
But while Europe has won three of the past four Cups, the interesting thing is that both teams have spent Sunday nights celebrating together.
Detente isn’t a sexy story, however.
So Wednesday at Celtic Manor, the slowest of news days, became about creating a war where none exists.
Literally.
The decision by Corey Pavin, the American captain, to bring Major Dan Rooney, a PGA golf professional and former fighter pilot and veteran of the first Iraq war, to speak to the American team was somehow held up by the hounds of Fleet Street as proof that Americans are warmongers.
It was drawing a long bow, but nonetheless Pavin felt the need to defend himself.
“I think the military awareness in the United States is probably at an all-time high,” Pavin said.
“And I think people, certainly in the States, and over here, appreciate the military and what they do for our freedoms.”
Pavin, remember, drew criticism when he wore a camouflage hat at the Ryder Cup in 1991, the so-called War By The Shore at Kiawah Island, S.C.
“That's what it was about at Kiawah; it was about supporting the troops in Desert Storm,” he said.
“Not only the U.S. troops, but the troops from Great Britain and around the world. What the military does is amazing. To put your life on the line for what you believe, and for the freedoms of other people, is the ultimate sacrifice. It's very worthwhile to recognize that.”
Bubba Watson fell into the trap, too, when he was asked about representing his country in the context of Rooney’s motivational speech the night before.
“My dad was a military man. He was in Vietnam,” Watson said. “More than likely I am never going to be in the military so this is the chance to be like my dad.”
He didn’t mean that he was going to war in Wales, but of course that’s how some construed those comments.
Conveniently overlooked was another quote from Watson.
“Zach Johnson has told me one thing, put his arm around me and said, ‘It’s just golf, Bubba.’ Because that’s all it is,” he said.
Yes, that is indeed all it is, but unfortunately we won’t have any golf until Friday morning, so another day where journalists have to find something to write about awaits us.
Meanwhile, McIlroy’s three playing partners in Wednesday’s practice round on the Twenty-Ten course -- as well as their caddies -- donned shaggy wigs to show support for the Northern Irish rookie over his spat with Woods.
“Rory was quite upset with the comments that were made in the papers about this Tiger situation,” Montgomerie explained, “So what we decided to do was to find seven wigs … (to) make him feel part of the team again.”
McIlroy has said in several interviews that Woods isn’t the dominant golfer he once was and welcomed a chance to play him at Celtic Manor. Woods apparently isn’t amused and on Tuesday replied, “Me, too” when asked about McIlroy’s desire to face him.
Padraig Harrington, however, warned his teammates Woods is more dangerous than he’s ever been at a Ryder Cup.
He said Woods had in the past “struggled in the team element” because he likes to “do his individual thing.”
“He likes to play practice rounds very early in the morning,” Harrington said.
“Having to play Ryder Cup and all of these (official functions) organized and having to play five-hour pratice rounds at 11 o’clock in the day has been tough on him over the years.
“I’m sure this time, having been a pick, he will be a lot more enthusiastic about the Ryder Cup.
“In previous years, every single one of the European team would have loved to step up against Tiger Woods, because as everybody always feels, he’s expected to win.
“So in many ways, it wil be a tougher match this time around. He’ll be more enthusiastic, more motivated, so I would be very wary of him myself.”
