AN INVERNESSIAN IN AMERICA: Diane Knox says golf rivalries are to the fore at Ryder Cup
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The honeymoon is over. Well, I’m sure “the honeymoon phase” will last for a long time, but we touched down in Orlando on Sunday, and returned to reality, with a thud, writes Diane Knox.
No more fresh coffee delivered to our door, breakfast on the soft sand surrounded by palm trees and days spent staring at the crystal blue water doing much of nothing. But I’m not complaining, because I was straight off to my other version of paradise.
My hubby and I landed in Orlando airport at 2pm and said our goodbyes for the next eight days. The parting was sweet sorrow – it will be lovely to actually miss each other for a while and be able to share tales of our days instead of being joined at the hip in newly-wed bliss.
I switched my cases, bidding a fond farewell to the sun-dresses and bathing suits and replacing them with polos and golf skirts in a variety of shades of blue, and immediately checked in for my 4.30pm flight to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That’s right. It’s Ryder Cup week!
Whistling Straits is one of the most beautiful golf courses I’ve ever seen. It was designed by famous golf architect Pete Dye, with the help of his wife Alice, and was built to replicate the ancient links courses of the UK.
With the cloudy, cool weather at the start of the week, I thought I was stepping foot onto Scottish land.
Running along a two-mile stretch of Lake Michigan, the course has stunning elevation changes of up to 80ft. They buried train cars underground to simulate the dunes. And a flock of Scottish blackface sheep graze the course year-round. It really does feel like home.
From today, the Straits course will play host to the 43rd Ryder Cup, a sporting event like no other. Europe v USA, a biennial dual. Since 1979, Europe has won 11 times and retained the cup once with a tied match, with eight American victories over the same period. After victory in France in 2018, the Europeans are the defending champions, but the US team are the clear favourites this week – on paper anyway.
The Ryder Cup has seen some epic showdowns over the years – the Miracle at Medinah in 2012, where Europe were down entering the final day and fought their way to win by one point, Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed’s blow-for-blow match in 2016 at Hazeltine, the list goes on and the golf drama dates way back. So we know we’re going to see fireworks this week!
This is the first Ryder Cup I’ve worked at, and a real bucket-list item I’m able to tick off. As I’ve strolled around the course this week, I’ve been pinching myself a lot. I’m working for the European Tour as their content host, and you’ll be able to see my pieces on all the European Tour social channels.
So, in case anyone was wondering, my allegiance is as clear as the Mexican waters I was paddling in last week.
With an American father and Scottish mother, rivalry during Ryder Cup week is the norm, but maybe the break from my brand new American husband has come at the perfect time.
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