Maj. Dan Rooney, founder of the
Folds of Honor Foundation
NEWPORT, WALES |
Certain members
of the British media made a big deal
about Maj.
Dan Rooney
, the American
F- 16 pilot and PGA of America profes-
sional, speaking at a private Team
USA function before play began.
Phil
Mickelson
, in fact, was asked “to ex-
plain America’s apparent fondness for
associating sport with war.”
“I haven’t noticed that to be the
case,” he said, “but I do feel proud to
be part of a country that cares about
the civil rights of people throughout the
world and not just in our country.”
Overlooked by the Brits: Rooney
did three tours of duty in Iraq, founded
the Folds of Honor Foundation and is
a spokesperson for Patriot Golf Day,
which has raised more than $5 mil-
lion for scholarships for children and
spouses of U.S. military personnel
killed or disabled in war.
Mickelson had an interesting re-
sponse.
Paddy Power, the Irish bookmaker, towered over the proceedings until Celtic Manor owner Sir Terrence Matthews got the sign taken down.
The 575-yard 18th hole proved every
inch the thrilling finish its designer had
anticipated – a great hole in itself be-
sides offering arguably the finest view-
ing possibilities of any on the planet.
In the week’s first match to reach
the last – the score was all-square –
America’s
Matt Kuchar
and Europe’s
Graeme McDowell
both played up short
of the lake, leaving their partners to go
for the green and glory.
Stewart Cink
had the first crack at
the putting surface and gave a rueful
smile as his brave attempt tumbled
back into the water. Then it was
Rory
McIlroy
’s turn and everyone backed the
young man’s chances of shining in such
a situation. No such luck. His attempt
met with the same fate.
In the next game up, the one in
which
Steve Stricker
and
Tiger Woods
were 1-up on
Ian Poulter
and
Ross
Fisher
, only Tiger had the chance. He
could make it with room to spare but,
though the crowd would have relished
seeing one of Woods’ truly great blows,
the world No. 1 hauled his ball into the
crowd on the left. Not that it affected
the outcome. Thanks largely to Strick-
er, the U.S. won by two holes.
In keeping with the company’s less-
than-classy TV adverts,
Paddy Power
,
the Irish bookmaker, defaced the entire
valley by putting up a 50-foot by 270-
foot Hollywood-style sign in a field
overlooking the Ryder Cup course.
Sir
Terrence Matthews
, the owner
of Celtic Manor, is not a man to let
things get in his way. Though most were
surprised when he did not tug the sign
down single-handedly, he contented
himself with calling the bookies “scum”
before putting the matter in the hands
of Monmouth County Council.
Paddy Power was called to court
on Wednesday morning and, though
he made a spirited bid to keep his sign
aloft, he lost out on the grounds that he
had failed to apply for planning permis-
sion. “We are clearly the victims of bu-
reaucratic bullies and rich golf course
owners,” he said.
The British tabloids never miss
a chance to turn nothing into some-
thing.
Katherine Jenkins
, in a tight
red dress, stood in front of the U.S.
team while singing during opening
ceremonies, which naturally drew the
attention of the Americans as well as
everyone else.
Among those gazing from the rear –
and seemingly at her rear – was a
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