Thursday, September 28, 2023

G:TB's Official Ryder Cup Preview

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.

And they've got my favorite current Tour player. Dubbed the Norwegian Forest Cat by sportswriter (and former PGA TOUR caddy) Brian Mull, Viktor Hovland is playing some of the best golf of his young life. Hovland won the 2023 TOUR Championship and FedEx Cup championship in late August by closing with a 63 to win by five strokes over Xander Schauffele and cash a check for a cool $18m. The win came one week after Hovland shot a final round 61 to chase down Scottie Sheffler and win the BMW Championship in the season's penultimate event.

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.

The band in question is Vildhjarta, a Swedish prog-metal outfit. The song is 'Dagger' from their 2011 debut record, MÃ¥stadden.


The Americans have The Zac Brown Band and Darius Rucker. Hovland's got Swedish death metal. I don't like our chances.

53 comments:

rob said...

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.

rob said...

hovland made a hole-in-one in practice today. on a par 4. the g:tb bump is real.

Danimal said...

I 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.

rob said...

curt schilling, staying an asshole

Whitney said...

We 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.

rob said...

i can't think of a bigger douche on any team i've ever rooted for.

Whitney said...

Oh, right, you weren’t a fan of the Bills in the 70’s.

rob said...

i did root for darren sharper. but i think that's a different category of awful human.

Whitney said...

Yeah. As a Met fan it’s the difference between having rooted for Dave Kingman (raging asshole) and Lenny Dykstra (true scumbag).

No offense. Please don’t sue me, Lenny.

Whitney said...

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.

Whitney said...

And I won $75 on Viktor Hovland recently (big bet for this guy), so I like him, too.

rob said...

your 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.

T.J. said...

no dearth of choices for me, but I'll go with Luis Polonia

mr kq said...

Kind of feel like we might get boat raced.

Whitney said...

Tides win!! 7-0. Tons of fun. What a blast. On to Vegas!

rob said...

impromptu gtb summit!

Mark said...

Off the top of my head, I'm going Aaron Hernandez. Think I might have all of you beat here.

In 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.

rob said...

boat raced might be too kind a description if the foursomes are any indication.

Mark said...

Team USA joining me in the bumming dome today.

rob said...

americans at least showing a little bit of moxie in the fourballs.

rootsminer said...

Rob's comment sponsored by Moxie - the medicinal tasting cola with a great can!

rob said...

i do love some moxie. reminds me of maine.

rootsminer said...

The 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.

I don't drink soda anymore, but I might be tempted by a Moxie in the right circumstances.

rob said...

i first had it during one of my canoe trips up there. has a strong association for me.

in other news, does anyone know if jordan spieth has every played golf before?

rob said...

hovland, onions

Whitney said...

I’m a fan of Moxie! Missed having some when I was in Maine a few weeks ago. I did have whoopie pie.

zman said...

Moxie sucks. Mark, your Toto washlet will wash all these electronic troubles away. Jordan Spieth has played golf before, I've seen it on TV.

RIP Diane Feinstein.

rob said...

so much for the moxie, team usa version

rob said...

per 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.

rob said...

my 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.

zman said...

All right all right all right!

rob said...

that's an angle i hadn't considered. definitely need to tell her to steer clear of wooderson.

rootsminer said...

Somebody better keep Moxie's name out of zmouth, lest the Moxie Man haunt zdreams.

rob said...

will ferrell, lil wayne, and dj khaled also in the house in boulder

Donna said...

So, I don't know that Buffs can win this weekend, but I'm "in" for Coach Prime. Quite the phenomenon going on.
While 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!

Danimal said...

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.
Rid 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.

rob said...

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.

Danimal said...

the 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!

rob said...

stay safe and dry, northeastern gheorghies. nyc looks positively biblical, as in noah and the ark.

Donna said...

Yes 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!

Mark said...

I’m staying at the Moxy in Charleston in two weeks before I meet up with Whit and Marls in Columbia.

In 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?

rob said...

hovland and aberg with an epic scandinavian beatdown of koepka and sheffler. 9&7 - the biggest blowout in the history of the ryder cup.

Whitney said...

So you’re telling me there’s a chance! Yeah!!

rootsminer said...

I’m a Spurs fan, but the red against Liverpool was rubbish.

Whitney said...

Which one???

Whitney said...

Tough was to lose a match all around. Oh well. At least they aren’t playing a league below like my team.

Mark said...

Was 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”.

I’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.

Whitney said...

Jesus, Mark. Stay blessed.

Whitney said...

Tribe down a point to Elon in the 4th quarter. This would be bad for our grand plans.

Mark said...

Thanks, 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.

Problem is, most of these parents didn’t even play varsity so they’re completely fucking delusional about their kids.

Whitney said...

Please root for Shane Lowry and Jordan Spieth to tie today. Please.

Whitney said...

That didn’t happen. And so I don’t win $22,000.

Whitney said...

Oh, wait