Food for thoughtIt appears that an Irishman is perfectly poised to strike a blow for the European team this week, and we're not talking about Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington or Paul McGinley.
Séamus Danagher from Donegal is perfectly placed to put the kibosh on American ambitions in a subtle way, although it wouldn't really be good for business. Danagher is part of a team of chefs, under head chef Bill McNamee, which also includes an Englishman and a Frenchman.
McNamee is going to be keeping a close eye on his sous-chefs when they prepare dinner for the American team tonight. The invitation came from American captain Hal Sutton, who is a close friend of McNamee's boss.
McNamee wouldn't reveal the minutiae of the menu, but simply smiled: "It'll be some fun food as it's a very relaxed affair. There'll be no hamburgers. Hal's a great guy, very down to earth, and we're honoured to be asked."
Anyone for the seafood salad?
Join us? Think again
Would you fancy becoming a member of Oakland Hills? Well, first of all you have to be invited, and there is a five-year waiting list of suitably blue-blooded wannabes.
Then there is the small matter of the $100,000 entrance fee and the $500 stipend per month - and that's without paying for caddies, meals or other sundries. Members used to be able to will membership to kinsfolk, but that's no longer the case. Once you pop your clogs, the membership reverts to the club.
No cash is taken at the club, members must sign for everything. When it came to the last refurbishment of the magnificent clubhouse, each member stumped up a $10,000 tax-free loan to the club, which will be repaid only when the member dies, going directly to his estate.
Life of Riley
American player Chris Riley won't be giving up professional golf for a medical career, judging by his responses to the recent birth of his first daughter. The affable Riley was providing some background to the birth, explaining how he and wife Michelle went into hospital for a check-up on September 2nd - the baby was due on September 8th - but were surprised by the news given by the doctors.
Riley takes up the story: "Her fluids were low. I don't know what they are called, someone used the words, but the fluids."
Amniotic, Chris.
"Yeah, they were so low they put her in hospital on some IVs and she didn't get any better, so they told us we were having the baby that night. I just went into hysterics.
"I had to go back to the house and get all the stuff. I couldn't even sign my name. I asked the doctor if I could cut the umbilical cord and she told me. 'Chris, you can't even sign your name now, I'm not going to let you cut the umbilical cord'."
Wonder how he'll be tomorrow morning if he gets a start in the Ryder Cup.
Caddie Master Levet
It seems Thomas Levet and his captain, Bernhard Langer, have closer ties than many imagined, judging by a picture doing the rounds in the media centre. Levet downloaded a picture from his email that showed him caddying for the then US Masters champion Langer at a tournament in Europe.
Master and pupil then, this week there is a curious symmetry as the Frenchman once again looks to Langer for guidance.
Captain O'Meara?
The backroom politicking for the job of captain for the 2006 Ryder Cup at the K Club isn't confined to Europe, where Colin Montgomerie and Nick Faldo are the frontrunners. The Americans, too, are shaping up to be the successor to Hal Sutton.
So, who'll be the likely US captain next time? Well, it seems that Mark O'Meara - given his Irish roots - is the favourite to take on the post. But others touting for the job include Paul Azinger, Tom Lehman, Corey Pavin and Jay Haas.
As expected, a high-powered delegation from the K Club touched down in Detroit on Tuesday evening, in plenty of time for last night's gala dinner. Dr Michael Smurfit, Michael Smurfit Jnr, David Adamson, David Brophy and Paul Crowe, the director of golf, will be conducting numerous meetings with Ryder Cup officials over the next few days as they prepare to play host to the event in two years.
