Ryder Cup: mutual admiration club at world’s greatest love-in

IN the end there was such a love-in, it felt wrong to have forced the two sides in the Ryder Cup to play each other at all.

As the, let’s say it one more time, world’s greatest golf event, came to a close in a sun-baked ceremony just before six yesterday evening, the mutual outpourings of admiration and appreciation were so torrential that the umbrellas abandoned after the downpours of the morning were almost called into use again.

The chairman of Ryder Cup Europe recalled the spirit of Samuel Ryder and heaped praise on the manner in which the Americans played. The president of PGA America lauded European captain Ian Woosnam for his great leadership, inspirational touch and all-round wonderfulness.