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History lesson U.S. Ryder Cup team tours The Country Club
Posted: Wednesday September 01, 1999 02:00 AM
BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) -- For some members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, Monday was their first chance to play The Country Club, the venerable birthplace of American golf. For others, the memories already flow freely. Whatever their history with the course has been, though, it's about to change. "They know that they need to make history, too," captain Ben Crenshaw said after eight of the 12 U.S. team members played a practice round in preparation for their match Sept. 24-26 against the Europeans. "The first-timers, when they get here, they'll understand what kind of place this is," Crenshaw said. "I wanted them to experience that in a sort of a quiet situation." The Country Club has played host to the U.S. Open three times, but none as memorable as the first in 1913, when a 20-year-old caddie named Francis Ouimet beat Englishmen Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in a playoff to win the title and establish himself as the father of American golf. The Open was played here again in 1963, when it was won by Julius Boros, and in '88, when Curtis Strange won it. "The place is dripping with history," said Hal Sutton, who finished 64th in the '88 U.S. Open and will return for the Ryder Cup. "I'm just glad to be a part of this next bit of history." Sutton joined Ryder Cup teammates Phil Mickelson and The Country Club first-timers David Duval and Jeff Maggert in Monday's first foursome. Steve Pate, Payne Stewart and first-timers Jim Furyk and Justin Leonard played in the second group. Davis Love III, who has a problem with a nerve in his neck, was seeing Dr. Frank Jobe in Alabama on Monday and could not play. Tiger Woods, Tom Lehman and Mark O'Meara were out with prior commitments. Crenshaw first came to Brookline as a 16-year-old amateur and also played in the '88 U.S. Open, where he finished 12th. Since being named captain two years ago, he has gushed about the course's history and the way it challenges every aspect of a player's game. "My feelings are so tied to this course. I wanted the fellas to come in and really enjoy the day -- of course for a practice round, but also for the setting," he said. "You really do feel like you're playing against ... a piece of art." After watching the favored Americans fall apart in 1997 in Valderrama -- their second consecutive loss -- Crenshaw stressed teamwork and camaraderie as a key to taking back the trophy. His goal for Monday's practice round was not just to familiarize the players with the course, but also with each other. "Any moment we can spend with one another is golden, in my mind," said the captain, who told his players: "When you go to a tournament, I want you to be together ... call one another. I want you to know what one another's thinking." Still, camaraderie can only go so far. "As much as you want to talk about a team, when Phil's out there putting, he has to make that putt," Duval said. "We can't help him." Pate agreed. "Making putts is better than chemistry," he said. "I don't know what you can do. It seems to me it's either there or it's not. We'll find out in three weeks."
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