Our Time Our Place: Team Europe inspired by past Ryder Cup successes
An architect and an icon, the postman and the mechanic, the silent assassin and the dude – if Europe are to claim a fifth away Ryder Cup win at Bethpage Black they will do it on the shoulders of giants.
Just 37 players have tasted European victory on U.S. soil but if Luke Donald’s masterplan comes to fruition, there will be ten more come Sunday night.
Donald is looking to become only the second European Captain to win the Ryder Cup twice after Tony Jacklin, the man dubbed the architect of Europe’s now starring role in the biennial spectacular.
And in his mission, Donald will take inspiration from all those who have gone before him and turned a once one-sided contest into one of the most fiercely fought battles in sport.
“For a lifetime, winning away was an impossible dream,” says Sir Nick Faldo.
That dream would be made a reality by Jacklin and inspired by the late, great Seve Ballesteros.
“Seve was the key,” said Jacklin
Ballesteros had been part of the first European Team which suffered a heavy defeat in 1979 but with Jacklin at the helm in 1983, the tide began to turn.
Europe were defeated 141⁄2–131⁄2 but Ballesteros said: “We must celebrate, now we can beat them.”
A win on home soil followed in 1985.
“From that moment forth, the badge meant a lot more,” said Jacklin, with Europe heading to Muirfield Village in 1987 with a new “confidence and resilience”.
“We always had talent, now we had a brotherhood,” added Sandy Lyle.
Victory in 1987 made history and prompted one of the most famous moments in golfing history - José María Olazábal’s jig of joy.
“The future was ours,” said Jacklin.
Europe would win eight of the next 13 Ryder Cups, with three more away victories at Oak Hill in 1995, Oakland Hills in 2004 and, barely believably, at Medinah in 2012.
In the first Ryder Cup since Ballesteros passed away, with him emblazoned on their bags and sleeves and with his great friend and playing partner Olazábal at the helm, Europe came back from 10-4 down to win the cup.
That is the last time either side won on foreign soil and much has been made of the difficulty of winning away, certainly in front of a fervent New York crowd.
But Donald has done it before, as have Vice Captains Olazábal and Francesco Molinari and Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose.
“We want to inspire the team as much as possible so the theme is away wins,” said Donald, taking literally Jacklin’s belief that “the shirt is more than just fabric”.
“As captain, I talk about the history, the legacy, the people that have inspired us before.”
Throughout the practice days, Team Europe will play in uniforms inspired by the wins from 87, 95, 04 and 2012.
Inside the team room, memories of those wins will be everywhere, reminding the European Team that this is: Our Time. Our Place.
New York City may be hostile this week but New York history goes hand in hand with European history.
“From Broadway to Bethpage Black, New York was built on the backs of Europeans,” says Sam Torrance of the metropolis that was once known as New Amsterdam.
For Rose, McIlroy and 35 other heroes in blue and gold, a place in the history books is already assured and those annals will play a huge part on Long Island.
The legacy of those that have gone before will inspire Donald and his charges but come Friday morning it will be time for them to make their own mark.
“Just 37 players, time we added to that,” says Jacklin.
Our Time. Our Place.
