John Huggan

Chatting it up about golf

September 25, 2006

John Huggan is the European correspondent for both Golf Digest and Golf World. He is also the golf columnist for Scotland on Sunday. He lives in Dunbar, Scotland, where he hits many very bad half-wedge shots from around 75-yards or so.
Today Huggan chats it up about what happened in the Ryder Cup.

- GolfObserver editors

Thoughts on the Ryder Cup

Truly, this was a strange Ryder Cup, albeit with an end result that was entirely in line with the pre-match prognostications of so many experts. Johnny Miller was correct: this really was the worst American team in history.

My goodness, Uncle Sam's nephews were hopeless, not perhaps in the literal sense, but certainly in comparison with the rampant Europeans. Even worse, not all of them seemed to care all that much about a record-equalling final score that diminishes and embarrasses every one of them.

Most culpable in that direction is Phil Mickelson. That the three-time major champion is a wonderful player is not in doubt, but the father-of-three must come to a decision before next year's Presidents Cup matches in Montreal.

Photo: © Harry How/Getty Images A dejected Phil Mickelson after his singles victory in an uninspiring Ryder Cup for him.

The question is simple: Is he willing to take golf even remotely seriously after the PGA Championship in August? If not, Mickelson should forfeit his place in all future US sides. That he should pitch up in Ireland not having played competitively for a month was a disgrace, an insult to his teammates and indicative of his less than enthusiastic approach to representing his country in golf's most compelling event. Instead of being on the course these past few days, the 36-year old Californian should have taken the advice offered by a wonderfully 'Irish' sign at the K Club: "Lost people should go to the information centre in the tented village."

Still, the main purpose of this column is not to pick on the hapless Yanks; that would be remiss in the immediate aftermath of a European performance that was stunning in its breadth and scope.

But that is for the future. Now is the time to celebrate the golf of 12 European professionals who "get" the concept of team play and who had in their midst the 'anti-Mickelson,' a man who desperately wanted to be at the K Club.

Photo: © Richard Heathcote/Getty Images Darren Clarke is congratulated by Ian Woosnam after his singles match victory.

The gent in question is, of course, Darren Clarke. Only six weeks on from the sad passing of his lovely wife, Heather, the burly Ulsterman was an inspirational figure to all, both on and off the course. His magnificent performance was a fitting tribute to his late partner, as was the moving reception he was accorded by the thousands of endlessly enthusiastic spectators as he stepped onto the first tee on the opening morning, then again in the wake of his 3&2 victory over Zach Johnson on day three.

Johnson, a good lad, spoke beautifully of his conqueror, able to see past the result of a mere golf match and recognize its wider significance in the sadly changed world of Darren Clarke.

"I expected it to be loud on the first tee, but it was like an 80,000-people stadium amassed around one tee box," he said, the awe still apparent in his voice even five hours later. "I felt like I was the away team. It was pretty remarkable and it was like that for him on every tee. Well deserved, too.

"As a player, we all know what Darren can do, how good he really is. But he's an even better person. There was a lot of emotion out there for him. I could have brought my A+ game and still not beat him. The Gods were on his side. He is a great guy."

Well said. If that is not the most apposite summary of how golf should be played at every level, it is hard to imagine what is.

Tiger Woods, a close friend of Clarke's, was another to pay his own, eloquent tribute to the Irishman, who finally broke down in his caddie, Billy Foster's, arms on that 16th green.

"In the whole scheme of things, Darren's situation puts things in perspective real quick," said the world number one, who, despite an uncharacteristically stumbling overall performance emerged as his side's leading scorer with three points. "Losing people close to you changes your life and makes it tougher. But Darren's has drawn him closer to his kids and I think that is something that's going to be even better for him in the future."

Photo: © Andrew Redington/Getty Images Paul McGinley poses with a newspaper showing a photograph of himself on the 18th green at The K Club.

Also doing his bit for the spirit of the occasion was Clarke's fellow Irishman, Paul McGinley. With the destination of the trophy long decided - and the sad sight of yet another streaker sprinting across the putting surface - the cheery Dubliner conceded a 30-foot putt and a halved match to JJ Henry, like Johnson, an American rookie who emerged with much credit from the biennial bunfight.

In truth, it was a bit of a meaningless gesture, one that could have been made on the final tee as much as the green. But no matter, it was certainly more appropriate than the subsequent behaviour of Chris DiMarco, who would lose to Lee Westwood on the 18th fairway.

Not only did the point-missing Florida-resident embarrass both himself and his well-beaten side with a ridiculous bout of fist pumping in the wake of a meaningless 20-foot putt for birdie on the penultimate green, he compounded the impression that he is a bit of a dope with his 'performance' on the 18th. That DiMarco - who was still one down - found it necessary to continue play after dumping his attempted approach in the pond left of a green his opponent had already found in two shots was head-scratching indeed.

Photo: © Donald Miralle/Getty Images Steve Williams almost falling in the water at 7.

Finally, on a personal note, your correspondent is sure he is hardly alone in taking an enormous amount of pleasure from the delicious last day moment that saw Woods' caddie, the despicable Steve Williams, slip on a rock left of the 7th green and drop his boss's 9-iron into the drink. The only pity was that the endlessly boorish New Zealander did not do likewise.

That would have been the perfect end to a memorable week. Well done Darren. Well done Ireland. Get a grip America.