Ryder Cup 2010

[SteveN]

Not usually interested in golf but I followed this today on the radio, very exciting.

I've just watched the BBC2 highlights - nasty jumpers.

[Rotterdam]

Great day. Well done lads.

[PeterWithesShin]

The only downside is Colin Montgomerie being the captain. He only has to appear on screen for me to get annoyed and want to punch him.

Apart from that, well pleased we won.

[Dave Cooper please]

That was fantastic drama.
Some of the golf played over the four days was fantastic given the pressure.

[Guy M]

The only downside is Colin Montgomerie being the captain. He only has to appear on screen for me to get annoyed and want to punch him.

Apart from that, well pleased we won.

I'm surprised they didn't choose him to captain when Europe were playing away. Maybe the powers that be thought better of it.

Great tournament, great drama and something that I actually enjoy Sky's coverage of. Imagine the SSN hyperbole was in full effect, but the Sky Sports 1 stuff was really enjoyable.

[Guy M]

I'm not a massive golf fan but I've always  followed the Ryder Cup, work permitting and that was the most nerve-wracking final day and final couple of hours I can remember. It's destined to stay in October because of the Yanks schedule with The FedEx events isn't it?

The PGA of America and the European Tour are having a rethink... Looks like all future Ryder Cups will be no later than mid-September. A bit of common sense may prevail

I'm sorry, but I don't see how it being scheduled "no later than mid-September" is "common sense". Correct me if I'm wrong (but seeing as it's been repeated in every media article today, I suspect I'm not), but this was the first time in 83 years that a fourth day of play has been required. 15 days worth of rain fell in 15 hours (starting on Friday), but this was pure coincidence and if you look at this weekend's weather forecast for the area, then it looks like today's glorious weather will continue. Therefore, you could use similar logic to suggest that the tournament should always take place a week later.

There's no guarantee that by organising this tournament in mid-September, adverse weather conditions will be avoided. In spite of the unexpected and unprecedented interruption, the tournament was still completed, the drama heightened and as a result, a unique competition actually succeeded in providing even more drama than ever.

Whenever it is scheduled, there will always be the risk of weather playing a part. I'd rather they changed the rules to allow the games to go into a fifth day (and so avoid unfinished games being automatically halved as the rules currently state), than moving the tournament to 'solve' something that can't be controlled.

[cdbearsfan]

Alex Salmond has said the next European one (in Gleneagles) will be held earlier.

[cdbearsfan]

For anyone that knows more about golf than me (ie everyone) what would happen in the following scenario...

Europe appoint Jimenez as Captain, or Garcia and they manage to get/stay in the top handful of players in Europe? Would it be possible to be a player and a captain or is that against the rules?

Also, do they overstate the role the Captain plays? Seems to me a pretty easy job.

[VillaZogmariner]

When Scotland hosts it will they be stupid enough to host it in October again or can they change the dates to when it's actually Summer?

Second weekend in June then.

[Dave Cooper please]

For anyone that knows more about golf than me (ie everyone) what would happen in the following scenario...

Europe appoint Jimenez as Captain, or Garcia and they manage to get/stay in the top handful of players in Europe? Would it be possible to be a player and a captain or is that against the rules?

Also, do they overstate the role the Captain plays? Seems to me a pretty easy job.

I don't think you can be a player and captain, which is why they tend to give it to players who have been European Tour stalwarts and Ryder Cup heroes but are now on the way down.
The ideal candidate for 2012 would be Jose Maria Olazabal, who has been suffering from tendonitis (or something) so will never be amongst the top players but is extremely well respected and popular.

As for the captain's job, looking at Montgomerie whenever the camers was on him would tell you the stress he was under.
The captain picks the wildcards (plenty of controversy there straightaway), then he has to get the pairings right for the fourballs and foursomes, it's not just as case of picking any two players and telling them to get on with it, they have to gel, complement each other and be capable of pulling their partner through if they are struggling.
On the last day he has to pick the order the players will play in, does he put his strongest players at the top, get points on the board? Does he load the bottom of the order to pull things round if it's going wrong?
Monty nearly blew this, his middle order wasn't strong and it was there that the momentum swung to the Americans, fortunately he had picked a Major winner in the last game and McDowell had the nerve to pull it off when it mattered.

[KRS]

Europe appoint Jimenez as Captain, or Garcia and they manage to get/stay in the top handful of players in Europe? Would it be possible to be a player and a captain or is that against the rules?

Also, do they overstate the role the Captain plays? Seems to me a pretty easy job.

Not sure of the rules, but you wouldnt want the team captain to be playing anyway. The captains job is more organisation, co-ordinating tactics, player pairings, player orders, motivating, communication, etc; Basically a captain wouldnt be able to do his job if he was playing and it would be to the detriment of the team if he was.

[Rotterdam]

Pretty sure that back in the day captains played.

[taylorsworkrate]

The only downside is Colin Montgomerie being the captain. He only has to appear on screen for me to get annoyed and want to punch him.

Apart from that, well pleased we won.

In fairness, i think Monty showed a side to himself rarely seen before, during this Ryder cup.  He comes across as loyal, incredibly passionate and dignified.

He has come in for a lot of stick in his career, some justified, a lot of it not. 

[Guy M]

When Scotland hosts it will they be stupid enough to host it in October again or can they change the dates to when it's actually Summer?

Second weekend in June then.

Formula 1 Qualifying in Japan has had to be postponed until tomorrow due to heavy rain. This is the second time this has happened there, the last time being in October 2004.

I think it's quite clear to all concerned that there should never be another Japanese GP scheduled in October. It's common sense... *ahem*

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't know the first thing about golf, and don't enjoy watching it, but I am a massive, massive fan of sticking it up two nations in sporting terms - the Americans and the Australians, so good work Europe, and here's hoping we stick it up the Aussies in the ashes.