Fan taunts Rahm, and Trump may be ‘a force’: Ryder Cup Day 4 best lines

The Ryder Cup, after last being played two years ago, is now just one day away. But that’s also 24 hours. Or 1,440 minutes. Or 86,400 seconds. The point being, the biennial matches are as close to us as a hole on a par-3 — but yet feel as far away as one on a brutally long par-5. The second hand can seem stuck until Friday. 

And then there are the press conferences. They, too, can mostly drag. After all, there are only so many ways to slice a golf ball, so to speak.

But there are tasty morsels. 

So, today, as a means to get us to the moment when the balls are in the air at Bethpage Black, we’ll offer a highlight or two. They might be technical. They might be insightful. They might be emotional. They might be technically insightful, emotionally said. 

Thursday, over 2 hours and 14 minutes, eight Europeans and four Americans talked, and we heard a story about Bethpage fans taunting Jon Rahm and a player thinking President Donald Trump will be “a great force,” along with a few other items.

Bryson DeChambeau vs. Rory McIlroy 

Thursday, we got words on the words between Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy.

To catch you up on how we got here:

– At the “Happy Gilmore 2” premiere earlier this year, DeChambeau told People magazine that at the Ryder Cup, “I’ll be chirping in [McIlroy’s] ear this time. Now, if we go up against each other, I mean, you can be sure of it.”

– In response, McIlroy told the Guardian in a story published last week: “I think the only way he gets attention is by mentioning other people. That is basically what I think of that. To get attention, he will mention me or Scottie [Scheffler] or others.”

– And in response to that, DeChambeau told Golf Channel on Monday: “All I’m trying to do is inspire kids on YouTube, and we’ve amassed quite a big audience on YouTube. I’m continuing to focus on that train of thought. Whatever Rory says and whatnot — granted, I didn’t mean anything by it other than I’m excited. I hope we can have some good banter back and forth, and if not, if he wants to do what he’s doing, great, no problem. Crowd is going to be on our side. We’re going to have a fun time. But ultimately, my job is to get a kid out there who is looking at me hitting a golf ball smiling.

“There’s a rivalry between every one of us golfers. Is it heightened with Rory? Sure. You can make it that way. But look, anytime we go out in the arena, we’re trying to be the best we can possibly be, and if it helps the game of golf out, then great, so be it.”

Thursday, each player was questioned about each other — and the fire simmered. Did Chambeau believe there was a rivalry between the two? He answered only that rivalries are good for golf, that he respects McIlroy and that he’d like the chance to play him. Did McIlroy think the back-and-forth was a bit of gamesmanship? He said he just wanted to win points. 

But he did start his answer with this:

“I promised Luke [Donald] I would only talk about the European team today. I’m going to stick to it.”

The takeaway: A DeChambeau-McIlroy matchup would be good theater. Seeing them each drive the first hole would melt Twitter. 

Bryson DeChambeau vs. Brandel Chamblee 

There’s another player in the DeChambeau-McIlroy feud. 

To catch you up there:

– In response to DeChambeau’s response to McIlroy, Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee said this: “I thought it was pretty pointed there when he [was] asked about the retort of Rory, that he didn’t mention the goal this week of a Ryder Cup. Nope, he didn’t do that. He didn’t talk about playing on a team and how much that meant. Nope, didn’t do that. What he did do was talk about his YouTube channel, which, you know, if we want to talk about the numbers that are generated from that, it’s pretty dubious. I have no doubt bots are generating a lot of those views. There may be some interest as well. But that’s what he wants to talk about. Not the team, not the Ryder Cup.

“It’s one of the reasons why I think he’s going to be such a difficult person to get paired with. No doubt he’s one hell of a golfer. No doubt he has his moments of generosity with fans; I have heard about them. But he’s an odd duck when he’s trying to blend in with the team, and he has so many potential bulletin-board mistakes. I think he would be a captain’s nightmare.”

– The response to that response came as DeChambeau was signing autographs for fans earlier this week. As a camera recorded him, DeChambeau said: “Did Brandel say something yesterday? I don’t know what it was.”

Thursday, DeChambeau was asked about that feud, and he said he didn’t mind what was said. He said that that was good for golf. He then added this:

“Ultimately, on YouTube, you have to be verified to be able to subscribe and whatnot. So I don’t think it’s really that honest or true. But it is what it is. I mean, any time you can say something like that and create more buzz for the game of golf, it’s great.”

The takeaway: Drama certainly sells. 

‘One of the scary parts of the decision’ 

Tyrrell Hatton was asked whether the possibility of not playing on future Ryder Cup teams played a part in his decision early last year to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf. Currently, LIV events don’t factor into Ryder Cup team standings, leaving only the majors and, for now, DP World Tour play as the primary avenues to qualify for the event.  

Hatton’s answer?

He said “it was definitely one of the scary parts.” But he knew the circumstances. 

“I definitely feel like the events that I played outside of LIV,” Hatton said, “I had the extra motivation to play well. I still tried my — it’s not like I tried any harder; I try my best no matter what. But certainly knowing that the majors had an extra importance to them for me maybe helped me.

“Yeah, it adds a little bit of pressure, but I feel like over the last couple years, I’ve dealt with that pretty well. And although my performance in majors hasn’t been amazing, it’s got better the last two years. So I take that as a positive.”

The takeaway: This will be interesting to watch over the next couple of years. LIV is waiting on a decision that would give the league world ranking points.  

‘That’s the embodiment of what the European Ryder Cup team’

No, McIlroy didn’t always revere the Ryder Cup. One of the more, we’ll say, ‘memorable’ quotes about the Ryder Cup came in 2009, when McIlroy said: “It’s not a huge goal of mine. It’s an exhibition at the end of the day. In the big scheme of things it’s not that important of an event for me.” 

Was there a moment, though, where things changed for him?

Thursday, he said there was. It came in his first Ryder Cup appearance, in 2010 at Celtic Manor.

“I got into that team room at Celtic Manor,” McIlroy said, “and I just saw how much it meant to everyone. I sort of started — I was like, maybe I got this wrong. You start to see how much — yeah, especially for Europeans.

“I remember Seve [Ballesteros] was sick, and we had him on one of those conference call things like back in the day. He’s speaking to the team, and we’re all in the team room. This is on like the Wednesday or Thursday night. You know, and I look around and the majority of the team is crying as Seve is talking to us.

“And I’m like, that is — that’s it. That’s the embodiment of what the European Ryder Cup team is. I think that was the moment, that conference call with Seve in 2010, was the moment for me.”

The takeaway: Ballesteros’ name is spoken with great reverence with the Europeans. This is another example. 

‘I’d probably say 18- to 20-under’

Bethpage Black is still hard. 

But this week, it’s bearable, as, most notably, the rough is down. And that led to a question of what the winning total would be if the course were hosting a stroke-play tournament. 

“For a four-round tournament,” Harris English said, “I’d probably say 18- to 20-under. I mean, it can still bite you out there, especially that back nine. If you miss a couple drives, you’re having some mid-irons into the greens and you can start missing in some pretty bad places.

“Yeah, this is not the normal Bethpage Black we’re used to. You’re going to see a lot more birdies out there than you normally would in the PGA or the U.S. Open. I think that’s great. That’s what we’re ready for.”

The takeaway: Expect more birdies than blow-ups this week. 

‘Hey, Rahm, where is the Ozempic?’

There are going to be taunts at Bethpage. 

But you know that. 

Question is, what will come out of the mouths of the Bethpage crowd? Thursday, during an exchange with a reporter, Jon Rahm gave us a look. The reporter’s question is in italics. 

Talking about the fans getting creative with the heckling, I saw it reported that someone shouted something about the weight loss drug Ozempic to you the other day?

“Yeah, first shot in the practice rounds,” Rahm said. “Yeah, I don’t know exactly what he said, but I think what he said was — what did he say? He either said, ‘Hey, Rahm, where is the Ozempic?” Or ‘When’s Ozempic?’ Something ‘Ozempic.’ I just don’t know what word exactly. It was funny.”

The heckling in general, do you think it’s in the right side of good taste; there’s no issue with it?

“So far, the humor that’s been there,” Rahm said, “it’s really funny. I would imagine tomorrow things might turn a little bit, but there’s always funny ones, and not only towards me, towards everybody.

“I’m not going to say what they said, but yesterday on 17, me and Shane Lowry had a good laugh at something someone said in the crowd. Again, people can be really creative nowadays.”

Fan noise also led to a question for Viktor Hovland. The reporter’s question is also in italics. 

You are generally one of the more popular players on tour. How do you prepare for fans that might be actively rooting against you this week?

“I think you’ve just got to stick to your game, and if you play well, you know, there’s going to be some comments here and there,” Hovland said. 

“They won’t really come close to the thoughts that I have in my own head. So I think I’ll just laugh it off for the most part.”

The takeaway: Hovland’s quote might be the quote of the week. 

The money question, Day Four  

Day four of press conferences brought the fourth round of questions on the U.S. decision to pay its players for playing in the Ryder Cup, though this time, there was a twist. Donald, in his opening ceremony speech, twice mentioned money — “It is not about prize money or world ranking points; it’s about pride, it’s about representing your flag, your shirts, and the legacy you leave behind” and “we are fueled by something money cannot buy: purpose, brotherhood and a responsibility to honor those who came before us, while inspiring those whose time is yet to come.”

Folks noticed. 

And that led to this exchange with Sam Burns, with the reporter’s question in italics.

There’s been a lot of talk about the money this week and the stipend. What do you make of this notion that if guys are getting paid, then somehow it’s not as pure or they are not playing for their country in some way?

“Yeah, to be honest, my personal opinion is I’m extremely grateful that the PGA of America is doing this,” Burns said. “I live in a small town in Louisiana, and that amount of money in that community for those charities is going to go a long ways.

“So for me personally, it’s going to have a huge impact on our community. I’m just extremely grateful that we get that opportunity.”

Yesterday Luke Donald said, you know, we are not here for prize money. Did you guys take that as sort of a subtle jab?

“I mean, to be honest, like for us, being able to steward that money in our own communities at home, I think that’s a great thing,” Burns said. “And I think the PGA of America giving us the opportunity for us to do that is really special.”

Later Thursday, after the pairings announcement, Donald said his speech wasn’t directed at the U.S. 

“My speech was directed at my players,” he said. “I wrote that speech six months ago, maybe, OK. We have been very consistent where we stand and what we play for. We’re not concerned about what the U.S. are doing.”

The takeaway: The Americans have been well-advised of the talking points here. 

‘I think he’ll be a great force’

Friday afternoon, President Donald Trump is expected to attend the Ryder Cup, and that led to this exchange with DeChambeau, with the reporter’s question in italics:

Can you just articulate to us what it means to you to be back in the Ryder Cup team and representing America, and do you think the presence of Donald Trump here this week is going to help inspire you to victory?

“I hope he will inspire us to victory,” DeChambeau said. “I think he’ll be a great force for us to get a lot of people on our side. I think it will be interesting and exciting to see how the crowd and everybody reacts. It’s going to be an electric environment.”

European Robert MacIntyre, meanwhile, had this exchange. 

Donald Trump is proud of his Scottish heritage. As a Scot, how do you feel about him coming to watch tomorrow?

“Again, I just play golf,” MacIntyre said. “I don’t — politics and stuff is out of my — I mean, I’m not bright enough, for one, to be worrying about politics. I’m worrying more about what goes on this week on the golf course.

“Yeah, as a European, we’ve got a job to do, and yeah, try and compete as hard as we can and hopefully win the Ryder Cup.”

So you don’t find it a distraction?

“It’s just another spectator,” MacIntyre said. 

The takeaway: The Ryder Cup starts Friday. 

Editor’s note: To read Day One’s best lines, please click here. To read Day Two’s best lines please click here. To read Day Three’s best lines, please click here.  

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