Strange lays down law to US Team

If, on past occasions, the Ryder Cup got under way by stealth, it does not do so now. Maybe at one time the golfers from the United States and Europe gathered and mingled in a party atmosphere for a day or so before turning their minds to the job in hand. They do not do that any more.

The most convincing evidence of change came yesterday afternoon, four days before the start of the 34th Ryder Cup, when Curtis Strange and Sam Torrance, respectively the captains of the US and Europe, demonstrated within moments of their arrival at The Belfry that there is real iron in their fists and that their gloves are none too velvety, either.

Strange appeared to have brought Tiger Woods, his star player, to heel after the world No 1 had indicated his unhappiness at some of the team rituals essential in an event such as this. “Toe the line, Tiger,” seems to have been Strange’s message when the captain had dinner on Sunday night with some of his players. If that is not strong captaincy, then one wonders what is.

In Ireland last week, Woods seemed intent upon explaining that the Ryder Cup was not his favourite event because, as a team competition, he was unable to get up at the crack of dawn, play 18 holes, go to the gym and thereafter do his own thing. Unable to conceal his dissatisfaction, Woods said that he had to attend functions and do things at rhythms and in routines other than his own.

Woods being Woods, those who heard him talking at Mount Juliet half assumed that special arrangements would be put in place this week for him to practise at an hour convenient to him — or, indeed, not to practise at all. David Duval even went so far as to say that “. . . everybody knows that Tiger won’t practise for three days. He’s a certainty to play five matches, what with the way he is playing here. Why should he?” Instead of which, Strange put his foot down and Woods has accepted that he is as much a team player as Jim Furyk or Stewart Cink.

“It’s been handled,” Strange said. “Tiger’s a team player. We had dinner together last night and we discussed some of those things. Nothing changes. We play at 8.30 and 9.00 or thereabouts on Tuesday and Wednesday.” In case the message had not got through, he added: “And we will act as we always act.

“This whole week takes you out of your normal routine, for any player, not just Tiger Woods. It is a different week. But that is why I think everyone enjoys it. Yes, there’s social functions we have to attend, which is fun, but when you come here you are going to be part of a team.”

It can take time to assess a Ryder Cup captain, but it is clear that Strange will be tough if needs be. As if his remarks about Woods were not clear enough, he expanded later on his captaincy style in an interview with BSkyB.

“I asked (a few people): ‘How do you motivate 12 of the best players in the world? How do you motivate 12 selfish egomaniacs?’ Seriously, I say that because that’s what you have to be to play the game. You have to get their attention in the first paragraph. Simple as that. I think you’re showing them who’s boss. Every team needs a leader.”

Strange was asked how to create the unity that all team captains seek. “You have to check your ego when you come to the matches,” he replied. “You have to be able to root for the guy next to you at the table that you try to beat 51 weeks of the year. That comes easier to some than to others, but I’ve never had a problem with it.”

One of the great discussion points among captains of past Europe teams has been whether to field all 12 players before Sunday’s singles. Mark James built up a four-point lead for Europe in 1999 by keeping Jarmo Sandelin, Jean Van de Velde and Andrew Coltart on the sidelines, only for all three to lose their singles in the remarkable US comeback on the third day. Torrance, by contrast, has said often that he hoped every member of his team would play before the singles. Yesterday, he said that this was not guaranteed.

In a voice that brooked no interruption and no misinterpretation, Torrance growled a warning to his team: “If somebody isn’t playing well, I’m not giving points away so they can have a free game,” he said.

It used to be that the jaw-jaw went on before an event such as this for quite a while before the war-war took over. This year, it seems much more serious already.