Captain Crenshaw attacks his stars

Ben Crenshaw, the US Ryder Cup captain, made a scathing attack last night on disruptive influences within his own team. And though no names were mentioned, it was clear the targeted players were Mark O'Meara, David Duval and Tiger Woods, largely over their part in the pay-for-play issue.

Referring to a meeting he had on Tuesday afternoon with the leading 16 US Ryder Cup aspirants, PGA of America chief executive Jim Awtrey and USPGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, Crenshaw said: "I am personally disappointed with a couple of people who were at that meeting - and I mean this."

He went on: "They know who they are. Whether some people like it or not, there are players who went before them and they meant a helluva lot to the game. I think of players like Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Henry Cotton and Christy O'Connor. It burns the hell out of me to listen to some of the views now being expressed."

When it was suggested to Crenshaw that Woods had referred to the Ryder Cup as an exhibition, he replied: "How can they say that? There is one other player who said that and he hasn't even played in the event (this was clearly a reference to current world number one, Duval).

"If you can't show up to play for your country, my heart bleeds for the game of golf. People are understandably sickened when they pick up their newspaper and read about this. I consider it not only an honour to represent your country if selected; it's a duty."

Prior to the meeting, Crenshaw made it clear that he was against the idea of payments being made, whether or not those sums ultimately went to charity. And he was clearly incensed by the suggestion that the Ryder Cup was no more than an exhibition.

Yet it still took tremendous courage to make such a forthright condemnation of the malcontents, especially in view of the pressure he is under to regain the Ryder Cup. And given the prominence of Duval, Woods and O'Meara, not only as prospective Ryder Cup team members but in the overall context of US tournament golf, he is left with a formidable task in achieving team unity.

Earlier in the afternoon, Crenshaw spoke passionately about the significance of the biennial showpiece. "Every player worth their salt, on both sides of the Atlantic, has given their heart and soul to the Ryder Cup," he said. "It's an honour because you're representing not only yourself but your peers.

"When you have made this team, you are showing people you're playing the best. But when you're in the matches, it's something totally different. And there can be no greater reward than the honour of playing for your country."

Crenshaw then got down to specifics, in terms of the playing skills required, saying: "I want our players to work really hard on their short game, because that's how to win holes," he said. "It seems to me that the Europeans have done a beautiful job of getting up and down in tough situations and holing out."

He went on: "But I have a lot to say to my players. We've lost the last two cups and I need to ask them what type of players they think they are. I need to try and get the best out of them and get them to play their best game. Right after I was named as captain, I treated this with a matter of urgency.

"Some of the players on the present list suffered our last loss at Valderrama, so they understand what it means. There can be no doubting the importance of a team effort. That's what gets it done in the Ryder Cup."

He may be remembered best in Ireland for an ill-fated battle with Eamonn Darcy in the 1987 Ryder Cup where he broke his putter in temper after the sixth hole. The passion of the man was contained in the words: "I've been in two winning teams and two losing teams and I've played against some fabulous opponents whom I call friends to this day. I cherish my times in it. And every player who has ever played in the Ryder Cup, thanks the good Lord for getting them into something that means so much."