McGLADREY CLASSIC:UNITED STATES Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III says he has endured fitful nights of sleep since his team lost to Europe in the biennial competition, though his only regret was the position of flagsticks in the concluding singles.
Love, whose team were pipped as Europe matched the Ryder Cup’s biggest ever comeback, felt he should have retained the same pin positions, left of centre, on the closing holes at Medinah Country Club.
However, the cups at the par-three 17th and par-four last were installed on the right portion of the green for Sunday’s singles and Love watched in anguish as Europe won four of the six matches that ended at the 18th.
“We really may have dropped the ball on pin placements on the last few holes,” said Love yesterday while preparing for today’s McGladrey Classic at St Simons Island, Georgia.
“We wanted pins on the left and in the middle of the green because a lot of our guys were drawing it (the ball) in there.
“The two most important holes in the singles came down to 17 and 18 and we had pins where if you hit it long and left, it was tough to get close to the pins because they were on the right. Should we have thought of that? Maybe.”
Love, who had the luxury as host captain of being able to set up the course as he liked, said: “If I’d have just put the pin left on 17 on Sunday rather than right, would that have made a difference? What happened on Sunday, I don’t really know.”
Love has also been second- guessed over his strategy to rest each of his 12 players for at least one session, his singles order and his decision to bench the red-hot duo of Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson for the concluding fourball matches.
“They (the US) were playing great and they didn’t play great on Sunday. Something obviously changed. And is that playing because we were too confident, because we were too far ahead?
I don’t know.”
Jason Day is hoping his fourth -place finish at the Shriner Hospital for Children Open two weeks ago augurs well for him at St Simons Island.
“I’m looking forward to finishing up the year strong,” he said. “I want to finish up strong going into next year.”
The favourite this week is St Simons Island resident Zach Johnson. Also in the field is Jim Furyk while emerging youngster Bud Cauley is another local with home advantage.
McGLADREY CLASSIC
Course: Seaside Course, Sea Island, Georgia.
Prize money: €3 million (€548,529 to the winner)
Length: 7,055 yards. Par: 70. Field: 132.
The layout: The heavily undulating fairways and fast greens are a tough ask but add the strong sea breezes and this becomes a tough test. The fairways are flanked by enormous bunkers, waste areas and marshland.
Defending champion: Ben Crane beat Webb Simpson in a play-off.
Type of player suited to challenge: Those with a good short game will benefit the most.
Key attribute: Accuracy.
Weather forecast: Light breezes.
On TV: Sky Sports (7pm)
