As a serious golf fan I was heartbroken by our team’s Ryder Cup loss. At the same time, I couldn’t be more proud of our Captain’s grace and class in the face of defeat. He represented our country and my favorite sport so well. His story, from Michael Jordan’s personal, inspirational gift to the team to his candid, behind-the-scenes recap of the strategy and the agony is truly special:
I spent 20 months getting ready for three days of golf. My shot as the U.S. Ryder Cup captain has come and gone. I feel a sense of satisfaction. I gave it my all. (My team gave it more.) I feel a sense of emptiness. (Losing stinks.) I feel a sense of pride. My team handled its 48 hours of prosperity without ever being cocky and handled its Sunday defeat with true graciousness. From start to finish, in good times and bad, José María Olazábal’s European team showed nothing but class. Golf is better now than it was last week.
Read the rest here. Hat tip, Don.