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Ryder Cup gets personal: Hey! ‘Golf’ fans, leave those guys alone, say wives and girlfriends

By CNN

Amped up crowds will be bringing the noise to Whistling Straits this week at the Ryder Cup. In the past that din hasn’t always been a pleasant cacophony — the last time the biennial event was held on US shores Europe’s Rory McIlroy was jeered about ex-girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki.

Things can get very personal at the Ryder Cup.

The atmosphere was teetering on going from boisterous to distasteful for Spanish pair Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera-Bello were it not for Garcia’s then girlfriend Angela, who politely asked hecklers to stop yelling “horrible things” to the away team and their spouses at Hazeltine in 2016.

“I understand cheering for your team but let’s leave the insults out,” she told CNN the day after her husband, the Ryder Cup’s highest points scorer with 25½, was given a wildcard to represent Europe for a 10th time.

“I said to them: ‘I’m here supporting the European team, I’m an American, and you’re embarrassing me.’ The people around us joined in and said: ‘Yeah, you’re embarrassing us too!’

“So I said to the guys I want to see American fans being better than that, and they said ok, then later on they saw me, they’d figured out who I was, and they came over and gave me a hug and apologized. I think there were four of them, we all hugged and it was all good.”

READ: The power of three: How Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus revolutionized golf

‘There’s more heckling now’

Six-time Ryder Cup caddie Fanny Sunesson, the first female to carry the bag for a male major winner in 1990 with Englishman Nick Faldo, told CNN how 30 years ago at Kiawah Island — which became known as the “War on the Shore” — things got so heated the 1993 captains Tom Watson and Bernard Gallacher (who skippered Europe three straight times from 1991-95) had to take the temperature down a few notches.

“I think there’s more heckling now, although I’ve not been at the Ryder Cup the past few years. I’ve only seen it, which is different. At Kiawah it got too much. The two captains the following time quietened it down.

“It should be about sportsmanship, it’s not a war. It’s a game.

“When the crowd is cheering however, that’s brilliant. It’s something special. Most of the spectators are great.”

Perhaps the finest example of this — even if Faldo in the commentary booth didn’t quite approve — is Bubba Watson and Ian Poulter teeing off at the 2012 Ryder Cup in Chicago with the crowds cheering at full volume, both players asking for it and welcoming the wall of noise.

The roars, the fist pumps, the enormous grandstands and the swelling crowds encircling each green make the Ryder Cup such a unique event. And in a sport that focuses on individuality, it’s a novel break from the sponsors and the dollar bills.

You might not recognize McIlroy, who often plays without a cap. In 2018, debutant Tommy Fleetwood — and his famous long hair — crowd surfed like a rockstar.

Garcia and Sunesson repeated time after time the word “team” when describing the role of a spouse and caddie in a week like no other.

“I have no bad memories of the Ryder Cup, it’s such a cool, team event,” said Sunesson, who now mixes her time commentating for Swedish TV, coaching and giving talks.

“It’s such a tiring event, you often do 36 holes a day, but you don’t mind. If you did that several weeks in a row you’d be totally exhausted. But it’s so special.

“It’s like one big team where you help each other. It speaks volumes when players who don’t make it and have played it want to go as vice-captains or even as helpers.”

READ: The art of caddying: What makes a good golfing companion?

‘It’s something special’

Sunesson referenced Bubba Watson’s near-miss to qualify in 2016 which prompted his emotional appointment as a vice-captain while Garcia, a former sports journalist who used to play golf off scratch, has attended the Super Bowl, NBA finals and Champions League final but wouldn’t miss golf’s ultimate party for the world.

“I think about the Ryder Cup quite often actually. It’s my favorite sporting event by far: it’s something special.

“Monday when we arrive there’s a lot of hugs and jokes and smiles and laughter. Every night we have dinner together, then the guys head off to practice and it gives the girls, the wives, the partners a chance to hang out together, we’re all so close.

“We have a group text from 2016 and 2018 that we still use too, and there’s a new one now. It’s a place where we keep up with each other’s lives, we celebrate victories of our spouses and others, we celebrate new babies, our friendship is amazing.”

Garcia said what made the competition — which was first contested between USA and Great Britain in 1927 — stand out was actually the inclusion of so many family members.

“If you’re playing for the New York Liberty at the WNBA finals or the Superbowl, you maybe don’t want to have an outside distraction or family around. And that’s what makes the Ryder Cup so special, that the spouses and partners form a part of one big team.

“The Ryder Cup is a big deal, it’s a big event, they want to win, and if they didn’t think that having us around was of value, we wouldn’t be there.”

Where articles and suggestions in the past have debated the presence of the wives at the opening ceremony — to some an anachronistic tradition which has no place in 2021 as society strives towards equality and the reinforcement of positive gender stereotypes — Garcia said she felt included, respected, valued and above all equal when she takes to the stage.

“I view it as women are a part of the opening ceremony. It’s the Ryder Cup and men play, it’s not the Solheim Cup, but they include us in the opening ceremony.

“We walk in as a team of spouses and partners and we leave as equals. I strongly believe in women’s rights and I’ve never gotten that feeling which makes me happy. If I did I wouldn’t necessarily want to be a part of it.”

Bullying and chauvinism

Going back to 1986 when Sunesson was first offered a male player’s bag to caddie for, even then she had no issues.

The day Brazilian Jaime Gonzalez chose her to caddie for him, as she stood in line with Annika and Charlotta Sorenstam, they weren’t picked until the end but the then 19-year-old Sunesson never looked back as she went on to caddie for Jose Rivero, Anders Forsbrand and Howard Clark before Faldo, her first experience of the Ryder Cup coming at the Belfry in 1989.

“It was almost like I didn’t start caddying because I was a girl, but for Jaime it was either have no caddie or have me,” she said.

“He chose to have me which was good. He was a cool character.”

From tackling hecklers to bullies and standing up for women’s rights, mom of two Garcia is on a “mission” to spread good not only on the golf course but off it too.

“As a TV host I’ve suffered bad bullying and some chauvinism in my life that I didn’t enjoy,” said the 35-year-old, who launches her own foundation — UGLI — in October to coincide with US national anti-bullying awareness month.

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“I took the word UGLY and changed it to UGLI: Unique, Gifted, Loved, Individual. Our mission is literally to end bullying forever.

“We have to stop using our phones and computers as a shield to say whatever we want. We can’t treat people like the piece of gum we just stepped on walking down the road.

“I’m excited to do some good and change this world and make it a better place. Especially after having children, and Sergio feels the same, I can’t live in a world where people are so cruel to each other and people of all ages are taking their lives because of something somebody said to them on social media. I have to do something about it.”

Tiger Woods’ return and other memorable athletic comebacks

By NBC Sports Washington Staff
Tiger Woods' return and other memorable athletic comebacks originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonThe comeback is always stronger than the setback.Athletes regularly make inspiring comebacks, whether a healthy return after injury or a return to glory after ineffectiveness. For Tiger Woods, the next chapter in his latest comeback story is expected to be written this week at the Masters as he makes his return from career-threatening leg injuries following a car accident in February of 2021. Like Woods, the athletes below endured an unusual hiatus from the sport they played. Some were forced to leave because of a life-threatening diagnosis, others went to serve their country, some made poor decisions that paused their career, a few simply wanted to play a different sport.Whatever the reason for their departure, all eventually made their way back. Here are some of sports' most memorable hiatuses and comebacks:Tiger WoodsAt two different stages of his legendary career, it seemed Tiger Woods would get no closer to Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major victories. Woods had captured 14 majors by the age of 33 before the beginning of a downfall that included marital issues and lingering injuries. Woods underwent spinal fusion surgery in 2017, the fourth procedure on his back. Woods played in his first tournament less than eight months later, shooting a final-round 68 to finish ninth in the Hero World Challenge. Woods took part in his first PGA Tour event the following month. Then in his fourth start since surgery, he was one shot off the lead to take second place, his best finish since 2013. A few months later, he finished second in the PGA Championship. The following month, he captured the 80th PGA Tour victory of his career by winning the Tour Championship at East Lake as the comeback continued to gain steam.In April of 2019, just over two years after having spinal surgery, Woods ended an 11-year major drought by winning the Masters by one stroke for his 15th major title.Less than two years later, Woods' career again was in jeopardy after he suffered multiple leg and ankle injuries in a single-car accident in February 2021. Less than 14 months later, Woods is set to return to competitive golf after announcing he intends to compete at the 2022 Masters. The quest begins for his sixth green jacket and 16th major championship.Tim TebowThere's only one professional athlete who has gone from being a star quarterback, to a minor league baseball player, to a tight end.Most QBs selected in the first round of the NFL draft spend a few games holding a clipboard on the sideline before taking over the starting job in what becomes a long career in the league. Things began that way for Tebow after being drafted by the Denver Broncos with the No. 25 overall pick in 2010. He got some starts late in his rookie season, had a thrilling game-winning touchdown pass in the playoffs and enjoyed mild success in his second year.Then things started getting weird.The Broncos signed Peyton Manning and traded Tebow to the New York Jets, where he attempted eight passes and was used mostly on special teams. After being cut by the Jets in 2013, Tebow got a chance with the New England Patriots but was cut just before the regular season. Tebow gave it another shot with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015, and was cut after playing in all four preseason games. He wouldn't be back in a helmet and pads for a long time.Tebow spent the next four years playing minor league baseball in the New York Mets organization, where in 306 games he hit .222 with 18 home runs and 109 RBIs. He retired from professional baseball in February 2021, and three months later, signed a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars to return to the NFL, play a new position at 33 years old, and end a six-year hiatus. Tebow was released after one preseason game. Michael JordanTim Tebow isn't the first athlete to leave one sport and go play minor league baseball. Michael Jordan did so in the prime of his career, just months after winning a third straight championship. He retired from the NBA at 30 years old to play Double A baseball in the Chicago White Sox organization, hitting .202 with 3 home runs, 51 RBIs and 30 stolen bases in 127 games. After missing a season and a half with the Chicago Bulls, he returned and went on to win three more championships. That was the first of two NBA hiatuses for Jordan, who again would return in 2001 after a three-year second retirement to play for the Washington Wizards.  Lance ArmstrongArmstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996, and not only made a healthy return to cycling but became a worldwide source of inspiration after winning the Tour de France for seven straight years from 1999 to 2005. Armstrong’s legacy was later tarnished after a steroid scandal resulted in him being stripped of his victories. Rocky BleierOne of the few professional athletes who have earned both a Super Bowl ring and a Purple Heart. The Notre Dame halfback was drafted by the Steelers in 1968, and then by the U.S. Army the following year during the Vietnam War. While on patrol, Bleier was shot in the leg just before a grenade exploded nearby, sending shrapnel into his leg. Doctors informed him he’d never play football again. By 1971, he was back with the Steelers playing special teams and then, in 1974, earned a starting job. He went on to rush for 3,865 yards in his career and won four Super Bowls. Ben HoganHogan, the top golfer at the time, suffered a series of injuries after his car was struck head-on by a Greyhound bus in a near-fatal accident in 1949. Hogan’s injuries, according to Golf Digest, included a broken ankle, broken collarbone, cracked rib, leg contusions, double fracture of the pelvis, a head abrasion and internal injuries. Survival was in question, walking again was in doubt. Hogan won the 1950 U.S. Open just 16 months after the accident. In 1953, he captured the Triple Crown of Golf -- The Masters, The U.S. Open and The Open Championship. Six of Hogan’s nine career major wins came after the accident.Muhammad AliAli was suspended from boxing and stripped of his heavyweight title after refusing induction into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War in 1967 for religious reasons. Convicted of draft evasion, Ali was sentenced to five years in prison (which he avoided after an appeal) and fined $10,000. He returned to the ring in 1970, knocking out Jerry Quarry, and later went on to become boxing’s first three-time heavyweight champion.Magic JohnsonThe basketball world was shocked by Magic’s sudden retirement at the age of 32 after he tested positive for the HIV virus in 1991. Johnson made an honorary return during the 1992 NBA All-Star Game, where he’d be named MVP, and then made his way back to the sidelines as Lakers head coach at the end of the 1993-1994 season, going 5-11. Johnson was back on the court with the Lakers during the 1995-1996 season at the age of 36, averaging 14.6 points 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 32 games as he got the opportunity to go out on his own terms.Bethany HamiltonAt the age of 13, Hamilton’s dreams of becoming a professional surfer were in doubt after she was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing in Hawaii, severing her left arm. She taught herself how to surf with one arm and was back on a board less than a month after the incident. Within two years, she would capture her first national surfing title. Ted WilliamsIn 1942, Ted Williams won the American League Triple Crown and joined the Navy with the hope of becoming a fighter pilot. Williams, in the discussion for the greatest hitter of all time with a .344 batting average and 521 home runs, missed three seasons in the prime of his career to serve in the military during World War II. Williams returned to baseball for the 1946 season and was named Most Valuable Player after hitting .342 with 38 home runs and 123 RBIs. His playing career again was interrupted during the 1952 season after he was recalled to serve in the Korean War, where he flew 39 combat missions with the Marine Aircraft Group 33, twice having his plane damaged by ground fire. He missed most of the 1952 and 1953 seasons, before hitting .345 with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs in 1954.Yogi BerraBerra is best remembered for having won 10 World Series with the Yankees and for his Yogisms. Not mentioned often enough is the role he served in the military. In 1943, after his first year in the minor leagues, Berra was drafted into the Navy and volunteered for a secret mission. On that mission, he helped pilot rocket boats during the United States’ invasion of Normandy on D-Day, firing at -- and drawing fire from -- the enemy to allow U.S. troops to storm Omaha Beach. Berra went on to collect 2,150 major league hits, 358 home runs and three MVP awards.Bob FellerCleveland Indians’ Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller, after leading the league in wins for three seasons, enlisted in the Navy the day after Japan’s attack Pearl Harbor. He missed nearly four full seasons and spent more than two years aboard the USS Alabama. In his first full season after returning from combat, Feller went 26-15 with a career-low 2.18 ERA.Mario LemieuxWhen Mario Lemieux retired at age 31 in 1997, the NHL waived its customary three-year waiting period and immediately inducted him into the Hall of Fame. Deserving as the honor was, they probably should have waited. Lemieux had made comebacks before, most notably after missing the entire 1994-1995 season because of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He had another successful one in him -- returning in 2000 at the age of 35. Just 33 seconds into his first shift, he assisted on a goal by Jaromir Jagr and would later add a goal and another assist. He went on to tally 35 goals and 41 assists in 43 games that season as runner-up for the Hart Memorial Trophy. Monica SelesMonica Seles, while still a teenager, won eight Grand Slam events.That included becoming the youngest French Open champion at the age of 16. In 1991, at the age of 18, she overtook Steffi Graf the world’s No. 1 women’s tennis player during a dominant two-year run. In April of 1993, while still the sport’s top-ranked player, Seles was stabbed between the shoulder blades by an obsessive Graf fan in Hamburg, Germany. Seles suffered a roughly half-inch wound that required surgery, but the psychological impact also took a toll and she wouldn’t play competitive tennis for two years. Seles returned in 1995 and went on to win the 1996 Australian Open, her ninth and final Grand Slam title.  Tommy JohnMany baseball fans are familiar with Tommy John surgery. Not as many are as familiar with Tommy John, the baseball player. The left-handed pitcher had won 124 games in the majors, and was 13-3 during the 1974 season with the Dodgers, when he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. Dr. Frank Jobe performed an innovative and career-saving ligament replacement surgery on John, using a tendon from elsewhere in the body to replace the torn ligament. John missed the entire 1975 season before going 10-10 with a 3.09 ERA in 1976. The following season was the finest of his 26-year career as he went 20-7 with a 2.78 ERA and finished second in NL Cy Young voting.John, after the surgery, spent 18 more seasons in the majors before retiring in 1989 at age 46 with a career record of 288-231. Tommy John surgery is now commonplace for pitchers, with the man’s name associated with successful athlete comebacks. George ForemanLong before becoming a beloved TV pitchman, the Olympic gold medalist and former heavyweight champion first retired from boxing in 1977 to be an ordained minister. He made his return to the ring 10 years later at age 38 -- and at nearly 300 pounds, put the heavy in heavyweight. He defeated Steve Zouski in a fourth round stoppage in what would be the first of 20 straight wins for Foreman. In 1994, at age 45, Foreman knocked out the 26-year old, undefeated Michael Moorer to become boxing’s oldest heavyweight champion.Greg LemondGreg Lemond in 1986 became the first American to win the Tour de France. A year later he was accidentally shot in a near-fatal hunting accident, which left buckshot in his liver, kidneys, intestines, heart lining, back and legs. By 1989, he was back in the Tour de France, making a dramatic comeback on the final day of the three-week race to win by eight seconds. He captured a third Tour de France win in 1990. Andre AgassiAndre Agassi went from being the No. 1 men’s tennis player in the world to No. 141.That was during a tumultuous two-year span from 1995 to 1997 that included a wrist injury, trouble in his marriage with actress Brooke Shields, and the admitted use of crystal methamphetamine. He focused on his recovery and would have a dominant four-year stretch, reclaiming the No. 1 ranking along the way. In the 1999 French Open, he became just the fifth male tennis player at the time to win all four Grand Slam singles titles.   Michael VickMichael Vick revolutionized the quarterback position early in his career.The No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft made three Pro Bowls over his first six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. He would miss the next two seasons after being suspended by the NFL indefinitely after pleading guilty to federal charges for his role in a dogfighting enterprise. Vick spent 19 months in prison and was released by the Falcons. Vick returned for the 2009 season after signing with the Philadelphia Eagles. He made his fourth Pro Bowl in 2010 after throwing for 3,018 passing yards and a career-high 21 touchdowns to go with 676 yards on the ground and nine rushing TDs. Vick, after his two-year absence, spent seven more seasons in the NFL.   Gordie HoweA 43-year-old Gordie Howe announced his retirement in 1971 after 25 years with the Detroit Red Wings. But there was still plenty of hockey left in … well, “Mr. Hockey.”Howe came out of retirement in 1973 to sign with the Houston Aeros of the newly-formed World Hockey Association and tallied 31 goals and 69 assists en route to winning MVP. The Aeros won the league championship. Howe spent six seasons in the WHA, later signing with the New England Whalers. After the NHL-WHA merger, Howe returned to the NHL with the Hartford Whalers for the 1979-1980 season, becoming the oldest player in NHL history at 52 years old. That season, during which he played in the NHL in his fifth different decade, he had 15 goals and 26 assists. 
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