USA bombs waken docile Chicagoans

THE OLD Greek fables have a common theme, about being careful what you wish for. It is epitomised by the fate which befell King Midas, who was granted the ability to turn everything he touched into gold which pleased him no end until he sat down to enjoy a celebratory feast. Yesterday, those Europeans – players and supporters – in attendance here at Medinah got a taste of such medicine.

Although the packed bleachers around the first tee rocked and rolled to the roars and beats of the different supporters’ anthems on the introduction of the players, a somewhat eerie silence – out of respect – befell at the very moment that anyone prepared to hit the tee-shot. Such respect. we hadn’t counted on that. Where were these raucous Chicagoans with the reputation for scaring the life out of visiting sports teams? Where was the noise? Where was the ridicule?

Of the air of quiet that descended on the first tee as he hit the first tee shot, Graeme McDowell observed: “It was a very bizarre experience. I was actually feeling very calm and very cool until I stepped over the ball. I couldn’t ignore the silence. The silence was deafening, and it made my mind go blank. It was very strange. Didn’t put a very nice swing on it after that.”

If the Europeans had wished to quieten the US crowd, they did. And, indeed, it took a long, long time before the decibel levels reached anywhere near what had been anticipated.

If the general silence might have seemed like music to the ears of the European players, with Rory McIlroy opining, “you get used to the U-S-As, U-S-As, and it just becomes normal. It’s part of the week; it’s normal, and we are trying to shut them up as much as we can”.

But all changed – changed utterly – as the play unfolded and the American players started to drop some bombs.

Not only that. As well as raucously celebrating any US birdies, the crowds got the message that they get a Mulligan when it comes to decorum, that it’s okay – in the Ryder Cup – to actually boo or ridicule a missed putt from a European, or if the ball was sliced into the water.

“Well, that’s going to happen no matter what,” said Sergio Garcia of the crowd’s reaction to poor European shots. “For the most part, they were okay. Obviously a few comments here and there, but you can’t control everyone.”

Yet, the verbal abuse didn’t materialise. The crowds were engaged but never hostile. “There were bits and pieces, but nothing more than you’d expect,” said Ian Poulter, whose main complaint was on the number of mobile phones being used to take photos rather than the reaction of the crowds to any shots, good or bad.

“There were a lot of mobile phones take pictures while we were hitting shots. There was a few going off on the backswings. But, all things considered, it was fairly muted out there.”

Don’t expect it to last!