Sobering thoughts for US Cup fans

ONE of the most valuable lessons of the unfortunate incidents during the 1999 match at Brookline is that no alcohol will be allowed on the South Course during this week’s Ryder Cup match at Oakland Hills.

The American players let themselves and their cause down by their extraordinary demonstration after Justin Leonard holed his (in) famous putt against Jose-Maria Olazabal on the 17th green on the final afternoon.

However, there is no doubt that the appalling behaviour of a number of fans was caused by the consumption of beer that went on from the early afternoon through to the climax, with crates of the stuff being carried around the golf course with the sanction of the marshals.

It won't happen this time.

The US PGA has warned all spectators that if they "bring any alcohol to the event, he/she will not be permitted access.

"Alcoholic beverages will be served and may be consumed on the North Course, including the International Pavilion and the Marketplace."

This limited restriction won't necessarily prevent drunkenness on the parts of some, but the numbers will be a lot fewer on this occasion, with the further warning from the PGA that "booing or jeering is inappropriate.

Spectators who breach this conduct by directing profanity or insult towards a player or official at any time, or who act in an inappropriate or unethical manner, are subject to immediate removal from the grounds.

"The 35th Ryder Cup matches are a renewal of golf's most spirited competition and a tradition of sportsmanship and respect among the teams, match officials and galleries. Players and spectators are expected to conduct themselves in a manner which respects this tradition throughout Ryder Cup week."

The respective captains, Hal Sutton and Bernhard Langer, were both involved in the so-called Battle of Brookline in '99 and have also appealed to the better nature of the spectators.

"While partisanship is natural, it is important to remember the Ryder Cup matches are intended to be a friendly competition among the best golfers on two continents," they said.

"The sportsmanship of the spectators plays a vital role in the continuing spirit and success of the matches. To preserve this great tradition, there should be no excessive partisanship by the gallery.

"While all good shot-making should be applauded, the prospective misfortunes of an opposing player should never be celebrated. Nor should comments of any kind be made while a player prepares to make his shot."

Quite clearly then, the US authorities and the players accept that much of what happened five years ago went way beyond the bounds of fair play.

It's not easy to forgive several American players for their high-jinks on the 17th green or to forget the over- the-top manner in which Tom Lehman and David Duval celebrated their respective victories.

Such antics in turn stirred up the fans and saw the whole affair reaching boiling point.

While one hopes there will not be a repeat on this occasion, the Frenchman Thomas Levet has already this year experienced American jingoism when he was heckled at tournaments in Florida at the time of the Iraq war because of his country's failure to support the US in the conflict.

We could do without a repeat of that kind of stuff, although anybody who thinks there will be a garden party atmosphere at Oakland Hills must live on a different planet. The word from Detroit is that they love to whoop, holler and support their own.

That in turn is part of big time sport they weren't for holding back at Croke Park on Sunday although there is often a very thin line between what is acceptable and what transcends the lines of fair play.

Meanwhile, the two teams arrived in Detroit yesterday facing into one of the most hectic weeks of the entire season.

Happiest man in the European camp may well have been Ronan Flood, the family friend of the Harringtons who took over Pádraig's bag in highly controversial circumstances when Dave McNeely got the sack in May.

The results in the intervening weeks were short of what both men would have desired and many used the dismissal of McNeely and the hiring of Flood to explain the perceived slump in the Dubliner's golf game.

But the great rearguard victory in the German Masters on Sunday has put an end to all that and

Ronan's sense of well-being, as well as that of his boss, has to have been hugely enhanced by this first tournament triumph together.

THE players and their wives and girlfriends will be guests of honour at the Gala Ball tomorrow with all of America agog to see if Tiger Woods has his fiancée Ellen Nordgren by his side after widespread rumours that their relationship is in trouble.

Either way, they are all expected to attend a host of social events which, combined with extremely early starts every day, won't leave much room for sleep.

It's an incredibly busy week for all concerned and Tiger Woods is just one of those whofeels too much is asked of the players in a short space of time.

Given that the weather in Detroit is unpredictable, with the constant threat of thunderstorms and consequent weather delays, it is surprising that the Ryder Cup hasn't followed the lead of the President's Cup and extended to a four-day competition.

That would have many benefits, not least eradicating the need for the players to crawl out of bed at the crack of dawn on two of the three days, and the inevitable tedium caused by hanging around for four days before the real action begins.