John Feinstein captures terror, memorable moments of Ryder Cup in his new book
While author John Feinstein was doing research at the 1993 Ryder Cup in England for his first book on golf, A Good Walk Spoiled, he came upon an idea for his second book on golf.
A tome on the Ryder Cup.
More than 20 years passed before Feinstein tackled the subject head on. The result is the richly detailed and entertaining The First Major: The Inside Story of the 2016 Ryder Cup. The title doesn’t do the book justice, for Feinstein deals with the entire history of the biennial clash between the U.S. and Europe.
From the maiden battle in 1927 through the raucous and spirited three days in the autumn of 2016, when the Americans won for just the second time in eight contests, Feinstein takes the reader inside the ropes, into the team rooms and within the minds of those involved in the Ryder Cup past and present.
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He also provides interesting and worthwhile background on the players and both captains in 2016 — Darren Clarke and Davis Love III — by taking the reader to other tournaments and events that helped shape them and prepare them for the latest edition of the Ryder Cup.
“I’m a big believer in detail and background. Detail is what I do,” Feinstein said. “I take the term reporter literally. I have access to help the reader. I’m very source dependent. I needed people to come through for me.”
Did they ever. Feinstein gathered more than 100 hours of interviews from roughly 75 men and women involved in the tussle at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn., and past Ryder Cups, including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Paul Azinger. Not a word is wasted, which isn’t surprising considering The First Major is Feinstein’s 38th book, 25 of them non-fiction.
In 303 pages, Feinstein captures the intensity, the flavor, the pomp and all the circumstance that is what the author calls the biggest event in golf.
“Terror is a real emotion in the Ryder Cup,” wrote Feinstein, who just wrapped his latest book — a kid’s mystery at Augusta National Golf Club — and is currently working on a book about playing quarterback in the NFL.
Or as European Ryder Cup stalwart Ian Poulter put it in the book: “It’s not just electrifying, it’s someplace out there beyond electrifying.”
The only thing wanting for the reader is another 100 pages or so, which Feinstein certainly could have delivered.
“My biggest problem as a writer has always been to figure out what to leave out. And that’s always good, because when I’m writing, if I’m hitting the word count every 15 minutes, I haven’t done my reporting,” Feinstein said. “If I’m writing and I look and see I’ve written 2,000 words in the last hour, then I’ve done my job. And this book was like that.”
There are many fascinating moments Feinstein captured, including Rory McIlroy’s harrowing ride in 2012 when the local police officer at the wheel took side streets and even drove on sidewalks to get the Irishman to the first tee on time for his singles match. Or when Rickie Fowler went all Freddy Krueger in 2010 by hiding in a box.
The bulk of The First Major, however, deals with the buildup and then the week of the 2016 clash won by the U.S., 17-11.
How the death of Arnold Palmer on the eve of Ryder Cup week impacted the event. How an on-air verbal battle between Golf Channel analysts Brandel Chamblee and David Duval lit a fire under the U.S. team. Why Love screened calls from assistant captain Tiger Woods. Why Phil Mickelson said his favorite moment from the week was Jordan Spieth’s speech to the team.
And how a dirty joke told by Woods calmed Patrick Reed before his epic singles match against McIlroy. And how Reed almost broke Spieth’s hand.
There is great insight into the formation fueled by Mickelson of the panned task force that has led to wins by the U.S. in the 2015 and 2017 Presidents Cup and the 2016 Ryder Cup.
“We know we were going to get crucified if we don’t win,” Mickelson said before the matches, in large part because of the task force.
And there was the golf itself, including the singles matches between Reed/McIlroy and Mickelson/Sergio Garcia. And when it was all over, Love delivered one of Feinstein’s favorite moments from all his work for the book.
“I do remember vividly Davis saying, ‘At least we gave you a happy ending,’” Feinstein said.