There is no grander stage in golf than the Bethpage Black. There is no more passionate event in golf than the Ryder Cup. There are no rowdier sports fans than those around New York. Throw those factors all together and you have the makings of a classic when the American and European teams cross 5-irons, Sept. 26–28, on Long Island, New York.
None of the 44 Ryder Cups previously played has been free of controversy or intrigue. Gamesmanship has been at play since Walter Hagen captained the first American team in 1927. But for sure, the 45th Ryder Cup already has some extra juice.
The anticipation started well before 2013, the year the PGA of America o icially announced it was bringing the Ryder Cup to Bethpage. Phil Mickelson said he had been “quietly hoping” it would go there for years while then-PGA president Ted Bishop recalled a conversation with Rickie Fowler, who asked him, “Can you imagine what a great home field advantage and how intimidating a Bethpage Black Ryder Cup would be?”
“This venue, this course, this city will take the Ryder Cup to a place it's never seen before,” Bishop proclaimed, while the late sports commentator John Feinstein predicted it would be the loudest competition in the history of golf.
Bethpage has rocked before. When “the people’s course” hosted the 2002 U.S. Open, won by Tiger Woods, it was more like a football crowd (and more Jets than Giants) than a golf gallery. Golf Digest tried to help Colin Montgomerie by handing out “Be Nice to Monty” buttons. But when Monty brushed past an autograph seeker, he heard, “I hope you miss the cut.” Fans mercilessly heckled Sergio Garcia, counting out his waggles and mocking his relationship with tennis star Martina Hingis. Perhaps the $750 price tag for a daily ticket will produce a more subdued crowd. American captain Keegan Bradley has promised that unruly rans will be booted out. Nevertheless, the amphitheaters surrounding Bethpage’s greens and the sheer size of the property are sure to amplify the available lung power.
The Ryder Cup’s last two visits to America’s premier cities offer a preview into what may be. The 1999 Ryder Cup at The Country Club outside Boston and the 2012 competition at Medinah were two of the most exciting in history with the two biggest-ever comebacks. Certainly the sometimes over the top fans at Brookline were a factor in the stunning U.S. Sunday rally that ended with captain Ben Crenshaw kissing the ground. Fears that the Chicago crowds would also get out of hand were never realized. They were loud for sure, especially when Mickelson and Bradley were leading the U.S. charge the first two days, but the Europeans used their silence to their advantage as they humbled their hosts in singles.
There could have been even more drama to this year’s event. Looking ahead 10–11 years, it was easy to imagine a 54-year-old Mickelson as U.S. captain and a 49-year-old Woods playing in perhaps his last Ryder Cup. Phil’s defection to LIV Golf and Tiger’s endless injury woes took care of that scenario. Still, there has been ample buildup, beginning with Bradley’s surprise selection as captain two years after he was cruelly left off the American roster as a player, with accusations that he wasn’t “tight enough” with the rest of the squad.
Once named, Bradley opened a faucet of bad blood amid a celebratory Presidents Cup team room after he nailed down the winning point for the U.S.
“I’m gonna get criticized as the captain next year,” he declared through wild eyes. “They're gonna underestimate me, they're gonna doubt me. I’ve been doubted my whole (bleeping) life. That's when I do my best work.
“We’re gonna go to Bethpage to kick their (bleeping) ass."
Bradley was unaware his expletive-filled rant was being recorded for the final episode of Season 3 of the Netflix series “Full Swing.” It went viral, of course. “Oh yeah, we’ve all seen it,” a smiling Shane Lowry confirmed.
“So I’ve said this for the last probably six or seven years to anyone that will listen: I think one of the biggest accomplishments in golf right now is winning an away Ryder Cup," Rory McIlroy said when asked for a comment. “And that's what we’re going to do at Bethpage.”
Perhaps the European team will have an even better opportunity to respond. There’s still a chance Bradley, who played his college golf at St. John’s University in Queens, can qualify to compete in his first Ryder Cup since 2014. He’d be the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.
Only in New York? We shall see.
Hank Gola was the long-time golf writer for the New York Daily News. His new book, “Ryder Cup Rivals,” has just hit the shelves.
