Never miss a great news story!
Get instant notifications from Economic Times
AllowNot now


You can switch off notifications anytime using browser settings.

Portfolio

Loading...
Select Portfolio and Asset Combination for Display on Market Band
Select Portfolio
Select Asset Class
Show More
Download ET MARKETS APP

Get ET Markets in your own language

DOWNLOAD THE APP NOW

+91

CHOOSE LANGUAGE

ENG

  • ENG - English
  • HIN - हिन्दी
  • GUJ - ગુજરાતી
  • MAR - मराठी
  • BEN - বাংলা
  • KAN - ಕನ್ನಡ
  • ORI - ଓଡିଆ
  • TEL - తెలుగు
  • TAM - தமிழ்
Drag according to your convenience
ET NOW RADIO
ET NOW
TIMES NOW

Golf-Internationals need Seve-style leader to end U.S. run

Reuters|
Oct 02, 2017, 09.05 PM IST
0Comments

By Andrew Both

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The International team need an inspirational leader in the mould of Seve Ballesteros to guide them to victory over the all-powerful United States in the Presidents Cup, assistant captain Geoff Ogilvy and former PGA Tour winner Brandel Chamblee agree.

As the Internationals licked their wounds after yet another drubbing by the U.S., it might seem unrealistic to expect the proverbial knight in shining armour to emerge as a saviour for the collection of players from around the world.

But few thought until the late, great Ballesteros emerged in the 1970s that Europe could beat the U.S. in the biennial Ryder Cup.

"The U.S. had their way with Europe for 50 years," former U.S. Open champion Ogilvy, who assisted International captain Nick Price at Liberty National, told reporters on Sunday after the U.S. had beaten the International team 19-11.

"Seve comes along and says 'no no no no no, I'm not going to accept losing, and we're better so we're going to win'. They work out how to win and the U.S. is lost and they can't win."

American Jack Nicklaus, the most successful player ever with 18 major titles, was the catalyst for the European Ryder Cup success, urging the Britain and Ireland team to expand to include continental Europe, primarily so Spaniard Ballesteros could play.

It took three more losses, but Europe became competitive and then, in 1985, won for the first time in 28 years. They have lost at home only once since.

"Europe needed a Seve to turn it around and (in the U.S.) along came our Seve, or at least a group of Seves in Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas," Chamblee, now a Golf Channel analyst, told Reuters.

"We found that youthful exuberance. Reed, Spieth, Thomas, all these young players grew up watching the U.S. get their hats handed to them, and they took it personally.

"We're seeing the results of 20 years of frustration run wild and the International team is the victim."

LOSING TEAM

But, Chamblee added, the Internationals one day will find their leader, even if it is not anyone who played in the losing team at Liberty National.

"In a few years there's going to be a new star we haven't heard of yet and maybe he's going to say 'not on my watch'."

Ogilvy, meanwhile, thinks the International team is serving as a useful tune-up for the Americans between Ryder Cups.

"Now the U.S. is a really good team and they've got better now at doing what Europe does and we've paid the price," Ogilvy said.

The good news for the Internationals is that the next Presidents Cup in 2019 will be played at Royal Melbourne in Australia. Even though the Internationals have lost three of the five times the event has been held outside the U.S., they have been way more competitive, almost even in total points.

"I've done the math and playing at home is a five-point advantage," Chamblee said, observing the Americans had won the Cup on average by more than five points at home.

On non-U.S. soil, by contrast, the Americans have won a total of 82.5 points compared to 81.5 by the Internationals. (Reporting by Andrew Both, editing by Ed Osmond)

(This story has not been edited by economictimes.com and is auto–generated from a syndicated feed we subscribe to.)

Also Read

Bournemouth tempo hindered by international break, says Howe

Soccer-Wenger frustrated at timing of international break

Golf-International captain Price struggling for answers

Arsene Wenger frustrated at timing of international break

Golf-United States continues to pound away at Internationals

Comments
Add Your Comments

Loading
Please wait...