by Linda McGrory
EUROPE'S Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke has
revealed he'll keep his team happy in their downtime
at the tournament by supplying them with
PlayStations.
Clarke (47) got his first taste of victory as
professional team captain when he led Europe to a
win at the recent EurAsia Cup in Malaysia.
The Tyrone-born Major winner said the experience
gave him an insight into what makes the top golfers
tick both on and off the course.
"It was an excellent week in Kuala Lumpur and the
team spirit was very special. The guys really bonded
well and the camaraderie was synonymous with what
Team Europe is all about," he said.
"I learned quite a lot during the week which will
help me when we go to Hazeltine for the Ryder Cup in
September, not least the need for more PlayStations
in the team room," he quipped.
The father-of-two also revealed he swotted up on the
players during his Christmas family holiday in the
Bahamas to help him with his team selections.
"I didn't completely have my mind off the day job
because I had a huge dossier from my statisticians,
The 15th Club, to go through every night," Clarke
told fans in his blog.
"I wanted to ensure I was fully up to speed and
totally prepared for the first challenge of 2016 -
captaining Europe's side for the EurAsia Cup, my
first experience of the role."
Clarke's team in the Malaysian capital comprised
Shane Lowry, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Bernd
Wiesberger, Matt Fitzpatrick, Kristoffer Broberg,
Chris Wood, Soren Kjeldsen, Victor Dubuisson, Ross
Fisher, Danny Willet and Andy Sullivan.
The Dungannon-man also revealed that he has been
enjoying more consistency on the greens himself
since "adopting the Matt Kuchar putting method".
US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III and Clarke will
lead their 12-man teams into action at the Hazeltine
National Golf Club in Minnesota, US., from September
30 to October 2, 2016. |
