The playlist of songs which blasted out from the loudspeakers adjacent to the grandstand around the 18th green and the 1st tee at Bethpage Black on Wednesday morning held no hints of partisanship. Dexys Midnight Runners’ Come On Eileen and Abba’s Dancing Queen were among the eclectic mix that created a feelgood vibe very much at odds with the raw, wild rancour anticipated come the time when shots actually matter.
Here, on the penultimate day of practice ahead of the Ryder Cup, where celebrities – among them John McEnroe (Yes, there was a “You cannot be series” from a spectator when the tennis legend hit his opening drive into the rough) – mixed with the 12 main men from Europe and the United States, there was good natured banter and applause.
Will it last? Most likely not, the presence of US president Donald Trump for the first day’s play – morning foursomes, afternoon four balls – bringing with it enhanced security measures and restrictions, including airport-style screening points.
While items such as weapons, drones, banners, posters, metal water bottles and rangefinders were already banned, additional items like torch-style lighters, large vaping devices, large umbrellas, portable folding chairs and laptops have also been added to the prohibited list during the president’s attendance.
RM Block
For the match itself, fearing crowd behaviour could turn ugly, the US PGA has asked spectators to avoid “heckling, taunting or unintentional distraction of players” and has adopted a zero-tolerance policy on “discrimination, hate speech, or harassment based on race, gender, nationality, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other identity”, warning that violators will be removed and subject to further penalties, including bans for future events.
However, the past few days have seen little or no evidence of any behaviour remotely crossing a line, with the European players signing just as many autographs for fans as the American players in a love offensive.
And, as Tommy Fleetwood acknowledged, “the home crowd are a big part of what makes the Ryder Cup so special”.
“I think that energy, that passion and that home team environment is something that plays such a big part in the Ryder Cup, and you have to embrace that, enjoy it, and look forward to it, even when you’re the away team,” the Englishman added.
What is unique about the Ryder Cup compared to regular tour events and Major championships is that a sizeable entourage of the players’ family members also get the opportunity to walk inside the ropes, potentially being subjected to verbal abuse, as has happened in the past.
“We’ve all discussed as a team who feels comfortable, how the family would feel comfortable, what they want to do,” Fleetwood explained. “Do they want to be out there and support? Do they want to spend the whole 18 holes? Do they want to follow someone else?”
His insights show how many potential situations have been discussed, mostly in the hope that such issues don’t actually materialise.
Justin Rose, the oldest player on the European team making his seventh Ryder Cup appearance, observed: “The scale of the Ryder Cup seems to have really kicked on massively in the last decade.
“I feel like each occasion is getting more and more intense, which is a lot of fun. We’re getting closer to the start line and obviously it’s all going to start to feel very real and the intensity is going to grow and grow.”
That intensity will come both inside and outside the ropes, with the Trump factor adding a new dynamic, but it’s all part of the gig. The Europeans have prepared for the worse, hoping – even believing – it won’t reach that point.
