Maybe it's just me but it seemed like the United States team were having fun at the Ryder Cup this past weekend. I think that had a lot to do with two things being different. One was the way Paul Azinger, the US coach, went about choosing the team. He changed the number of captain's picks to four instead of the normal two. This allowed him to choose some golfers that were on a roll and playing good right before the tournament. This also allowed him to choose four that might not have the baggage of being on the losing end since the last win in 1999. I feel like this had a lot to do with the atmosphere on the course and in the team room. Second, the fact that Tiger Woods was not there had to have some effect on the morale of the team. I feel it was a positive effect. His aloof demeanor distances himself from teammates and causes friction in the team room. Anyone who watched the Cup cannot tell me that the American's weren't having a blast. I feel that everything they did was within reason and was not too much different than what kind of treatment we get when the Cup is played in Europe. Heck, the crowd over there heckles their own players (Colin Montgomerie) to the point of tears. Not one person can make me believe that Boo Weakley would have done the "Pony Ride" off the first tee if Tiger would have been there, dragging everyone's spirit down. Maybe he should lighten up in the next Cup and his record might improve. To be one of the best Match Play competitors, as a younger player, he sure doesn't have a great record in the Ryder Cup. Maybe, one time, every two years he can take his mind off himself and be a team player so that we can continue winning and have a good time doing it.

P.s.

It's funny to me how we finally get some good ol' country boys on the team and take home the cup. Just a thought.