The Loop

Ryder Cup: Readers React

September 24, 2008

Based on your letters, you loved the Ryder Cup, thrilled to the phenomenal shotmaking, were happy that the U.S. won, but admired the Euros, too. Unlike the British press, you're not very hard on Faldo at all. Here's a sampling.

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Congratulations to Paul and the terrific American side for their Ryder Cup victory! All the pre-event speculation and punditry aside, it is now evidently clear that it's all about the captaincy. Some past captains of losing sides, although terrific players and honorable committed men, seldom displayed an innovative or revolutionary battle plan. Azinger's strategy was brilliant and proved effective. Faldo's analysis that the outcome was decided by "fractions" has merit, but if the matches were played again tomorrow, the American side would prevail! Enormous credit is due the players who fired the missiles, but it was the "Pilot" who aimed them! Well done, Captain Azinger!

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Rod Yeager, PGA

Colonel, USAF (ret)

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The post-Ryder Cup press conference at Valhalla by the European team was a class act by the entire team and its captains, especially after a difficult and discouraging day on the golf course.>

Congratulation to both teams for the best and most exciting golf I have ever seen on TV. Long live the Ryder Cup!

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Dave Hamilton

Shannon, Mississippi

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The Americans certainly didn't miss or need Woods. However, I feel that the Euros needed Clarke and Montgomerie, even though they haven't done all that well this year. Congrats to the 'rookies' on both teams. Well done! (Oh, too bad the TV coverage couldn't have been better. There were only 24 players on the course but too much time showing advertising and promos and then to boot adverts on the bottom of the screen).

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Ron Field

Morton. Wa.

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USA absolutely won the Ryder Cup ......... but not the "Best Dressed Contest". What down right ugly choice of clothing. Particularly on Saturday. The outfits looked like something you would purchase at Wal-Mart or some discount store.

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Ed Young

Lakeland, Fl.

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RED, WHITE, BOO!

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Gene Martineau

Roseville.Ca.

My two cents: You have to admire Zinger, the rookies and those country boys--Boo and Kenny and J.B.--but you don't have to like players leading cheers or the captain saying it's fine to cheer for the other team's misses. Having attended a Ryder Cup at the Belfy, I don't buy that the European fans are so rowdy we ought to consider all this jingoism in bounds. First, they weren't. Second, even if they were, why would we want to repeat that behavior?

As the great football star Jim Brown used say: "Act like you've been there before."

Perhaps now that the "streak" is over, both sides can act like we've been there before.

--Bob Carney