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One of the most meaningful jobs a pro golfer can be given is the captaincy of a Ryder Cup team. The event happens only every two years so there aren’t many opportunities to land the gig and to get the reigns of either Team USA or Team Europe means you’ve done some incredible things in your playing days.
It’s a special job for a special event that brings the best out of everyone involved and it’s were very good players can become legends in the span of three days.
Henrik Stenson was named the European captain last March and immediately let everyone know how much it meant to him, saying:
“The Ryder Cup is golf, and sport, at its very best. I got goosebumps every time I pulled on a European shirt as a player and that will be magnified in the role of Captain. While it is great for me personally, it is also great for my country and all the players from Sweden who have played for Europe with such distinction since Joakim Haeggman became the first in 1993.
“When I started out as a professional golfer, it was beyond my wildest dreams that, one day, I would follow in the footsteps of legends of the game such as Seve and be the European Ryder Cup Captain. But today proves that, sometimes, dreams do come true.”
Well, his dream came to end on Wednesday morning and he has nobody to blame but himself. The DP World Tour/Team Europe announced that Stenson’s role as captain “has been brought to an end with immediate effect” because the 46-year-old Swede will reportedly be joining LIV Golf. That deal with LIV must be as good as done because the DP World Tour wouldn’t have made that announcement if it wasn’t.
You can say that Stenson didn’t ditch the Ryder Cup, the team fired him; but you would be wrong. When Stenson took the gig his contract stated it could be pulled if he joined any rival tours or leagues. At the time he even said, “The captain has an agreement… so I’m fully committed to my role as a captain.”
Stenson has made the choice to leave for LIV and that choice has led to the DP World Tour/Team Europe to making its decision.
Stenson is now free to play the 54-hole shotgun starts of the LIV Golf tour, where’s he’s expected to join Ian Poulter’s squad.
That’s right, he’s leaving Team Europe for Team Majesticks GC, which also includes 49-year-old Lee Westwood.
Yikes.
I know some of you right now are probably yelling about money and letting Stenson, who is well past his prime, take the cash, which I’m sure he got a bunch of from the Saudi-funded league. And yes, he can take the cash and run to LIV if that’s what he wants to do. That’s his choice.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t make the choice to boo him forever because of it. And that’s exactly what we should do to a man who basically spit on one of the greatest events in all of sports so he could go play with his other old friends in a league that is fracturing the sport of men’s professional golf.
Leaving the Ryder Cup captaincy for LIV Golf is disgusting and sad but hey, money.
Enjoy the cash, Henrik. Good stuff.
Quick hits: MLB fans loved ump cams in All-Star Game… NBA offseason grades… Roberts’ favorite Kershaw moment… And more.
– The home plate ump in last night’s MLB All-Star Game wore a camera on his mask and the view was pretty cool.
– Bryan Kalbrosky grades the offseasons of all 30 NBA teams so far and is really impressed with what the Knicks have done.
– Dave Roberts told me his favorite Clayton Kershaw moment and it was pretty sweet.
– MLB fans were rightfully not impressed with this grown adult trying to get autographs at the All-Star Game.
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