Fuente: © PGA of America
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PGA OF AMERICA: U.S. Team makes its bid to reclaim a prized gold trophy from Europe

The most compelling competition in golf opens Friday, Sept. 22, at The K Club in Straffan, County Kildare, Ireland.

/noticias.info/ STRAFFAN, Ireland -- The Ryder Cup stands only 17 inches high, but for 12 American golf professionals the quest to grab the little gold trophy is like scaling Mount Everest.

The most compelling competition in the game opens Friday, Sept. 22, at The K Club in Straffan, County Kildare, Ireland. By Sunday evening, the golf world will learn whether the United States Ryder Cup Team has solved its seven-year dilemma in team competition or whether it will be another chorus of songs emanating from the European Team Room.

Europe has captured the Ryder Cup in four of the past five competitions, including a stinging 18 1/2 to 9 1/2 rout in 2004 -- the largest victory margin on U.S. soil -- at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Mich.

The memory of that week has been difficult to smooth under the rug in the U.S. Team Room. In an effort to pull his troops together, United States Team Captain Tom Lehman has been a leader in both on-course direction and off-course bonding.

"I think he's leading, and it is what I really enjoy," said Stewart Cink, one of two Captain's selections this year and a veteran of the past two Ryder Cup Teams. "He's telling us where to go, who to play with, what time to be there. He's not giving us any wiggle room.

"He's telling us everything, and I love it. I think it's a great way for us to get prepared. We had less organized practicing in the other times I was playing on the team. And at the time, I thought that was a good way to approach it, too. But Tom has taken a real leadership role in this, and he knows us really well."

Lehman said the mission is simple, despite the off-course social events.

"We're here to play golf, and we're having a good time," said Lehman. "We will be ready to play on Friday. There's no question about that. Once 8:00 Friday morning comes around, our team will be ready. They are prepared, they are excited, and they are looking forward to it. We are just enjoying every step along the way."

Lehman also reported that Scott Verplank, who injured his back the week after the PGA Championship due to a workout with a physical trainer that went awry, is back to normal.

"Scott's been 100 percent for, I don't know, a couple of weeks now," said Lehman. "He obviously had that injury at the Firestone tournament (WGC-Bridgestone Invitational), and took some time off to let it heal. You know, with a thing like that, it's just simply a matter of giving it time. Inflammation goes down, soreness goes away, you get your mobility back, and you're good to go."

European Captain Ian Woosnam, who will have eight veterans on his team, said that he was pleased with the play of all 12 of his players leading up to this week.

"Over the last few weeks, our side has come much more into form, which is great," said Woosnam. "They have raised up their game and are ready for this match. But, it's nice to see both sides raising their games, and I think that's going to make it a more exciting match."

The natives are calling this the biggest event in Ireland's history, and it is difficult to find any event that compares.

"Our Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern, said it best," said Irish Times Golf Correspondent Philip Reid. "The Ryder Cup has to be the biggest event ever for us, because Ireland doesn't have the infrastructure capable of hosting the premier world athletic events."

Tourism this month in Ireland is anticipated to generate some 130 million euros (approximately $164.7 million) for the national economy.

"This is where the international media is focused, and they are not at our biggest horse race -- the Budweiser Irish Derby, which is 10 miles west of here in County Kildare's Curragh track," said Reid. "We did host qualifying matches in 1999 for the World Cup, but this is the main event."

The Ryder Cup's first two days feature four-balls and foursomes (alternate shot) matches, where the Americans have trailed significantly over the past several competitions. The last time a U.S. team led after two days of the Ryder Cup was in 1995, at Oak Hill Country Club. That year, the hosts owned a 9-7 lead, but were whipped the next day in singles, 7 1/2 to 4 1/2.

The Irish weather is expected to be wet throughout the weekend, making it a challenge for an estimated 45,000 spectators per day, as well as 24 players.

"If we could get one day of wind and no rain, it would make the course in excellent shape," said Chris DiMarco. "But it's wet, and it's long for everyone now. It should be quite a match."

Begun in 1927, The Ryder Cup is among the last great professional sporting events where winning, and not prize money, is its own reward. The United States, which owns a 24-9-2 advantage in the biennial competition, has not claimed possession of the Ryder Cup since 1999.

For complete online coverage of the 2006 Ryder Cup, go to www.rydercup.com.

Celebrating its 90th anniversary, The PGA of America was founded in 1916, and is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the game of golf, while continuing to enhance the standards of the profession. The Association is comprised of more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals who are dedicated to growing participation in the game of golf. notas_de_prensa_archivo