A week ago, during the European team’s dinner for the Ryder Cup held in Wentworth, which was also attended by the caddies and close family members of the players, Luke Donald presented his men with a gift. They were headphones, but not just any headphones.
More than one person thought before trying them that it might be a tactic to learn to cancel out external noise. Perhaps they were loaded with motivational talks. Or maybe they contained a selection of more or less inspiring, motivational, or relaxing music. None of that…
From the headphones, all that comes out is a string of insults, each more cruel, nauseating, and painful than the last. The worst you can imagine. The aim was to create a virtual reality resembling what is expected at Bethpage during the Ryder Cup. To get the players accustomed to what they will hear in New York. Donald recommended using them in their spare time, and many opted to endure the ordeal during the long journey from London to Bethpage on Sunday night. It wasn’t easy to get to sleep.
Rory McIlroy revealed that there were different levels of insults and that players were offered the possibility to adjust them. How much do you want them to get at you? Each one set their own level of masochism. By the way, it goes without saying that the shouts are perfectly personalised for each player. The idea is to arrive at the Ryder immune to shock. We’ll see later if reality manages to surpass fiction. “I’ve told them to set the level of insults they want, the maximum possible if they wish. In the past, I’ve struggled to deal with that kind of thing, I’ve had some issues with the crowd, and I know I have room for improvement,” McIlroy himself noted after the BMW PGA Championship.
Each player is free to react in the way they think is best for them, but the initial instruction from the captains and vice-captains is to act as if they don’t exist, not to respond, and certainly not to engage with the provocations. In short, don’t add fuel to the fire, let them get bored or tired.
The European Ryder Cup team landed in New York on Sunday night, had time to rest, and on Monday, they were already on the greens of Bethpage Black. They played nine holes. Not much has been revealed about this first practice round, beyond what was shared through the social media accounts of Ryder Cup Europe. For example, one of the most interesting things was seeing Rory McIlroy driving from the tee to the green with the driver on the 1st hole, a short par 4. He won’t be the only one.
A team dinner was planned for Monday night in New York. Something fun. There are no images of that. It was the deal. Today, Tuesday, they are expected to play the second practice round, this time over 18 holes. As expected, Sepp Straka’s presence is confirmed, having joined the team at Bethpage. He was the only one not present in Wentworth due to concerns raised in his family by the premature birth of his child, as explained by Luke Donald.
On the journey from London to New York, the main protagonist, the subject of all sorts of jokes, was Alex Noren. You can imagine him being vice-captain after winning two tournaments in less than a month…
