Forgive my cynicism—it’s been a very long past three years in professional golf—but I don’t like how money is dominating the Ryder Cup conversation.
The gold standard for dramatic, big-time events in professional golf, the Ryder Cup is undoubtedly one of the great spectacles in all of sports. Nobody could argue that.
It’s about love of country and continent. In a game known for diplomacy, the intense competition regularly boils over traditional boundaries. It’s a team sport in an individual game, a match that makes millionaires cry tears of joy and sorrow. The American and European fans play prominent roles in the proceedings, cheering and jeering with a certain ruthlessness that transfers back to the players.
In any sport, we just want the athletes to care. We want to see them nervous and passionate. The Ryder Cup has regularly delivered on that, creating riveting drama in a sport that often struggles to do so.
One would assume the Ryder Cup stays that way forever. What could slow it down?