Sept. 18, 2002

Each month, former Baylor golfer and current PGA professional Jerry Smith writes a column for the official Baylor athletic web site describing various aspects of the PGA Tour. For past columns, please browse our archives.

One week from now, the 34th Ryder Cup will take center stage in England at the Belfry. I think all of golf is anxiously awaiting this grand event, originally scheduled for September 2001 but postponed due to the terrorist attacks on the United States. With that, the matches will now be contested on even years, continuing to rotate between U.S. and European soil.

Each team is comprised of 12 members, 10 having earned their way through a point system and two having been chosen by their captain. The captain for the U.S. is Curtis Strange; Sam Torrance is leading the European squad.

With the matches having been postponed, I think much uncertainty abounds this time around. If you remember the matches in 1999, Justin Leonard capped an improbable final day come-from-behind win holing a 45-foot putt at the 17th against Jose Olazabal. Controversy was raised by what the Europeans claimed was unsportsmanlike behavior after the entire U.S. team ran onto the green in celebration. Jose still had a 25 footer of his own which narrowly missed once the jubilation had been contained. I'm sure that scene will be replayed to the Europeans as motivation for winning the cup back on their own turf. It will be interesting to see if the matches continue to take on the patriotic magnitude that has grown over the past several years and with all that has transpired in the world since 9/11.

Probably the biggest uncertainty will be the play of many key members of both teams. David Duval, Hal Sutton and Paul Azinger are having very sub-par years. Nor are Mark Calcavecchia, Stewart Cink, Jim Furyk, David Toms and Scott Verplank playing at the same level as a year ago when the teams were selected. The remaining members - Tiger, Davis and Phil among them - arrive having played a limited schedule since the PGA Championship.

The European team faces much the same uncertainty with Bernhard Langer, Jesper Parnevik and Lee Westwood struggling to find their form. Niclas Fasth, Pierre Fulke, Phillip Price and Paul McGinley will be competing in their first Ryder Cup matches. The remaining members, including Sergio and Monty, should arrive prepared to anchor their team for what will be an extremely competitive week.

I'm sure that even with all this uncertainty, the level of play will rise to a height we have all become accustomed to when the bell sounds. I don't think there is any event in golf that brings out the best of these marquee players more than the Ryder Cup. With golf not yet an Olympic sport, this is the one time players get to represent their country in a team format. The spirit, pride and history are motivating factors like none other these world-class athletes will experience. It makes my juices come alive just writing about it!

Maybe the thought is what I need to get my own game back on track. With seven events remaining on this year's schedule, I face a steep hill to climb back into the Top 125. It has been a very difficult season to digest having ended last year so strongly and then recording a 5th place finish in my third event out this year. I can only take the mindset that the law of averages is in my favor.

In reflecting on the Ryder Cup's history, some of the event's great moments come to mind including:

• Justin's putt in '99, of course
  
• Bernhard Langer's missed putt on the 18th at Kiawah Island in 1991 - the "War on the Shore"
  
• Raymond Floyd competing at 51 (oldest player) sparking final-day heroics that lead to victory at the Belfry in '93
  
• U.S. losing for the first time on U.S. soil in '87
  
• Captain Seve Ballesteros using five rookies to upset the U.S. in '97
  

Next week should provide much the same drama. The U.S. needs to do a better job in the pairings matches. They seem to come alive in singles, but can't expect to erase a big deficit this time around on foreign soil. It will be up to each captain to find the right mix to help fuel their players in the early matches. Rumors have leaked that Curtis may pair Tiger and Phil together, two players who historically haven't been the best of buddies. There is no doubt that the American players are not as close as those of their European counterparts.

Last report was that the U.S. squad is a 2-1 favorite, but as Scott Hoch said, "Europeans get more up for it. We want to win, but they want to win more than we do." The United States must find that team chemistry and if the events of 9/11 can't provide that, then I look for an upset by the hungrier Europeans. I will be one glued to the TV come next Sunday. Let the matches begin!

Visit www.RyderCup.com for complete team rosters, schedule and other details.

Sic 'em Bears,