GOLF RYDER CUP 2010: Corey Pavin (aka Yosemite Sam) Inspiring captaincyPavin brought in Major Dan Rooney – an F-16 fighter pilot who is also a qualified PGA of America club professional – to give a motivational speech to his team on Tuesday night.
“I want these guys to be accountable to each other and have each other’s backs, basically that’s what happens in the military,” said Pavin of his decision to bring in the air force pilot.
Major titles
One. He captured the 1995 US Open at Shinnecock Hills where he had a two-stroke winning margin over Greg Norman, which gave Pavin the highlight of his career.
Ryder Cup record
Played in three Ryder Cups – 1991, 1993 and 1995 – and was on the winning team twice, at Kiawah Island in 1991 and The Belfry in 1993. Pavin’s most memorable contribution for the Ryder Cup was for donning a camouflage military cap at Kiawah Island in support of the US troops involved in Desert Storm.
If he weren’t a golfer
A fighter pilot. Pavin joined fellow professionals Jerry Kelly, Frank Lickliter, Donnie Hammond and Howard Twitty on a US armed forces entertainment tour of the Persian Gulf in 2006, and returned in 2009 with Tom Watson and Tim Simpson.
If he were a cartoon character
Yosemite Sam – the grouchy, gun-slinging cowboy from the Looney Tuneswith a hair-trigger temper.
Most likely to say
“I think what the military does is amazing, to put your life on the line for what you believe and for the freedoms of other people. It’s the ultimate sacrifice to do that.”
Least likely to say
“Tiger, you’re not playing.”
Colin Montgomerie
(aka Spike)
Inspiring captaincy
Montgomerie kick-started the week by giving a welcome speech to his team and then showed a motivational tape with classic winning shots from European players.
“It was really inspirational and really got everyone going,” said Rory McIlroy. “It started the week off on the right foot . . . everyone got a sense of how important it is for Europe to win this Ryder Cup back.”
Major titles
None. The one blight on an outstanding career. He had his chances, most memorably when losing out to Ernie Els in a play-off for the US Open at Oakmont in 1994. He also lost a play-off to Steve Elkington in the 1995 US PGA at Riviera and was runner-up to Geoff Ogilvy in the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot.
Ryder Cup record
In eight appearances – five on the winning team – he had a win-lose-draw record of 20-9-7, giving him an overall record of 23.5 points, just 1.5 points behind Nick Faldo’s all-time record. His finest hour came when he holed the winning putt in the 2004 match at Oakland Hills.
If he weren’t a golfer
Formula One driver – he has been fined for speeding (once doing 70 mph in a 40mph zone in his Bentley) on a number of occasions.
If he were a cartoon character
Spike – the bulldog in Tom and Jerry. David Feherty once said Monty reminded him of a "bulldog licking his own piss off a nettle". The Scot had the golfer-turned-TV commentator removed from the European team room in the 1999 event.
Most likely to say
“I love the Ryder Cup.”
Least likely to say
“Did you read my tweet?”
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