Commentary

Who will rise and shine on Sunday?

By Ron Green Jr.

This is a moment that's nine ugly years in the making. From Sergio Garcia's snow angels in the fairway six years ago through Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods together two years later; from the blowout loss at Oakland Hills through Darren Clarke's teardrops in Ireland, this is the moment that has eluded the United States' best golfers for nearly a decade.

Notes

Azinger plots 'aggressive' start Sunday

Weekley: 'I feel like I've been adopted'

By Mike Fields

LOUISVILLE — Ryder Cup rookies Anthony Kim and Hunter Mahan will lead off the singles matches for the American team on Sunday, followed by veterans Justin Leonard and Phil Mickelson.

U.S. holds onto lead Saturday morning

By Mike Fields

LOUISVILLE — The United States held onto the lead after Saturday morning’s foursomes matches in the 37th Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club.

Americans pump it up for first-round lead

Crowd spurs U.S. to first day-one lead since '95

By Mike Fields

LOUISVILLE — The European Ryder Cup team was cheered by fans dressed up as leprechauns, but it was the Americans who found a pot o' gold at Valhalla Golf Club on Friday.

Tiger who? Lefty, Kim steal the show

Mickelson has chance to rewrite legacy at Cup

By John Clay

LOUISVILLE — The first-day gallery of the 37th Ryder Cup featured 11 leprechauns, six matadors, numerous American flags, and (at least) a trio of camouflage-capped patrons wearing "Team USA: Home of the Red, White and Boo" T-shirts.

RYDER CUP NOTES

Boo's cheers irk Europe's Westwood

'There's no need to do it between shots'

By Mike Fields

LOUISVILLE — European star Lee Westwood was visibly upset with American Boo Weekley's attempts to ramp up the Valhalla crowd during their Friday afternoon match.

United States charges to 3-1 lead

By Mike Fields

LOUISVILLE — The United States got off to a strong start in the 37th Ryder Cup Friday morning, giving the home fans at Valhalla Golf Club plenty to cheer.

Time for a change
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Americans try to get back on track at Valhalla

By Mike Fields

Paul Azinger isn't running for president, but the U.S. Ryder Cup captain's effort to restore America's pride in its golf rivalry with Europe has the same theme as the campaigns of Barack Obama and John McCain.

Two fiery captains do it their own way
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COMPETITORS TURN HEADS ON AND OFF COURSE

By John Clay

LOUISVILLE — It was the 1987 British Open. The American, Paul Azinger, led England's Nick Faldo by one shot with two holes to play. Azinger bogeyed 17. Azinger bogeyed 18. Faldo won.

A matter of golf imitating life
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SPORT PARALLELS AMERICAN POLITICS

By Joel Pett

I love golf. I mean everything about it. It's frustrating, expensive, time-consuming, hard on your marriage, and it will take your self-loathing, as the sports cliché goes, to a whole new level.

NOTES

Kentucky combo won't raise curtain for Americans

Herald-Leader Staff Report

LOUISVILLE — Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim, not J.B. Holmes and Kenny Perry, will be the lead twosome for the United States when the 37th Ryder Cup begins Friday morning.

The history, scoring and more tidbits

Mostly sunny all three days, with highs in the low 80s. Chance of rain is 10 percent or less.

Flesch makes one Ryder Cup team

By Mike Fields

LOUISVILLE — Kenny Perry and J.B. Holmes aren't the only Kentuckians sharing their home-course expertise at the Ryder Cup.

Will Azinger roll the dice with Perry and Holmes?
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KENTUCKIANS WOULD EXCITE BUT WOULD THEY WIN?

By Mike Fields

LOUISVILLE — It is being touted as the most delectable pairing in Kentucky since Colonel Sanders matched his secret recipe with chicken.

Sergio Garcia is no amigo to U.S. Cup drive
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SPANIARD IS 14-4-2 IN RYDER PLAY

John Clay

Sergio Garcia is 0-for-38 in major golf championships. In the Ryder Cup, however, he is oh so annoying. "Why?" inquired Garcia, asked if he believed he got under American skin. "Because I play well?"

RYDER CUP NOTES

Weekley keeping U.S. side laughing

HOLMES HAMMERING DRIVES IN PRACTICE

By Mike Fields

LOUISVILLE — If Boo Weekley has any free time this week, the Ryder Cup rookie could audition at a local comedy club.

Commentary

Commentary: U.S. might be better off without Tiger
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By Jill Painter

A Tiger-less Ryder Cup is a good thing. It sure can't be a bad thing.

Tips and etiquette for the Ryder Cup crowd

By Mike Fields

The 37th Ryder Cup — the biennial golf rivalry between the United States and Europe — is being played in Louisville this week.

Ryder Cup: Holmes wows crowd in practice
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Kentuckian ignites crowd with 338-yard drive to island green

By Mike Fields

LOUISVILLE — Kentuckian J.B. Holmes gave golf fans a breathtaking preview of what he'll bring to the 37th Ryder Cup, during a practice round Tuesday.

Ryder Cup experience might be overrated
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Six U.S. rookies aren't scarred by losses

By John Clay

LOUISVILLE — There are a half-dozen Ryder Cup rookies on the United States team, all without the curse of rearview mirrors.

Ryder Cup notes: U.S. inspired at Ali Center

Azinger takes team to Louisville's Ali Center

By Mike Fields

LOUISVILLE — Golf and boxing are at opposite ends of the sports spectrum in terms of physical demands, but the United States' Ryder Cup team hopes to draw inspiration from "The Greatest" fighter: Louisville native Muhammad Ali.

What is the Ryder Cup?

The Ryder Cup involves a series of matches played between teams or individuals from the United States and Europe.

On international scale, Ryder Cup could be biggest thing to ever hit Kentucky

By Mike Fields

When Tiger Woods outlasted Bob May in a playoff to win the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, it was one of the biggest and most memorable sports events in state history.

Perry has a score to settle with Valhalla

By Mike Fields

FRANKLIN — Kenny Perry, a self-described small-town guy who prefers the shadows to the spotlight, is about to step onto one of the grandest stages in international sports: the Ryder Cup.

Holmes named to Ryder Cup team
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Captain Paul Azinger picks Campbellsville native, three others

By Doug Ferguson

NEW YORK — Chad Campbell lingered in the parking lot of a Dallas hospital as his wife waited inside to get the latest report on their first child, due to be born later this week.

European Team

1.	Padraig Harrington	7.	Graeme McDowell
2.	Sergio Garcia	8.	Justin Rose
3.	Lee Westwood	9.	Soren Hansen
4.	Henrik Stenson	10.	Oliver Wilson
5.	Robert Karlsson	11.	Paul Casey
6.	Miguel Jimenez	12.	Ian Poulter

U.S. Team

1.	Phil Mickelson	7.	Ben Curtis
2.	Stewart Cink	8.	Boo Weekley
3.	Kenny Perry	9.	Steve Stricker
4.	Jim Furyk	10.	J.B. Holmes
5.	Anthony Kim	11.	Chad Campbell
6.	Justin Leonard	12.	Hunter Mahan

Azinger has plenty of options for Ryder Cup
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By Doug Ferguson

NORTON, Mass. — Scott Verplank was a footnote in 2002 when he became the first American to be a captain's pick without any previous experience in the Ryder Cup.

Poulter, Casey round out European Ryder Cup team

Associated Press

GLENEAGLES, Scotland — Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo used his two picks Sunday on Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, a surprising decision that left Darren Clarke off the European team for the first time since 1995.

Ryder Cup

Lexington Pros pick their Ryder Cup team

J.B. Holmes listed on all 10 ballots; three take Flesch

By Rob Kandt

If Lexington pros have their way, Kenny Perry won't be the only Kentuckian playing for the United States Ryder Cup team at Valhalla.

Ryder Cup points

 

If pros were captains

 

Ryder Cup overflow coming to Lexington
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By Linda B. Blackford

When the Ryder Cup golf championship comes to Louisville on Sept. 16-21, some of the action is going to spill over into Lexington.

Ryder Cup team shaping up for underdog U.S.

CAPTAIN AZINGER WILL PICK FOUR MORE ON SEPT. 2

By Doug Ferguson

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Paul Azinger revamped the Ryder Cup qualifying system to get the best players, and he had no complaints with the eight Americans who earned a spot on the team.

Odd Ryder Cup pairings assured on Tiger-free team
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MEDIATE AND AUSTIN AMONG POSSIBLE U.S. ROOKIES

By Jimmy Burch

FORT WORTH, Texas — Close your eyes, think ahead and listen to the starter at the 2008 Ryder Cup:

JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

Perry earns third title in five events

By Andrew Seligman

SILVIS, Ill. — He never wanted to be the star, the main attraction, but Kenny Perry will have no choice if this continues. The guy who merely wanted to win enough to make the Ryder Cup team is now racking up victories at a rapid pace.

Ready to take the heat

By Doug Ferguson

Kenny Perry never imagined facing so much criticism over where to play golf.

Without Woods, Langer sees edge

By Roy Kammerer

MUNICH, Germany — Many of the top European golfers were surprised and disappointed at Tiger Woods' absence for the rest of the season, and amazed at how he gutted his way to another U.S. Open triumph despite needing knee surgery.

Tiger Woods out for rest of golf season

WILL MISS SEPTEMBER RYDER CUP IN LOUISVILLE

Tiger Woods will miss the rest of the season because of surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee, an injury he has been dealing with the last 10 months despite winning nine of 12 tournaments.
• Tiger Woods' 2008 season
» More Ryder Cup coverage

Tiger's future leads to a summer of speculation

Paul Azinger answered his phone during the final round of a U.S. Open that attracted a prime-time audience, the Ryder Cup captain among those camped in front of the TV.

A timely win for Kenny Perry

TAKES BIG STEP TOWARD MAKING RYDER CUP TEAM

Kenny Perry sat in a group with the rest of his U.S. teammates at the Presidents Cup three years ago, pouring out their hearts to captain Jack Nicklaus on how much he meant to them and how badly they wanted to win.

Azinger playing, but Ryder Cup captain's mind is on September

Paul Azinger didn't expect to see a large group of Americans lining up at the Sony Open to make small talk, pat him on the back or go out of their way to let him know how well they were playing.

Azinger willing to copy success

U.S. RYDER CUP CAPTAIN SAYS HE'LL SEEK INPUT FROM NICKLAUS AND PRESIDENTS CUP PLAYERS

By Doug F