Crieff pro David savours Ryder Cup action

Oct 10 2008 by Gordon Bannerman, Strathearn Herald

Crieff pro David savours Ryder Cup action

CRIEFF Golf Club professional David Murchie lapped-up a bird’s-eye view of the Ryder Cup action.

He handled duties as a referee’s observer over two days of the tournament and admits the frenzied Valhalla atmosphere was unique as a hyped-up home crowd got right behind their winning US team.

Now back at his Crieff base, he said: “It was a memorable experience.

“I was at the Ryder Cup at the Belfry six years ago but it was special being part of the event on American soil.”

He was on hand to back-up the referee in matches involving Jim Furyk and Kenny Perry against Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson, and Boo Weekly going head to head on the final day against Oliver Wilson.

“Boo is quite a character and he really had the Kentucky crowd geed-up. It was the noisiest I’ve ever heard golf fans.

“I know some people have been critical but if you think the Ryder Cup is like any other golf tournament you’re very wrong. It is very partisan but that’s what makes it so special.

“There were 40,000 Americans backing their country and they made plenty of noise. But I was inside the ropes and it was never hostile. They were well-mannered.

“It was a great tournament. The course wasn’t set up to catch out players. They didn’t hide away pins and bring in the fairways. It was designed to test the players but give them a chance to have a go in a match play situation.”

David rubbed shoulders with several of the European contingent flying into Louisville.

He said: “They had to secure special permission to land at Louisville because it’s not normally an international gateway. Usually the only sporting connections are horses being flown in for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.”

Referee observers were drafted in following some mysterious cases of balls flying into the crowd at previous tournaments only to find their way back onto the fairway.

David said: “I didn’t have a problem in that regard but I was also on hand to help the referee around landing areas in cases where balls landed in the water.”

A long-time chairman of the Scottish PGA, it was his role as a board member of the PGA that warranted the passport to the Ryder Cup.