There has always been crossover appeal between golf and football. After initially considering golf ‘too posh’ for a council estate lad from Chester, I love the sport and have organised my work to catch as much of the Ryder Cup as I can when it starts on Friday.
Jamie Donaldson, who memorably scored the winning point for Europe at Gleneagles in 2014, is a keen football fan as many tour professionals are.
Like me, he was given the honour of being a Liverpool fan as a family heirloom. His kids have followed. ‘I said they can support whoever they like, but what are they going to eat and where are they going to sleep?’ he quips. It is a sportsman’s sense of humour that I appreciate.
Donaldson was not born with a silver spoon. He only became a scratch golfer at 18 and was pushing 40 when he made the team to face the Americans.
Not only did he win two foursomes alongside Lee Westwood, his singles victory against Keegan Bradley sealed the deal for Europe, with the winning approach from 150 yards into the 15th the shot of the year.
Jamie Donaldson (L) was happy to talk about the ‘enormous buzz’ of the Ryder Cup
He struck the winning shot to secure the Ryder Cup for Europe back in 2014 at Gleneagles
‘The Ryder Cup is just an enormous buzz. It’s something I always dreamed of. Nothing beats it — not even the Majors,’ says Donaldson. ‘It defined my career. Even now, if I have a bad round, someone will shout “Thanks for winning the Ryder Cup”. It happens all the time and I’m grateful.
‘It was surreal being there. Jose Maria Olazabal was one of the vice-captains. I’d grown up watching him and Seve Ballesteros. Ollie would be chatting to me in the team room and I’d have to pinch myself and think “Is this really happening?”.
‘Playing with Lee helped me. He was very chilled. I was taken aback when 20,000 fans turned up for practice day, Lee would just stroll on to the green and tell me, “It’s only a game of golf”. Even so, the emotions you feel are incomparable to any other event. Going out, you’re half bricking it but also pumped by this incredible adrenalin. Ready to go to war.
‘We had this huge inspirational picture of Seve, full glare, virtually commanding us. It was like rocket fuel for us to go and get the job done.
‘On the first tee for my singles against Keegan, I could see the TV commentary box, on the far side but not too far away. Nick Faldo was in there and I had this terrible image of slicing my ball through the window and it landing in his cup of tea! Thankfully, I pulled myself together and split the fairway.’
I have known some Liverpool players who initially preferred away games because of the weight of expectation from the fans at Anfield.
Donaldson is more like me, using that massive support as motivation. I am sure it will be like that for the Europeans this time in Italy.
‘I loved being part of a dressing room,’ he says. ‘Guys like Rory [McIlroy], Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson were rivals most of the time. To have their support on your side was amazing.
‘Ian Poulter was in charge of the tunes. We’d be jumping about, dancing, running into each other. Just spending the evenings together with the other players was different to the norm. There were also competitive table tennis matches, some involving the families. I remember one mixed doubles, me and my wife against [vice-captain] Padraig Harrington and his wife, Chrissy. It got so serious I tried to give my wife a lesson on spinning the ball to counteract Chrissy!’
Donaldson laughs that he probably celebrated least of anyone, despite a highlight wedge shot
Captain Paul McGinley insisted that his players should concentrate solely on winning points
Europe won 16.5 to 11.5 and Donaldson’s decisive wedge shot is included in every highlights reel shown of the Ryder Cup.
He laughs that he probably celebrated least of anyone. ‘Our captain Paul McGinley drummed into us to forget all the hype and concentrate solely on winning the next point,’ he says.
‘When I hit that shot, I didn’t know exactly how close to the hole it was, so I was still focusing in case I needed to make the putt. Paul was jumping on my back and I’m like “What are you doing!” The US captain Tom Watson even offered me a handshake but I still wasn’t sure.
‘When I got nearer the hole and it was only inches away and the Americans conceded, it was crazy. I celebrated for two weeks but if I’d known a few minutes earlier I’d hit the winning shot, I’d have been doing cartwheels on the fairway.’
Two of Donaldson’s 2014 team-mates, McIlroy and Justin Rose, are in Luke Donald’s team this time. There are also two American survivors from nine years ago, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler.
Donaldson is a massive Ryder Cup fan as well as former player. ‘I remember having the car radio on driving to the Alfred Dunhill when we won in Medinah. I was winding the window down and shouting at the sheep in excitement.’
He is getting more optimistic about Europe’s chances the closer we get. ‘Three months ago, I feared a drubbing but it’s very close now, maybe even edging to us,’ he says.
‘We used to have a big advantage over America in terms of team camaraderie. That’s changed a bit, but I still believe it’s a risk for them to pick someone like Justin Thomas over Dustin Johnson, because he’s popular with the other players and good in the team room.
‘JT hasn’t been in good form. He is capable of turning it around but there is nothing worse if you are out of sorts than to go to a Ryder Cup.
‘Brooks Koepka is probably the American I’d least like to face in singles — he is a real tough competitor. But we have some standouts too.
‘Normally, you’d have your aggressive ball-strikers for fourballs and consistent players for foursomes. But guys like Rory, Jon Rahm and Victor Hovland are that good, you put them in whenever you can.
‘It’s best to have a rookie with an experienced player, just how Paul paired Lee and myself at Gleneagles. I don’t see any issue with putting a rookie in on the first day. See how they go, if they win and have momentum, then play them again. If they look a bit overwhelmed, hold them back for the singles. Everyone is talking about the new kid, Ludvig Aberg. I played in Switzerland recently when he won his first tournament and I don’t think there is anyone striking the ball as well as him at the moment in the world.
Donaldson would least like to play Brooks Koepka because he is a ‘fierce competitor’
US captain Zach Johnson is a gentleman who was in the side beaten by Europe nine years ago
‘The compression he gets on the ball with his swing — he barely leaves a divot. Tiger Woods was like that in his prime.’
The American captain Zach Johnson was part of the beaten side nine years ago and Donaldson considers him a gentleman.
‘The European crowds are passionate but don’t cross the line. I never played a Ryder Cup in America but I’m sure all the whooping and hollering would be used by our boys as an inspiration. If my opponent made a putt, I headed to the next hole so I wouldn’t have to hear the celebrations.’
Donaldson is nearly 48 now and still on the European Tour with more ambitions. He says: ‘The 2014 Ryder Cup wasn’t the end for me. I still want to play well but it’s nice to know I’ve achieved something in the sport that won’t be forgotten. Now it’s the time for this team to go out and make their own memories. I think they can.’