Playing numbers game on ‘magic’ of Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup has achieved the polar opposite. It’s success lies in persuading the sporting universe that this biannual, three-day event — in what is a minority sport, after all — is some sort of living, breathing organism that needs feeding with the oxygen of publicity on a regular basis.
Watching, reading and listening to the vast volumes of news and debate surrounding Darren Clarke’s recent announcement as European captain for the 2016 tournament at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota in late September has brought to mind another character from a very different production that many would say managed to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes. John O’Donoghue was the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism when Ireland hosted the Ryder Cup for the first and only time at the K Club in Straffan, Co. Kildare in 2006 and for the few years preceding it. Many were the times in the months beforehand that this reporter was dispatched to cover some promotional event with the then minister when all sorts of astronomical figures would be thrown around like sweets from a candy store.
