Aug 27

Ben Curtis Suffers a Setback for the Ryder Cup

As of right this moment, Ben Curtis is playing better golf than any of the eight automatic qualifiers for the U.S. Ryder Cup team and it’s not even debatable. Five weeks ago, he posted a 7th place finish in the howling winds at Royal Birkdale in the Open Championship. Three weeks ago, he finished one stroke out of a playoff for the PGA Championship on the incredibly difficult set up at Oakland Hills. Then last week he once again ended his tournament one shot out of a playoff in the first round of the FedEx Cup. All three of these tournaments have been against the strongest fields in golf. Only one American has finished higher that Curtis in any of them.

Unfortunately, in a few weeks at the Ryder Cup, he will be without the services of his regular caddie, Englishman Andrew Sutton. It seems that Sutton is pulling so hard for the European team that he cannot bear to help his man against them. This caddie has been with Curtis ever since he won the Open in 2003. I confess to the lack of information on the inner workings of their relationship but it appears as though it has been somewhat important to Curtis’ success. So for Ryder Cup week, he will borrow Tony Navarro, who regularly loops for Adam Scott.

One has no way of knowing how it will work out but the lack of the familiar could prove disastrous for the quality of Curtis’ play. One thing most everyone agrees on is to not change a thing when all is going well. However, should he play as well as he has recently but with a stranger on the bag, and under the most intense of pressures, Mr. Sutton could well find himself out of a lucrative job.

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Irish Eyes are Smiling on the Ryder Cup »

9 comments

§ Ron Mon® said on : 08/27/08 @ 20:25
That would make Sutton a massive Dick.
§ Shanks® said on : 08/28/08 @ 07:26
Kinda hard to believe, really.
§ Wendy (UK) said on : 08/28/08 @ 10:49
Maybe I'm naive, but I don't see why this would not have been an amicable decision.

I'm not sure how confident Curtis would feel with Sutton on his bag giving "advice" on putt lines and faking high fives?

I read that Sutton said "My idea is that Ben wins all his matches, has a great Ryder Cup, but Europe takes their pants down" (Ditto my exact feelings re Stewart Cink!).

Tony Navarro is not a stranger to Ben; he caddied for him at 2004 MATCH Play Championship (when Sutton was back in UK with new baby) and is an experienced Ryder Cup caddie as well, so a pretty good replacement.

Oh, and my husband and I are usually back on speaking terms the week after our opposing national teams play against each other.
§ Shanks® said on : 08/28/08 @ 10:56
I'm thinking that subconciously this will work negatively on Curtis' mind. He will start to wonder just how important his golf is to Sutton. We're talking about vocation here, not personal preference. My allegiance would be only to my man - if it were my job. Besides, they're not exactly dealing in military secrets. It is a game.
§ Ron Mon® said on : 08/28/08 @ 20:43
Lance Ten Broeck, a former USA tour player, caddied for Jesper Parnevik when P. was playing for the EURO side. LTB took it as the job it was, probably the only case where a Yank was less psycho-patriotic than a Brit. That's why I call Sutton a dick.
§ Oliver Sudden said on : 08/28/08 @ 23:48
If I were Ben, Andrew Sutton would never caddy for me again. He's nuts.
§ Shanks® said on : 08/29/08 @ 07:16
Nice pull, Ron Monster.
§ Wendy (UK) said on : 08/29/08 @ 15:55
We'll agree to disagree then. Are you so sure that it wasn't Ben who had the first reservations? They seem quite comfortable together today, however.

Well done, Ron Mon, but can't recall counter argument from memory & too much work to look for one. You're just sore about McGinley, aren't you?
§ Shanks® said on : 09/02/08 @ 07:18
No question, it was Sutton who begged off.