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OT - Ryder Cup?

Posted By: Colin Owen
Date: Tuesday, 2 October 2012, at 4:04 a.m.

In Response To: OT - Ryder Cup? (Henrik Bukkjaer)

Henrik is clearly right. The fact is that winning the Ryder Cup outright is much better than tying it - and being declared still the holders of it on a pure technicality (because you won it the last time it was played, or drew that match yet won the one before it, and so on.) Surely a basic aim of sport is to win a match rather than draw it? Is that not considered more meritorious?

A similar principle is applied in boxing whereby, if a title match is drawn, the holder is defined as having retained his (or now her) title - just as if they had actually won the match. I always found it curious that, if it was deemed humane to hold this unquestionably brutal contest over 10, 12 or even 15 rounds, that there was not provision in such cases for at least one (or if needs be, possibly more) extra round, in order to obtain a true winner.

As for the notion that golfers should be conceding putts to each other when there was still something at stake, that seems to me to be totally at odds with the spirit of healthy competition. Just as, in athletics, cycling etc, you have to actually cross the finish line to be declared the winner - no matter how far ahead you may be - so it seems to me that golfers should have to hole out. (And Woods did miss.)

BTW, on my way to my local bg club (later today), I pass the burial ground of Mr Ryder.

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