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MAKING THE GRADE IF YOU CAN CORRECTLY ANSWER THESE 25 QUESTIONS, YOU'RE AN EXPERT ON THE RYDER CUP
1. To make the one-sided Ryder Cup more competitive, Jack
Nicklaus in 1978 approached British PGA president Lord Derby and
suggested:
a. That the Brits practice harder.
b. That the format be changed to Great Britain and Ireland
versus Ohio State.
c. That the British team expand to include all of Europe.
d. That the British team expand to include the entire world.
2. The week after he missed a six-foot putt in 1991 that
would've allowed Europe to retain the Ryder Cup, Bernhard Langer:
a. Went into seclusion.
b. Tried to shoot himself but missed left.
c. Said he was retiring.
d. Won the German Masters.
3. The atmosphere at Ryder Cups was established during the first
match that was held in England, in 1929, when America's Johnny
Farrell missed a one-foot putt on the 1st green on the first day
and 10,000 spectators:
a. Cheered loudly.
b. Threw sausages at him.
c. Doubled their wagers on the Brits.
d. Demanded refunds.
4. In 1983 Tony Jacklin accepted the captaincy of the European
team on the condition that:
a. He be given five captain's picks.
b. He be given an eight-year contract.
c. The team would travel first-class.
d. There be no more haggis at dinner, ever.
5. When Arnold Palmer questioned captain Ben Hogan's decision to
allow both teams to play the smaller British ball in the 1967
match at Houston, Hogan replied:
a. "Excuse me, I don't believe we've met."
b. "Who said you're playing, Palmer?"
c. "Nice back nine at Olympic."
d. "It's the right thing to do."
6. Before he played--and beat--Nicklaus in singles in 1977,
Bernard Gallacher:
a. Tossed a rubber snake at Nicklaus on the 1st tee.
b. Bought a new putter in the golf shop because his had been
stolen as he made his way from the practice range to the 1st tee.
c. Had breakfast at his hotel with the actors who starred in
Starsky and Hutch.
d. Threw up.
7. Samuel Ryder, who founded the match, made his fortune selling:
a. Paper clips and staples.
b. Penny seed packets.
c. Penny stocks.
d. Messerschmitt parts.
8. With 41 matches in 10 Ryder Cups, no one has played more than:
a. Seve Ballesteros.
b. Lanny Wadkins.
c. Nick Faldo.
d. Wayne Levi.
9. What did Nicklaus say in 1969 when he picked up Jacklin's
marker, conceding the putt to halve the match and allow Britain
to tie?
a. "We tied? Uh-oh."
b. "Hey, somebody dropped a dime."
c. "I was sure you'd make it, but I wasn't prepared to see you
miss."
d. "You deserved to win."
10. The U.S. Ryder Cuppers were seen as impolite guests in 1949
when they brought with them to Britain:
a. Matching team outfits.
b. Their own food, including 660 steaks and 12 boxes of bacon.
c. Cuban cigars.
d. Ben Hogan.
11. This year is the first time that the Ryder Cup will:
a. Attract a larger TV audience than that weekend's Notre Dame
football game.
b. Be played in Spain.
c. Be shown on tape delay.
d. Allow mulligans.
12. Which of the following never captained the U.S. team?
a. Gene Sarazen.
b. Bobby Jones.
c. Gene Littler.
d. All of the above.
13. What did J.H. Taylor, Britain's captain in 1933, do that
irritated his players?
a. He hired a trainer to roust the team for a daily prebreakfast
run on the beach.
b. He arranged for separate quarters for the players' wives.
c. He banned drinking for the week.
d. All of the above.
14. The practice of putting a player's name in an envelope
(scratching the golfer) in advance of the singles matches in
case a player on the other side can't compete, began in 1979,
but U.S. captain Billy Casper misunderstood the process and
entered the name of Lee Trevino, his best player. When Mark
James couldn't play for Britain, Casper asked for a mulligan and
got it. Whom did he bench instead?
a. Mark Hayes.
b. Andy Bean.
c. Lee Elder.
d. Gil Morgan.
15. What happened after a heated discussion on the 10th tee at
the Ocean Course in 1991 when Ballesteros and Jose Maria
Olazabal pointed out that Paul Azinger and Chip Beck were not
allowed to use different balls in their foursomes match?
a. Seve pushed Azinger.
b. The Spaniards won five of the next eight holes to win the
match and then won the rematch in the afternoon, too.
c. Azinger gave Seve a T-shirt that said KING OF GAMESMANSHIP on
the back.
d. Beck offered to forfeit the match.
Answers: 1-C, 2-D, 3-A, 4-C, 5-B, 6-B, 7-B, 8-C, 9-C, 10-B,
11-B, 12-D, 13-A, 14-D, 15-B.
SIX COLOR ILLUSTRATIONS: ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOSEPH CIARDIELLO [Drawing of Union Jack pennant and Ohio State pennant; drawing of plate of haggis; drawing of man taking test; drawing of Messerschmitt fighter; drawing of box of cigars; drawing of envelope with protruding slip of paper]
WHO SAID IT?
1. "The only thing that scares me about the Americans now is the
clothes they wear."
2. "This guy has never beaten me in a serious match, and he
never will."
3. "Next week we'll still have the best golfers in the world."
4. "We can never hope to beat the Americans unless we learn to
putt."
5. "They're a lot of crybabies."
6. "A lamer excuse could not possibly be offered."
7. "I was yelling 'Toyota!' on the next tee."
8. "I remember him saying on the 1st tee, 'You've beaten me
once, but there ain't no way you're going to beat me again.'"
9. "Ladies and gentlemen, the United States Ryder Cup team--the
finest golfers in the world."
10. "It's like watching two glaciers."
A. U.S. captain Lee Trevino on his players after they complained
about British fans' cheering against them in 1985.
B. Brian Barnes after beating Jack Nicklaus in singles for the
second time on the same day, in 1975.
C. Ben Hogan at a pre-event dinner in 1967.
D. British playing captain George Duncan before beating Walter
Hagen 10 and 8 in 1929.
E. Nick Faldo in 1993 after making a hole in one during his
singles match.
F. Captain Bernard Gallacher after Europe lost in 1991.
G. Mark James of England in 1993.
H. Duncan, after Britain lost the first Ryder Cup, in 1927.
I. NBC commentator Johnny Miller on the 1995 Nick Faldo-Curtis
Strange match.
J. The [London] Observer's response after Charles Whitcombe
blamed unfamiliarity with clover for Britain's 9-3 loss in 1935.
K. Raymond Floyd at a pre-event dinner in 1989.
Answers: 1-G, 2-D, 3-F, 4-H, 5-A, 6-J, 7-E, 8-B, 9-C and K, 10-I.
