Tribute to murdered Spanish amateur Barquin
Europe’s Ryder Cup team will wear yellow ribbons to honour murdered Spanish golfer Celia Barquin, captain Thomas Bjorn said yesterday.
The 22-year-old amateur star was found dead on a golf course last week in Iowa.
The Spaniard, who was set to graduate from Iowa State University, where she had recently been named female athlete of the year, was preparing to turn professional.
Europe’s 12-man Ryder Cup team wore yellow ribbons on their jumpers with the name of Celia Barquin written upon them in red, in tribute to the young golfer as they sat for their team photograph yesterday at Le Golf National and will wear them throughout the week as a mark of respect.
“Obviously, the golfing family extends way beyond what we are trying to do this week,” Bjorn said. “Those events in America, with Celia being killed while playing golf, is something that’s hit everybody in the golf family, and obviously our two Spanish players (Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm).
“We felt that, after a conversation between Ryder Cup Europe with Celia’s mother, we would honour her this week. That’s what we are doing, and it’s nothing about us, but it’s just more about the fact that the golfing family gets touched by these things all over the world.”
Hatton playing it cool
It is fair to say that European rookie Tyrrell Hatton has a bit of a reputation for wearing his heart in his sleeve and yesterday the Englishman spoke of harnessing his passion for the good of his team in the white-hot atmosphere of the Ryder Cup.
Not that he feels he needs the help of a cool-headed playing partner to keep him on an even keel.
“There isn’t a standout personality that I would say I need to play with that person, someone who is going to calm me down or whatever.
“I’m not going to turn into the Hulk this week, anyway, I hope,” Hatton said.
Captain Bjorn agreed when the issue was raised with him. Calling Hatton a very warm and “really, really lovely guy to be around, and funny”, Bjorn added: “I want him to be Tyrrell Hatton in everything that he does… I want him to be him.
“I’m not here to try and change any of those 12. They are here because of who they are and that’s what they have got to go with. It’s not my job to change Tyrrell.
“He will go out and play with the passion and heart he has, but he is a very, very warm member of our team, and that makes it a lot easier to deal with those little up-and-downs.
“But, you know,” the captain added with a chuckle, “I see a lot of myself in him.”
‘Pep’ talk for Fleetwood
European rookie Tommy Fleetwood got the ideal “Pep” talk as he began his preparations for a Ryder Cup debut on Friday with a video message from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Keen golf fan Guardiola has played rounds of social golf with world number 12 Fleetwood with the pair also partnering up in this year’s BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am at Wentworth.
Now the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has sent the Englishman a motivational video message.
“We all have these motivational videos, and he was one of the guys that sent a message to me,” Fleetwood revealed. “I’m not sure he’s coming over. I’m sure he’s busy at the weekend but he might make it over.
“We always talk quite a lot and he’s somebody who is great to know. He was at The Ryder Cup in Medinah (in 2012)... he’ll always mention that that’s one of the greatest times he’s had in his life. Maybe we’ll see him, I don’t know.”
The good news for Fleetwood is that City are home to Brighton on Saturday leaving plenty of time for Pep to get to Paris for the Sunday singles.
Mickelson’s guessing game
Trying to extract the likely fourball and foursome pairings out of captains and players is always a thankless task unless you’re Nick Faldo and you write them down on a piece of paper in full view of photographers.
People tend to be cagey about team strategy and none cagier than veteran Phil Mickelson yesterday, who took the art of deflection to a new level during his turn in the media room.
Any feeling on whether that might happen, the American gearing up for his 12th Ryder Cup was asked.
“I do have an idea of what Captain Furyk is thinking, yeah”
The follow up was cut off at the pass: “Could you give us the…”
Mickelson: “What a good looking man you are.”
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