Seve, Europe's secret weapon
Posted: Mon September 22, 1997 at 11:10 PM ET
Europe's Ryder Cup fate this week lies in the
hands of the 13th man in their team -- a golfer
who won't physically swing a single club in
anger all weekend long, but mentally will hit
every darn shot.
Severiano Ballesteros is the man.
He, more than any other captain in Ryder Cup
history, has what it takes to sway this
monumental struggle in his team's favor.
He will do it by staying true to
himself rather than becoming a huge
caricature of himself.
Seve has shown throughout his
career, and especially in majors and Ryder
Cup play, that he has a passionate desire to
win. He has never been afraid to
spontaneously explode with emotion -- it's how
he channels that passion and emotion that
counts this weekend in his native Valderrama,
Spain.
When Europe unexpectedly rose
from the ashes to win the cup at Oak Hill on
the final day two years ago, Seve was moved
to tears by Nick Faldo's dramatic victory over
Curtis Strange and later led the raucous
European celebrations, beaming a smile of
which the Cheshire Cat would be eternally
envious.
Pitch that emotion somewhere
in between the two extremes and Seve will be
an enormous help to his side instead of a
potential hindrance.
He needs to cajole his players -- in
particular, the rookies -- without burdening them
with huge expectations. He needs to offer
advice when they ask for it -- not at every given
opportunity. He has to resist pumping his fists
in true Ballesteros style until the cup has been
retained. And then, if it isn't, Seve won't have
to look back and see that he gave too
animated a display as captain ... the kind of
display capable of alienating the opposition,
forcing them into more magnificent efforts. The
kind of showmanship that could ultimately
make him look foolish.
I recall the American celebrations at
the end of day two of the last Ryder Cup, when
Corey Pavin had sealed a crucial point for the
United States. The unconfined joy smacked of
a team that thought they had the trophy won.
Europe's great escape in the singles on a
gripping Sunday rammed home the fact that
nothing is certain in the Ryder Cup until the
winning putt has been holed. As Colin
Montgomerie says, there is 10 times more
pressure on each player in this Euro-American
battle than on a final-round major contender.
That sort of pressure can do weird things to
people.
Ballesteros' task then is not to get
too carried away with it all if Europe more than
holds it own with a powerful American team.
He needs to look at the bigger picture at all
times.
Seve was a perfect foil for a young
Jose Maria Olazabal when they were first
paired together in the Ryder Cup. The
experienced Spaniard nurtured the talents of
his youthful compatriot. Together they became
a formidable European duo.
Two years ago, Seve also brought
the best out of England's David Gilford when
they were paired together. For a frustrated
Seve, the imagination was there as ever, but
he could do little right with his swing. Thus he
used the swing of Gilford to translate his
thoughts into winning actions. The result?
Another European success.
It will be much tougher for Ballesteros to have such a telling effect on all 12 players of his team. He can't be in four
places at once during the first two days or 12
places at once on the final day. But in this
high-tech age, I've got a feeling he'll somehow
find a way to be omni-present.
And the fact that Seve is such a
respected golfing figure among his European
colleagues means he can give his pre-match
pep talks and be truly inspirational. His words
of wisdom will really mean something to his
12 just men. They will want to give their all for
him.
The United States, with Tiger Woods
leading the charge, are massive favorites to
regain the trophy. On paper, they have a much
stronger team. But the Ryder Cup is not
played on paper. It is more often played in
the mind. Severiano Ballesteros has a patent
on mind games and the golfing genius to
match. That's why this 13th man holds the key
to the destiny of the Ryder Cup.
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