Green machine infiltrates Perry’s call to arms rally

THE party finally began both on and off the Ryder Cup course at Valhalla yesterday.

After the formalities of the speeches and the opening ceremony, the crowd found their voice for yesterday’s competition by first packing onto Fourth Street, Louisville for the unorthodox nighttime pep-rally.

Here the cup was not so much about chasing small balls into larger holes but chasing large drinks with shorter shots.

And in the flurry of enthusiasm, the local representative on the US team, Kenny Perry, transfigured into the week’s most unlikely rock-star.

Ordinarily, the 48-year-old splits his time between professional golf, acting as a deacon for the Franklin Church of Christ and running the pro shop at his own municipal golf course.

But this is the Ryder Cup, where the sedate world of golf meets the unbridled excess of partisan support.

At the pep-rally Perry took the stage downtown by following a troop of cheerleaders and firing up the crowd who chanted: “USA! USA!”.

Yesterday morning, he emerged onto a first tee charged with the expectation of hoards of home-town supporters.

The rally was designed to get the Americans enthusiastic despite their losing streak.

But a good gaggle of Irish infiltrated the event, drinking to forget the fact alarms would go off at dawn to wake those wanting to see Pádraig Harrington lead Europe off the first tee for the morning session.

Be warned however, when television cameras discover one of the hundreds of leprechauns dancing in the Kentucky bluegrass this weekend, they are not all of Celtic extraction.

At least eight are from Yorkshire who decided to cheer the Europeans in €35 costumes bought online from Carrolls.

“We have been coming to Dublin every year for 15 years to play golf, and usually whoever is last to wake up in the morning has to wear the leprechaun outfit. So this time we all got them,” explained Craig Carter.

He was decked out with sparkling buckles, shiny belt and cardboard beard — crafted after he left his more authentic ginger schmig in a late-night cab.

Not only had his group latched onto the wardrobe from Darby O’Gill and the Little People but they mastered our chants too, singing “Ole, Ole, Ole!” while walking across the 12th fairway.

The imposters were at the pep-rally and said as the atmosphere around Louisville builds, the on-street festival has the feel of Temple Bar in Dublin.

But even if the rest of Europe has adopted our stereotypes, the amount of genuine Irish people at Valhalla also grew significantly after the practice rounds.

Watching Harrington and Robert Karlsson in the morning session was an American crowd speckled with paddy caps, GAA tops and rugby jerseys.

Among them were flag-clad Liam Hipwell and John Aitkinson of Wexford town on the most important leg of their three-week “booze, food and golf cruise”. Both were at Detroit four years ago, when Europe hammered the Americans and they ended up spending Sunday night celebrating with the victorious team.

John said they would be perfectly happy to repeat the feat while enjoying the lavish southern hospitality in Kentucky.

“We flew into New Orleans and we have come up through Nashville, Lexington and Louisville. Since we got here... the craic has been brilliant,” John said.