Carnoustie: In sport, as well as politics, European unity is a fragile thing. Just four days after the continent was brought together by Jose Maria Olazabal’s Ryder Cup triumph at Medinah, the first crack appeared in the facade of a joyful team effort as Sweden’s Peter Hanson revealed that tension had been bubbling under the surface in Chicago.
Hanson was involved in just one match during the first two days of the event, partnering Paul Lawrie in a 5 and 4 defeat by Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson in the Friday fourballs. He had expected another outing on the Saturday afternoon and was bitter about the fact that Olazabal left him out. The anger had not subsided much when he spoke after his opening round of the Dunhill Links Championship at Carnoustie.
“I might not send him many Christmas cards,” Hanson said drily when asked how he felt about Olazabal’s actions. “The Ryder Cup kind of hurt my confidence a bit, especially the first couple of days.
“I came in there full of confidence after the win in Holland [he had won the KLM Open a few weeks earlier] and played really well during the practice rounds. When I didn’t get to play more than 14 holes in the first two days, that really got to me and I was very disappointed on Saturday.”
It was only 20 minutes before the start of the Saturday fourballs that Hanson was told he would not be involved. Confident that he would be taking part, he had played some practice holes and had marked the pin positions in his notes.
“That’s probably why I got so upset,” he said. “I was already in game mode. I just wanted to get out there and win some points.”
Instead, he retreated to the locker room. “I didn’t take it very well, but I took it for myself. I didn’t let it go out over anyone else. I just locked myself in a dark room and stayed there for a couple of hours. I didn’t damage the team and that was the main thing.
“You kind of forget about it pretty quick, but having come into the Ryder Cup playing so well, winning and preparing myself for six weeks and then not getting to play - it hurts for a while. I haven’t spoken with Olly about it since. We didn’t have the time and I didn’t want to bring it up when we were celebrating.”
Hanson, who turned 35 on Thursday, lost to Jason Dufner in the Sunday singles and he suggested that the dent his confidence had taken the previous day may been a contributory factor in the result. A veteran of the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, he backed Paul McGinley, a two-time vice-captain, to lead the team at Gleneagles in two years’ time.
Hanson said: “I think Paul does a fantastic job in the team room. He knows a lot about the Ryder Cup and really loves the role of helping players, I think he would make a great captain.”
McGinley refused to discuss that prospect. “It’s not right for me to commit or promote my cause or anything like that,” the Dubliner said. “I’m going to step back. I’ve done my bit and we’ll wait and see what happens.”
Padraig Harrington was taking a different tack. “I understand the inside track is that it’s going to be Darren Clarke,” he said.
Meanwhile, an otherwise humdrum golf tournament, spread across three courses, was lit up by the exploits of two little-known players. South African Branden Grace shot a round of 60 at Kingsbarns to take the lead, while Frenchman Victor Dubuisson’s 62 at St Andrews gave him second place.
Hanson was involved in just one match during the first two days of the event, partnering Paul Lawrie in a 5 and 4 defeat by Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson in the Friday fourballs. He had expected another outing on the Saturday afternoon and was bitter about the fact that Olazabal left him out. The anger had not subsided much when he spoke after his opening round of the Dunhill Links Championship at Carnoustie.
“I might not send him many Christmas cards,” Hanson said drily when asked how he felt about Olazabal’s actions. “The Ryder Cup kind of hurt my confidence a bit, especially the first couple of days.
“I came in there full of confidence after the win in Holland [he had won the KLM Open a few weeks earlier] and played really well during the practice rounds. When I didn’t get to play more than 14 holes in the first two days, that really got to me and I was very disappointed on Saturday.”
It was only 20 minutes before the start of the Saturday fourballs that Hanson was told he would not be involved. Confident that he would be taking part, he had played some practice holes and had marked the pin positions in his notes.
“That’s probably why I got so upset,” he said. “I was already in game mode. I just wanted to get out there and win some points.”
Instead, he retreated to the locker room. “I didn’t take it very well, but I took it for myself. I didn’t let it go out over anyone else. I just locked myself in a dark room and stayed there for a couple of hours. I didn’t damage the team and that was the main thing.
“You kind of forget about it pretty quick, but having come into the Ryder Cup playing so well, winning and preparing myself for six weeks and then not getting to play - it hurts for a while. I haven’t spoken with Olly about it since. We didn’t have the time and I didn’t want to bring it up when we were celebrating.”
Hanson, who turned 35 on Thursday, lost to Jason Dufner in the Sunday singles and he suggested that the dent his confidence had taken the previous day may been a contributory factor in the result. A veteran of the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, he backed Paul McGinley, a two-time vice-captain, to lead the team at Gleneagles in two years’ time.
Hanson said: “I think Paul does a fantastic job in the team room. He knows a lot about the Ryder Cup and really loves the role of helping players, I think he would make a great captain.”
McGinley refused to discuss that prospect. “It’s not right for me to commit or promote my cause or anything like that,” the Dubliner said. “I’m going to step back. I’ve done my bit and we’ll wait and see what happens.”
Padraig Harrington was taking a different tack. “I understand the inside track is that it’s going to be Darren Clarke,” he said.
Meanwhile, an otherwise humdrum golf tournament, spread across three courses, was lit up by the exploits of two little-known players. South African Branden Grace shot a round of 60 at Kingsbarns to take the lead, while Frenchman Victor Dubuisson’s 62 at St Andrews gave him second place.
![[JUGRAJ SINGH]](https://www.unp.me/data/avatars/s/123/123038.jpg?1591210006){kind=avatar}
