Ryder Cup: Coltart backs European stars to enjoy ‘banter’

The Scot has experienced the ugly side of playing in front of an American crowd desperate to see the home team come out on the top in the biennial bout.

He was a member of the European side at Brookline in 1999 and lost a ball in his singles match against Tiger Woods, claiming afterwards that on-course marshals had sent him and his caddie, Ricci Roberts, to look in the wrong spot.

“I’m not sure someone stood on it,” said Coltart at the time. “But it was half under the ground just off the fairway, maybe 20 yards from where they sent us to look. It’s hard to lose a ball in a tournament, never mind a Ryder Cup, but it happened.”

Now retired from tournament golf, the former Walker Cup player is back at a Ryder Cup this week working as commentator for Radio Five Live and admits he’s keeping his fingers crossed that it passes without any unsavoury incidents.

“The atmosphere will probably be similar to Brookline, given that Chicago is a sporting city, but I’d like to think lessons have been learned over the past 13 years,” said Coltart.

“I’d love to think there will be tremendous banter between both sets of fans and both sets of players. However, I don’t think there will be a repeat of the show of over-exuberance that we saw at Brookline, where  players just lost it.”

Two of Coltart’s team-mates in Boston were compatriot Paul Lawrie – back in the European ranks this week for the first time since then – and Jose Maria Olazabal, the visiting captain in Chicago.

“I think Paul is going to be very under-rated in this Ryder Cup,” predicted Coltart. “People who maybe don’t know him would have him down the list in terms of being one of the strongest European players, but I’d have him in the top half.

“Because of the strong and determined character he is, he won’t be fazed by anything or fear anyone. He has been in great form as well.

“Also, do you really think that Paul has forgotten that [American captain] Davis Love said the 1999 Open at Carnoustie got the champion it deserved when Paul won? Olly knows what he’s getting with Paul, having seen the same qualities I did in 1999.”

As for Olazabal, Coltart reckons the Spaniard will make such a good captain that the European Tour might be forced into reversing its policy for recent matches by also appointing him for Gleneagles in 2014.

“I think Olly will be as good a captain as you can possibly get,” he said. “Indeed, from my own experience and having listened to what other people have said about him, I’m going into this Ryder Cup thinking it’s a shame that Olly can’t be captain for three or four matches.

“He’ll create an atmosphere in the team room where the hairs on the back of people’s neck will be standing up. The guys will be ridiculously pumped up as he will provide them with a verbal drug that will put them on such a high and have them all pulling as one.

“It will be relaxed, at the same time, but the determination Olly will have is going to be tremendous. I think he is going to be one of the great Ryder Cup  captains.”