Few figures in European golf embody the spirit of the Ryder Cup quite like Sam Torrance. A veteran player and the victorious captain in 2002, Torrance has experienced the competition from every angle: as a competitor, a leader, and now as an elder statesman offering candid perspectives.
In a wide-ranging conversation, he opened up about his toughest calls, unforgettable matches, the evolution of the Ryder Cup, and the next generation of stars poised to shape its future.
1. Looking back at your Ryder Cup captaincy in 2002, what was the toughest call you had to make?
Sam Torrance: Telling Olazábal that he wasn’t playing. Picking Jesper Parnevik over Olazábal was the hardest decision I ever made, and I hadn’t made it until 4 or 5 in the afternoon of the last counting event, when I had to announce it in Germany. I followed Ollie off the last green all the way back into the locker room. He wasn’t happy.
It took him a while to get over it, but I couldn’t pick him. I just couldn’t. And I picked Parnevik, who had won in America that year and he ended up tying up
with Tiger in the singles.
But who knows what Olazábal could have done. There’s noone with a bigger heart than Olazábal in the Ryder Cup. He was amazing. And he is amazing with the teams now. He’s incredible in the team room.
2. You obviously captained that year, but you also played in several Ryder Cups. Is there a single moment or match you look back on now and think, “That was just incredible”?
The famous ’85 match against Andy North. I was playing horrific. I topped my tee shot off the ninth and then hit it into the water to go three down with nine to play.
But then I think I birdied 10, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17 and 18. That meant more to me than
anything in my career at that time. Just fighting, never give up. Never. Ever.
3. Do you think Europe’s Ryder Cup model has evolved a lot since your era? Has the current model of captaincy become too elaborate or too corporate?
No, absolutely not too corporate. Not in the least. Not in any way, shape or form too corporate. With stats, you’re told them, but you don’t have to believe them. If they say, ‘If you’re two down 75%, 85% of the time you’re going to lose,’ to hell with that. If I’m two down, I don’t give a monkey’s what’s happened in the past, I’m fighting on.
I proved it in ’85 when I was three down. I think stats should be there for captains, to help them realize how good certain players are at certain aspects. But I can’t understand telling players their frailties, like ‘If you do this, you’re not going to win.’ To me, it’s just feel full steam ahead, feel
confident and play your game.
Stats are important and they’re great for the public to know who’s the best driver, best iron player, best bunker player. All these stats, they’re not opinions, they’re facts. I’ve got nothing against them whatsoever.
4. Looking ahead to future Ryder Cups, are there any young players you’d tip as potential game changers for Europe or America?
Ludvig Åberg has been fantastic. His first Ryder Cup, he hadn’t even played in a major, and he was top ten in the world. The man hadn’t even played a major. His future is fantastic for the Ryder Cup.
MacIntyre, who knows where Bob MacIntyre can go. He’s an exceptional player. He’s achieved some great things so far in his career. Who’s to say he can’t win at Portrush? There are plenty of them out there.
5. Keegan Bradley obviously has a pretty unique opportunity to potentially captain and play for the American Ryder Cup team. Do you think it could be a great advantage, or a recipe for chaos?
No, it’s 100% chaos! I don’t see it as even remotely possible to be a playing captain.
I 100% think the man should be in the team, but you can’t be making decisions halfway around a round while you’re playing.
You have to remember, on Friday and Saturday at 12 noon, both days, you have to have your pairings in for the afternoon four balls or foursomes, whichever they are. You can’t possibly do that if you’re in a match with five holes to go and you’re three up. ‘All right, I’ll put myself in, I’m playing.’ And then you lose four of the last five holes.
You’d be thinking, ‘oh no, what have we done there?’ No, it’s too important a role. He’s a fabulous player, I think he’s number seven in the world. He should be in the team. I’ve heard rumors that maybe he’ll pass the captaincy on to Jim Furyk.
Then he can voice all his opinions in team meetings and everything. But there’s just too much pressure, too much going on outside of playing, for the captain. You can’t do both.
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