Palmer was a seven-time victor of the Ryder Cup for the United States as a player and captain and passed away aged 87.
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Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods don’t get on?
The 41 Cup matches start Friday at Hazeltine National Golf Club on the rolling countryside 20 miles southwest of Minneapolis.
There may also come a point where Woods steps in front of the team to give it a rah-rah speech, but until then, he’s basically the minder for a team “pod” that includes Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Matt Kuchar.
So far, without a shot being hit except in practice, it has been the property of Mickelson.
Just what he is doing isn’t quite clear, though he and Phil Mickelson did entertain players Monday night in the team room with tales of their disastrous pairing in the 2004 Ryder Cup.
Woods, who has not played competitive golf in 2016, is all-in with Team USA, talking strategy and giving advice to players and captain Davis Love III.
There was a lot said in the last few weeks about Love’s initial pass on Watson with his first three selections on September 12.
Noteworthy: Europe is going for its fourth straight victory, its longest streak in the Ryder Cup.
Been there, done that.
Reed, who went 3-0-1 as one of the bright spots for the losing USA side against Europe two years ago, had a special session with Woods during practice at Hazeltine. That means something. Maybe it means everything.
The Ryder Cup is now recognised as the greatest rivalry in golf and millions around the world will be riveted by the Hazeltine thrills and spills on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
He has a great short game. It hardly helped that at the time he was barely on speaking terms with Woods. “Had we had time to prepare, I think we would have made it work”.
“That’s an example of, starting with the captain, being put in a position to fail and we failed monumentally”.
He says the Americans have not brought up what happened at Medinah four years ago when they blew a 10-6 lead going into the final day, winning only three singles matches. Mickelson offered an apology.
“I feel bad. It was never meant to be like that“.
It’s words so far, but from now it will be shots and results. The Task Force committee created to pick the right personnel has done all it can, and the decision to wait until the end of the season to choose the final wildcard selection may prove inspired should Ryan Moore continue his good form from last week. He got what he wanted.
America last won the trophy at Valhalla in 2008.
“He’s made decisions that have allowed us to prepare our best and play our best and I believe we will play our best. I think this is about the Ryder Cup and that little gold trophy, and that’s enough for us all”.
US captain Davis Love III said Mickelson was only trying to set the record straight because some analysts just keep bringing it up over and over and over again, though Mickelson mentioned Oakland Hills unprompted in his news conference.
News of his speech led some in Europe to claim the US was equating the Ryder Cup with combat and glorifying war. As is well known, he also gambles literally.
Every player who has experienced it has a story.
McIlroy is primed to bring that fighting spirit to the team effort this week, but first came his perspective on the Ryder Cup.
“You play how you prepare”, Mickelson said.
Europe captain Darren Clarke was subtle in his dismissing the notion of a U.S. super team, pointing out the successes of his own talent this year.
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The most noticeable of those parties so far, being Phil Mickelson.
