The Ryder Cup Captains: These Are The Golfers Who Should Have Been
The Ryder Cup has grown from its humble beginnings to an important sporting event that is the center of viewers' attention. This scrutiny puts more focus on the athletes selected to represent the United States and Europe, which has changed in recent years. In golf, there are 3 fundamental techniques to grip a golf club-- the 10-finger grip overlap grip, and the interlocking grip. Today, people are drawn to watching Ryder cup radio live online.
Being chosen captain is a significant honour and responsibility, one reserved for the best players of the sport and players who have demonstrated an exceptional abilities to handle the requirements of leadership in a highly pressured setting. There are only so many Ryder Cups, and there are plenty of people who could be considered. This has led to numerous famous names being left out for the position.
This is further complicated when several figures have been captain on multiple occasions, further making it harder for those waiting for their chance.
It is possible that captains will be chosen from players like Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood in the next decade. What about those who didn't receive that call to action?
We've selected some notable golfers - eight Europeans eight Americans but who did not become a Ryder Cup captain.
Sandy Lyle
Lyle, a two-time major champion, and a veteran of five Ryder Cups was widely expected follow the lead of his fellow Big Five' comrades – Seve Ballesteros Bernhard Langer Ian Woosnam and Nick Faldo - to become captain of Europe in 2010. The Shropshire Scot was eventually overlooked and Colin Montgomerie took the team to victory at Celtic Manor. This omission is sadly not rectified.
As the search for captains who remained "connected" to their players increased following Faldo's tragic captaincy in 2008, there was a sense that his time, unjustly was gone which was a huge regret for a pioneer in British golf.
Neil Coles
Neil Coles is undoubtedly one of England's top golfers. He won dozens of tournaments, competed for Open Championships and was part eight Ryder Cups. This was despite his infamous fear of flying that was the reason the London-born player sailed across the Atlantic for matches in the United States.
Coles was later inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame and was the Chairman of the European Tour's Board of Directors for many years. Although he may not have been the most ideal option for captaincy but the Englishman was respected from his team.
Peter Alliss
Peter Alliss, before his fame as a journalist and broadcaster was also a fantastic golfer who won eight Ryder Cups between 1953-1969. His charisma and profile helped him become a top captain. But, he was not suited for games in America. Instead, figures like Bernard Hunt and Brian Huggett held the position until Tony Jacklin changed it. The change ended any possibility that Alliss might have been able to lead the continent.
Christy O'Connor Snr
An iconic figure in Irish golf, O'Connor played in a astonishing ten Ryder Cups, and like Alliss could have been an ideal captain in the 1970s. His impressive playing career definitely was worthy of this honour, however it wasn't meant to be.
When O'Connor passed away aged in the year 2016, European captain Darren Clarke said: "Christy Senior was a golf icon and a wonderful person too. He was a great ambassador for the game that was his passion for many years. The Ryder Cup is largely what it is today due to his dedication to the sport.
Peter Oosterhuis
With 15.5 points and an average match-winning percentage of 55.36 In all, the Englishman is widely regarded as one of the top Ryder Cup golfers of his period, and at a time when the odds were stacked against the non-American side. Few players had a more impressive record. He also won four Order of Merit titles before competing on the PGA Tour until his career ended in the early 1980s. Later, he was becoming a popular television broadcaster.
Brian Barnes
Famously beating Jack Nicklaus twice in one day during the 1975 Ryder Cup, Brian Barnes was a formidable player during the tournament, and formed an unbreakable team with Bernard Gallacher in a career that included six appearances.
Barnes was two-time Senior Open winner. He was also famous for his fashion sense and his heavy drinking. But these weren't detriments to his love of the game.
Then, there are some names that might have made a valid claim to become a Ryder Cup captain. We want to know your thoughts on who should be listed and where you think the roles will go.