Team USA takes on Europe's best in the biennial Ryder Cup competition starting on Friday at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club northeast of Rome. They make take away my passport for saying this, but the Euros are the far more likable of the two sides, and I'd say that even if Brooks Koepka wasn't wearing an American kit over the weekend.
Luke Donald's lads include Rory McIlroy, who's impossible not to like, Tyrell Hatton, a volcanic eruption waiting to happen and then laugh at himself, Shane Lowry, a pudgy, effusive Irishman, the shy boys next door in Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood, and young Ludvig Aberg, who made the team after being a pro for less than four months.
The 26 year-old Oslo native is youthful-looking, strong as an ox, and unflappable on the course. The Washington Post called him a "friendly 'assassin'" in a Cup preview. Baby-faced, mellow, smiling. And a huge metalhead.
“That’s not even music. That’s horrendous.”
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 27, 2023
Viktor Hovland's @RyderCupEurope teammates couldn't believe the metal music he listens to 😂pic.twitter.com/PJAnsPVu5j
The band in question is Vildhjarta, a Swedish prog-metal outfit. The song is 'Dagger' from their 2011 debut record, Måstadden.
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i should note that i have no beef with zac brown or darius rucker. it's just that swedish death metal is probably more suited to firing up a squad.
ReplyDeletehovland made a hole-in-one in practice today. on a par 4. the g:tb bump is real.
ReplyDeleteI think Rob & I have the same Hovland man-crush. Not sure I can even root against him in this weekend he is that likeable. Despite it being a fairly crappy fan viewing experience, I'd like to check that box - attending the Ryder Cup in Europe.
ReplyDeletecurt schilling, staying an asshole
ReplyDeleteWe should have a post about the biggest douches on our favorite teams of all time. I’d imagine he takes the cake for rob’s 2004 Sox.
ReplyDeletei can't think of a bigger douche on any team i've ever rooted for.
ReplyDeleteOh, right, you weren’t a fan of the Bills in the 70’s.
ReplyDeletei did root for darren sharper. but i think that's a different category of awful human.
ReplyDeleteYeah. As a Met fan it’s the difference between having rooted for Dave Kingman (raging asshole) and Lenny Dykstra (true scumbag).
ReplyDeleteNo offense. Please don’t sue me, Lenny.
Speaking of (former) Tides, I’m headed back to Harbor Park in Norfolk tonight to watch the Tides play out the rubber match against Crash Davis’ Durham Bulls. Winner goes to the AAA championship in Vegas.
ReplyDeleteAnd I won $75 on Viktor Hovland recently (big bet for this guy), so I like him, too.
ReplyDeleteyour tribe women’s soccer team puts its undefeated (6-0-5) record on the line this evening in hempstead. julie cunningham shackford’s ladies have been really good to date.
ReplyDeleteno dearth of choices for me, but I'll go with Luis Polonia
ReplyDeleteKind of feel like we might get boat raced.
ReplyDeleteTides win!! 7-0. Tons of fun. What a blast. On to Vegas!
ReplyDeleteimpromptu gtb summit!
ReplyDeleteOff the top of my head, I'm going Aaron Hernandez. Think I might have all of you beat here.
ReplyDeleteIn other news, my FB account (which I barely use) was hacked (password, phone number email changed) and the hacker posted about Taylor Swift tickets for sale. I came off the soccer field to a ton a texts last night. And it didn't stop. This is my sign to just quit FB altogether once I get my account back. Oh, and pretty sure my AMEX account got hacked this morning. All while we begin a two bathroom, whole house flooring demo. Fun times round these parts.
boat raced might be too kind a description if the foursomes are any indication.
ReplyDeleteTeam USA joining me in the bumming dome today.
ReplyDeleteamericans at least showing a little bit of moxie in the fourballs.
ReplyDeleteRob's comment sponsored by Moxie - the medicinal tasting cola with a great can!
ReplyDeletei do love some moxie. reminds me of maine.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I tried Moxie was at the Caratunk, Maine post office/general store. The lady working there described it as "a little medicinal" in a perfect Maine accent.
ReplyDeleteI don't drink soda anymore, but I might be tempted by a Moxie in the right circumstances.
i first had it during one of my canoe trips up there. has a strong association for me.
ReplyDeletein other news, does anyone know if jordan spieth has every played golf before?
hovland, onions
ReplyDeleteI’m a fan of Moxie! Missed having some when I was in Maine a few weeks ago. I did have whoopie pie.
ReplyDeleteMoxie sucks. Mark, your Toto washlet will wash all these electronic troubles away. Jordan Spieth has played golf before, I've seen it on TV.
ReplyDeleteRIP Diane Feinstein.
so much for the moxie, team usa version
ReplyDeleteper my kid, snoop, jay z, lebron & bronnie, and mcconaughey are all scheduled to be in boulder this weekend for buffs/usc. i asked her to rank those in terms of who she'd want to get a picture with. she said jay, because of beyonce. i told her to try to get in a shot with snoop.
ReplyDeletemy longtime physician retired about a year ago. just ran into her at a gas station. had a lovely conversation. bit weird to see someone who’s had their finger in your ass, for what it’s worth.
ReplyDeleteAll right all right all right!
ReplyDeletethat's an angle i hadn't considered. definitely need to tell her to steer clear of wooderson.
ReplyDeleteSomebody better keep Moxie's name out of zmouth, lest the Moxie Man haunt zdreams.
ReplyDeletewill ferrell, lil wayne, and dj khaled also in the house in boulder
ReplyDeleteSo, I don't know that Buffs can win this weekend, but I'm "in" for Coach Prime. Quite the phenomenon going on.
ReplyDeleteWhile not even close to the celebs in Boulder, I'm going to Scotland next week, and I couldn't figure out why St. Andrews is so booked-up...turns out it's the Alfred Dunhill Links annual event...guessing some of y'all know this more than I. Catherine Zeta-Jones scheduled to be there, Andy Garcia and others. Plus pro golf folks... anyone I should look out for? It's free to attend except the last day (I'll be off to the West coast by then). Yay for 2 weeks off, making reservations early, and Scotland!
Ryder Cup wkd ratings will be as abysmal as today's performance. How we did not win at least one of those final 3 matches is an embarrassment.
ReplyDeleteRid myself of the Facebook & Twitter/X a couple of years ago, and Insta just a month or so ago. I found myself on it too much b/c I have ADD, and B - just another avenue for the cyber crooks out there. I now find myself reading more news when I pick up the phone, and as a result, pick it up less! The FOMO is real, but wanes with each passing day. Speaking of news, they've apparently found Tupac's killer.
donna, the buffs cannot win this weekend, but the show must go on. and i can speak for all of us, except possibly danimal, when i say that we're very jealous of you.
ReplyDeletethe dunhill is euro's version of the pebble beach pro-am....lots of celebs, athletes, captains of industry. would be a fun time to be there though it's fairly common for the weather to be as bad as awful, so pack accordingly!
ReplyDeletestay safe and dry, northeastern gheorghies. nyc looks positively biblical, as in noah and the ark.
ReplyDeleteYes I’m expecting awful weather, translated as rainy, damp, wet, and windy. But 2 weeks 3500 miles away from my current responsibilities equals glorious! The best parts of it all — seeing oldest, going to Iona in Western Hebrides, visiting friends I haven’t seen since I was 16…. Have I mentioned I have the best spouse in the world who is staying home with youngest. And all on the denomination’s dimes. I will take it!
ReplyDeleteI’m staying at the Moxy in Charleston in two weeks before I meet up with Whit and Marls in Columbia.
ReplyDeleteIn case you were wondering if my week got better- that’s a hard no. Guy who promised to sign a very large contract and return it today ghosted me. Great way to end Q3. Oh, and the guy doing the demo of our bathroom discovered a broken pipe underneath the slab. Anybody wanna swing by and kick my dog?
hovland and aberg with an epic scandinavian beatdown of koepka and sheffler. 9&7 - the biggest blowout in the history of the ryder cup.
ReplyDeleteSo you’re telling me there’s a chance! Yeah!!
ReplyDeleteI’m a Spurs fan, but the red against Liverpool was rubbish.
ReplyDeleteWhich one???
ReplyDeleteTough was to lose a match all around. Oh well. At least they aren’t playing a league below like my team.
ReplyDeleteWas accosted on the sidelines by a crazy parent of the opposing soccer team today. We won 3-1 against another local team we play once or twice a year. Physical game, nothing major. I thought. Apparently one of our players (who’s talented but has an awful attitude) told parents who were chirping at her to “bite me”.
ReplyDeleteI’m just a lowly assistant but was talking to the girls while the HC finished up with the ref. Next thing I know some crazy woman has come across the field and is screaming at me about “being a bad role model”. I was truly taken by surprise. And could only say, “Why are you talking to me?” And the follow that up with “How about you take a walk?”
Youth sports. Still undefeated.
Jesus, Mark. Stay blessed.
ReplyDeleteTribe down a point to Elon in the 4th quarter. This would be bad for our grand plans.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Whit. I shrug it all off. It’s not that serious. None of these kids are going pro. Shit, 75% won’t even play varsity.
ReplyDeleteProblem is, most of these parents didn’t even play varsity so they’re completely fucking delusional about their kids.
Please root for Shane Lowry and Jordan Spieth to tie today. Please.
ReplyDeleteThat didn’t happen. And so I don’t win $22,000.
ReplyDeleteOh, wait
ReplyDelete