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Chicago Gets First Taste of Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup Rookie Bradley Braces for Patriot Games
Second Wind for Lawrie in Ryder Cup
Furyk Counted On to Help Anchor US Team
Chicago Gets First Taste of Ryder Cup
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept 25, 2012 (AFP) - The Ryder Cup came to Chicago for the first time on Tuesday as the US and European teams got their first taste of the largely-remodelled Medinah Country Club No.3 course.
The early consensus was that when the 39th edition of golf's most spectacular event gets going on Friday, there will be birdies galore, even some eagles and that chip-ins from the scarce rough around the greens will be a common occurrence.
The event, in short, will be much more in keeping with the 2008 competition at Valhalla in Kentucky when the United States won for the only time in the last 13 years.
The weather forecast for benign, near-perfect playing conditions for the rest of the week, in stark contrast to the wild weather that nearly wrecked the event at Celtic Manor, Wales two years ago, was further cause for US optimism.
Davis Love has exercised his rights as skipper of the hosts to have the final say in the layout of the course and he has opted for less rough and wider fairways - especially around the 280- 290-yards mark to encourage the long-hitters.
"It's more my personal preference for the style of golf I like to watch and I like to play," he said.
"I've just never been a fan of driving it in the rough and chipping it out and playing a wedge game.
"Match play, the Ryder Cup, is a whole different animal (to the majors), and we want it to be fun for the players and we want it to be fun for the fans."
There was no shortage of big-time support for the US players as they went about their first practice session with such as showbiz celebrities Bill Murray and Justin Timberlake joining up with retired Chicago sports stars such as Ernie Banks (baseball), Richard Dent (American football), Stan Mikita (ice hockey) and Scottie Pippen (basketball) in a challenge match with previous US captains.
Things were quieter on the European front where the main talking point was the decision to honour the late Seve Ballesteros by carrying a silhouette image of his famous clenched-fist celebration at the the 18th hole of the 1984 Open at St Andrews on the front section of their bags.
Coach Jose Maria Olazabal, who formed the greatest ever Ryder Cup pairing with his legendary Spanish compatriot, said that the choice of that silhouette "was pretty obvious."
"He always said that that was the sweetest moment in his career, winning at St. Andrews, making that putt to beat Tom Watson.
"Obviously, it's tough for me, as it's the first time that Seve (who died from a brain tumour in May, 2011) is not going to be with us at the Ryder Cup.
"He has meant a lot to me and to the team, and I wanted to have something that was present to each and every player.
"We came up with the idea that it would be nice to have Seve's silhouette, and so every time somebody gets to grab a club or something from the bag they can see the silhouette."
Tiger Woods returned to Ryder Cup action on US soil for the first time in eight years, having missed the win at Valhalla four years ago through injury and he expressed delight at being back in the Chicago area and at Medinah where he won the US PGA Championship in 1999 and 2006.
"I've always loved coming here. I enjoy playing in Chicago, and for some reason, I've just had a lot of success here," he said.
"I don't know what it is. But I seem to be very, very comfortable her.
Practice continues on Wednesday with the opening ceremony scheduled for Thursday afternoon when the pairings for Friday morning's foursomes alternate balls will be revealed.
The afternoon will be devoted to the fourballs with the whole thing repeated on Friday before Sunday's closing blast of 12 singles.
Europe needs to score 14 points out of a possible 28 to retain the cup, while the United States must score 14 1/2 to regain the trophy.
Ryder Cup Rookie Bradley Braces for Patriot Games
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept 25, 2012 (AFP) - Keegan Bradley has won a major championship, but he's never felt more pleased to be on a golf course than he did on the first hole of Tuesday's practice round at the 2012 Ryder Cup. 
"I was walking to the first tee and it was the proudest moment of my career and it happened on a Tuesday at the Ryder Cup," Bradley said.
Bradley earned the rookie of the year honours last year after a brilliant debut season on the PGA Tour which featured a victory at the PGA Championship in Atlanta. He also had two tournament wins.
The 26-year-old is one of four rookies on the USA team which will square off against the European team, beginning Friday at the Medinah Country Club.
Bradley comes from a golfing family. At a very young age he remembers his aunt Pat Bradley playing for Solheim Cup teams.
Asked Tuesday following his practice round, at what age he first started thinking of playing for the US, Bradley said, "since I was probably five or six to be honest with you. It grew up watching my aunt Pat play on Solheim Cup teams, so it's been a dream of mine to be on a team like this."
Dustin Johnson can relate to Bradley's excitement about representing team USA this week. Johnson competed in his first Ryder Cup two years ago and said there is nothing like it, especially when you are playing on home soil in front of raucous partisan galleries.
"Every week we go out and we play tournaments. You're always playing for yourself and the people you represent, whether it's your club company or some sponsors. But ultimately your playing for you," Johnson said.
"Coming to the Ryder Cup you're not just playing for yourself; you're playing for the whole country. You're playing for team USA.
"It's a totally different feeling.
"Everything about the Ryder Cup is different than what we're used to and what we do.
"Walking out on the first tee today, it's totally different because we're going out as Team USA, not as Dustin Johnson."
Johnson said he expects to be nervous when he tees off on Friday but he's played enough golf to know that once he hits a good drive or sinks a tricky putt his confidence soars.
"We've still got to play golf. That's what I'm good at," Johnson said. "I get really nervous usually walking on the first tee, but after I get that first tee shot, no matter where it goes, I'll usually calm down after that one."
Second Wind for Lawrie in Ryder Cup
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept 25, 2012 (AFP) - At 43 he is the old man in the European side at the Ryder Cup and playing for the first time in 13 years, but Paul Lawrie says he is ready to enjoy second helpings.
It was at Brookline, Massachusetts in 1999 that Lawrie, on the back of his upset win in the British Open at Carnoustie that July, made his debut chalking up an impressive 3 and 1/2 points out of five including a 4 and 3 win over Jeff Maggert in the singles.
The bright promise of his early career soon dwindled though and, while remaining competitive, he was seldom a factor in the biggest of tournaments.
Then a win in Spain last year triggered a new burst of enthusiasm for the game and his re-dedication to working on the range has paid further dividends this year with wins in Qatar and in the recent Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, alongside a tie for second place at the BMW PGA.
Ryder Cup qualification was assured as his world ranking soared to a career-best 28th.
Lawrie said that working as a TV commentator at Celtic Manor two years ago had brought it back to him how much he still wanted to be part of the Ryder Cup setup.
"I wasn't putting the time in that I should have been putting in," he said.
"I had let my game and myself kind of go a little bit. I was thinking about winding down a wee bit, to be fair, playing a bit less.
"And there I was sitting there talking about guys hitting shots in a tournament that I wanted to play in again.
"So you knuckle down and you do the work that's needed to be done.
"I got a bit of confidence from winning in Malaga at the start of last year, and things have kind of gone on.
"But I think commentating there (at Celtic Manor) was the biggest factor. You know, you realize how big a tournament this is. You realize how huge it is.
"I want to be involved at Gleneagles (in 2014), so if I want to do that, I think I had to get in this team to make it easier to get in the next one. So getting in this one has been pretty big for me."
Lawrie was one of just three players to fly out of Europe on Monday along with captain Jose Maria Olazabal, the rest of the European team making their way to Chicago from their US bases.
That he said was one of the biggest differences this time around compared to 13 years ago.
"The last time I played, only (Jesper) Parnevik lived over here. So there was 11 of the players on the flight going out there," he said.
"This time there was only three of us on the flight, and nine met us here. I don't know how many of the team actually have houses here, but I think quite a few, to be fair. So that's changed completely since the last time I played."
The downside for Lawrie of travelling from his Scottish base of Aberdeen is that he suffers badly from jetlag.
"I struggled a bit, only made a couple of birdies," he said of Tuesday's first practice round. "But hopefully we'll play better tomorrow."
Hard Work Pays Off for Kaymer
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept 25, 2012 (AFP) - Martin Kaymer has been tagged in some quarters as being the weak link in the European team, but while admitting his form has been off, he says that hard work has brought him back to his best.
The German was world number one for eight weeks last year before tinkering with his swing at the Masters to favour a draw which only resulted in a loss of form.
He did win the HSBC Championship in Hong Kong late in the year, but is winless this year and his world ranking has slumped to 32nd, which makes him 23rd out of the 24 players at Medinah ahead of only European wild card Nicolas Colsaerts.
He only squeezed into Jose Maria Olazabal's side as the 10th and last automatic qualifier, but is doubly determined to show that he deserves to win his second cap.
Kaymer said that with the Ryder Cup spotlight about to fall on him he took to the driving range, hitting shot after shot until his hands ached.
"I was not happy the way I hit the ball, and I spent even more time on the range with my coach (German Gunther Kessler).
"And then the Wednesday before the tournament (earlier this month in Holland), I still hit it left and a little right, but I just kept doing the things that my coach told me to do, and then all of a sudden on the Friday of Holland, I made a little click in my swing again.
"The same thing happens in my swing, the way it was a year and a half or two years ago. So I'm very, very happy that it came along just in time for the Ryder Cup and for the next upcoming events for me. It was a big relief."
Kaymer has bitter-sweet memories of his debut Ryder Cup two years ago at Celtic Manor, Wales when Europe regained the trophy.
He notched up 2 1/2 points out of a possible three in the pairings alongside Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter but he took a 6 and 5 thumping from Dustin Johnson in the singles.
The problem, he said, was that he was so keyed up for the event and in wanting to do well lost his usual relaxed manner.
"I was almost tight; I couldn't really loosen up and relax and enjoy the Ryder Cup in Europe.," he said
"Now I'm a little bit more calm inside, which means, I think, you can really enjoy certain moments a lot more if you are not focusing on being normal, because in Wales I was just trying too hard.
"I couldn't achieve my potential, my highest potential.
"So I think that is the biggest difference, and it hopefully will show the way I play, as well."
Asked who he would like to be paired with this week, Kaymer had a special word of praise for Colsaerts, the only rookie in the European side.
"Nicolas and me, we get along well, I think," he said.
"He's very long (off the tee) and he's a very good putter and in general a very good short game, so I think a lot of players would like to play with him."
Furyk Counted On to Help Anchor US Team
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept 25, 2012 (AFP) - With 21 caps between them, Jim Furyk, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are being counted on to not only hit some great shots but also help calm the nerves of the four rookies on the US Ryder Cup team.
The 42-year-old Furyk has played 27 Ryder Cup matches dating back to 1997 and will be making his eighth consecutive appearance. With that kind of Ryder Cup resume it's no wonder that teammate Bubba Watson likes to refer to him as the "quarterback" of the USA team.
"Bubba called me the quarterback last week which makes me a little nervous," Furyk said. "I am not sure what the plays are and I am going to have to call them."
Furyk is certainly enjoying being in a position where he can give advice to some of the younger players like Watson, who is competing in his second Ryder Cup.
But even with his limited experience, the 33-year-old Watson still has the upper hand on Brandt Snedeker, Webb Simpson, Jason Dufner and Keegan Bradley who are all in their first Ryder Cup.
"I think it is good to have our rookies," Furyk said. "It is good to have some new energy.
"It is also nice to go in knowing what to expect. As a veteran player I try to step out of what's going on inside the team room and sit back and watch and look for some body language.
"It is just a little thing here or there that could help or may trigger a guy.
"When you are on the golf course and a guy is hanging his head, you can tell he's upset about the way he played. Just a comment here or there to relax them and let them know we are going to need them the next day."
Furyk's eight appearances ties him for second all-time among the US team members. Mickelson hasn't missed a Ryder Cup since his debut in 1995 and 14-time major winner Woods is making his seventh appearance. Between the three of them they provide the core leadership that American skipper Davis Love was looking for when he drafted up the team.
"Phil is my age," Furyk said. "He was always the golden boy from junior golf and college on. I think everyone would have chosen Tiger and Phil to be in all those matches, maybe not necessarily me. So I am proud of that fact and proud of the consistency over the last few years."
The one thing Furyk isn't thrilled about is the Americans' disappointing record in recent Ryder Cups. The USA have lost four of the last five Ryder Cups, including the last one in 2010 at Celtic Manor Resort in Wales.
Their last victory was four years ago at Valhalla in Kentucky and Furyk hopes playing on home soil in front of raucous partisan galleries at Medinah Country Club will give them the edge this time.
"The European fans even with say 3,000 fans here, they can make a lot of noise," Furyk said. "They have their soccer chants and songs.
"But I know that 37,000 Americans can drown out 3,000 Europeans if they want to. Our job will be to get out there and try to make a good start and make some birdies and engage the crowd and show some emotions. If we can do that, then the rest of the world will find out how good sports fans in Chicago are."
Dufner, 35, said each of the four rookies will probably handle the pressure of playing in their first Ryder Cup differently.
"It's probably specific to the individual," Dufner said. "Guys are going to be reacting to the situation a little bit differently. The only way to know how you are going to be is to be involved in it."
Furyk said he's looking forward to feeding off the raw energy that will come from the younger players, including Bradley who was the PGA Tour's rookie of the year in 2011.
"We have got a good mix of guys," Furyk said. "The young guys are starting to figure out what the team room is all about and enjoying themselves and having fun.
"That dynamic is going to grow and get stronger as the week goes on."