1999 Ryder Cup's Return
to the States Brings
Many Questions to the Table

By Shane Sharp,
Contributing Writer

For the lucky lot of us, namely, those of us who call the Queen City of Charlotte, North Carolina home, damage was next to none. And as Maslow's hierarchy of needs kicks in, and we realize that we are safe and somewhat dry, the overwhelming desire to get back at the game we love will become overbearing.

So if you are too absorbed in guilt to tee it up this weekend - despite what could be a beautiful weekend in western North and South Carolina - look no further than one of the greatest events in all of recent sports history to put your mind back on the game, while still being able to stay in touch with loved ones to the east.

It's an odd year in the decade known as the 1990's, and therefore its none other than Ryder Cup time again. An event that started as friendly match play between the United States and a contingent of British players has blossomed, along the lines of the America's Cup, into one of the most competitive international sporting events of our time.

Here are a few things to look out for in what promises to be one of the most compelling Ryder Cup matches of the past decade.

To Pay or Not to Pay

Much has been made over the controversial stance of a number of the 1999 U.S. Ryder Cup Team members regarding pay for play. This stance, somewhat oversimplified, is that Ryder Cup participants should receive a kick back of the revenue taken in by the PGA for what has become a major international television event that generates enough "jack" to finance the debt of a number of third world countries.

Two sides of the fence there are, and seemingly only Davis Love III and Ben Crenshaw stand on the side of integrity. The pay for play side seems to cut across generations, what with Tiger Woods and Mark O'Meara seeking some monetary compensation for representing the Stars and Stripes this year at Brookline.

Will the Americans present a united front, as the Europeans have done during their past two victories? Ben Crenshaw will have to pull off one of the great "captaining" jobs in recent history just to get these guys to agree on a place to eat dinner, much less agree on PGA fiscal policy.

Will an All Star Cast Equal Victory?

Let's face it. There has been more talent on the U.S. Ryder Cup team over the past two events than on typically exists on an NBA All-Star squad. And the U.S. record in the Ryder Cup since the advent of the "Young Guns" era? How about 0-2. What gives?

Americans, more than any other lot of golfers, are accustomed to medal, or stroke play. While our nation's contingent of weekend duffers are obsessing over their handicaps, the rest of the world is only concerned with whether they won their match that day - to hell with the score.

But in addtion to the overwhelming talent advantage that the U.S. team holds, for the first time in Ryder Cup history, the boys in red, white and blue should be well beyond hungry, and approaching ravenous, for a Ryder Cup re-take on the home soil.

Remember when the rest of the Chicago Bulls would be playing in the NBA Championship like they wanted another ring like they wanted a hole in the head. Remember when Jordan would step up and take the game over? Enter Tiger Woods - who in one writer's opinion will become the M.J. of the Ryder Cup from this moment forward.

Who Will Step up as Mr. Crunch Time?

David Duval has held the number one ranking on the money list and the World Golf Rankings, but he has as much Ryder Cup experience as Courtney Love. Tiger Woods is re-emerging as the most dominant player in the history of the game, but Eldrick posted more "L's" than "W's" at Valderama in 1997. Justin Leonard seems to be able to come from five strokes down in stroke play, and even in a major, but holds an abysmal Ryder and President Cup record.

So who will step up to the challenge? First, let's not mistake the Tiger Woods of 1997 for the Tiger Woods of 1999. The younger Woods showed flashes of brilliance and domination, but the more mature Woods is seemingly invincible.

As for Duval, he took the World's best player to the wire at the Shootout at Sherwood, and no one on tour has a better personality for dealing with the pressure of match play.

And Young Guns aside, this year's Ryder Cup teams boasts of a unique and formidable collection of savvy vets. Mark O'Meara, Hal Sutton and Payne Stewart are separated in age by a few meager months in the fourth decade of their lives. But exactly when each of these players should be confronting mid-life crises, they are instead enjoying some of the best times of their playing careers.

Stewart and O'Meara have three majors between them in the past two years, and no player in the States was hotter than Hal Sutton towards the end of the season. This unique combination of experienced veterans and experienced young talent, coupled with the fact that the Europeans are showcasing seven rookies in Brookline, should lead to the United States' return to dominance in the Ryder Cup.

If not, move over N.C. State/Houston, Villanova/Georgetown, and Dodgers/A's; this could be the greatest upset of all time.