Ryder Cup moves in to full steam

The signs posted at every turn at the Belfry read "2001," but that doesn't mean the time's not right for the Ryder Cup. And perhaps another sign of the times was the number of armed officers patrolling the site, three days before the opening ceremony and four days before the matches actually begin.

Postponed a year ago because of security concerns after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks -- it has been three years since the Ryder Cup last was played -- the 34th edition picked up speed Monday, propelled by a small amount of controversy.

Curtis Strange, the U.S. captain, spent some of his time putting spin on some comments Tiger Woods made last week, saying the Ryder Cup's social schedule is too demanding and takes him out of his routine.

Woods said it last week while he was busy winning the American Express Championships in Ireland, but was also saying the same thing at his first Ryder Cup at Valderrama in Spain in 1997.

No big deal, Strange said Monday.

"It's been handled," he said. "He's a team player. We had dinner [Sunday] night and we discussed some of those things. Yes, there's social functions we have to attend, which is fun, but when you come here, you're going to be part of a team."

Woods, who prefers T-shirts and blue jeans, will instead don a tuxedo and attend a black tie gala scheduled to end at 11:30 Wednesday night with practice rounds at 9 a.m. Thursday and then the opening ceremony at 3 p.m. The first four-ball matches begin at 8 a.m. Friday.

There was no formal practice Monday as the 10 Americans who played last week at Mount Juliet came over on a charter plane, and Hal Sutton and Stewart Cink were on their way from the Tampa Bay Classic.

Strange also tried to take some of the steam out of another of Woods' comments last week, when Woods said he would rather win the tournament in Ireland than the Ryder Cup.

Strange blamed the media.

"It's really an unfair question, and when you try to answer it honestly, I think you get into trouble," Strange said. "I think we both know when Tiger Woods plays, he's ready to play, so he's the least of my concern."

European captain Sam Torrance says Woods answered the way he did because he endorses American Express, which sponsors the $5 million tournament. Torrance also said he could not think of a single European who would say he'd rather win the tournament before the Ryder Cup instead of the Ryder Cup itself.