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Show DAILY HERALD Tuesday. September 14. 2004 C7 GOLF RYDER CUP. Detroit royally 'Sir Walter' helped establish Ryder Cup Expect plenty of cheering, and not just for ca's first Ryder Cup team in 1927, Wal- John Porretto ter Hagen became the first golf prof THE ASSOCIATED PRESS at Oakland Hills, located in this affluent suburb 25 miles north of Detroit. By then, Hagen already had won the US. Open the first of his 11 major championships aiid was wen on his way to establishing himself as the world's best player of the roaring "20s. The princely Hagen went on to serve as raptain of the first six U.S. Ryder Cup squads, winning four times against BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich When Oakland HiDs was selected as the site of the 35th Ryder Cup matches, the PGA of America chose more than, one of America's golfing jewels. They selected e home of the man who the helped usher the competition into its present aay prorninence. Nine years before he captained Ameri the good shots one-tim- Doug Ferguson THE ASSOCIATED PRESS . -- , BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. Vqay Singh and Mike Weir provided a preview of the Ryder Cup, even though neither will be playing at Oakland Hills this week. There was deafening noise, so loud that Weir had to force a yawn to pop his ears when he got to the tee. The pressure was so great that Weir felt the weight of a nation riding on his every shot at the Canadian Open, where some 40,000 fans were eager to celebrate one of their own claiming the championship for the first time in 50 years. Crowds were so partisan that they could not stifle cheers when Singh missed a putt. "You understand that's part of it," Singh said after spoiling the party with his playoff victory Sunday. And that's a big part of the Ryder Cup, which gets under way Friday in a biennial match that transforms the sport from genteel appreciation of good golf to a football mentality of "Us versus Them." Ten players have no idea what to expect, as the United States and Europe each have five Ryder Cup rookies. All have heard the stories. Raucous cheering drowning out the groans amid Bern-har- d Langer's agony when he missed a putt on the final hole of the final match, allowing the United States to win in 1991 at Kiawah Island. Sam Torrance with arms raised after making the putt at The Belfry in 1985 to end U.S. dominance and give Europe its first victory in 28 years. And the scene no one wants repeated but everyone will never forget, when Justin Leonard holed a putt on the 17th hole at BrookHne five years ago that caused players to sprint across the green in celebration while the match was still in progress. , How intense does it get? The only thing that stands still is the shaft of the club, and that's before you take the club Masout of the bag," two-tim- e ters champion Jose Maria Olaz-abonce said. "Everything shakes hands, legs, thing. That's how it is. That's what makes it so special." Monday was as quiet as it will get afl week at Oakland JL qL w i ot mm deal with helping promote the Ryder Cup in the early years," Arnold Palmer, another former Ryder Cup captain, said in an interview with The Associated Press. "He was probably the most outgoing of all the golfers." In afl, he won roughly 75 tiles and is considered the first athlete to become a millionaire from competing at his sport "I never wanted to be a millionaire," Hagen once remarked. "I just wanted to live like one." Britain in the biennial matches. Hagen'i admirers say it's appropriate, if only coincidental, the Ryder Cup will be played at a dub that adopted the New York native more than 80 years ago. Hagen Irved for years at the Detroit Athletic Club and often attended Detroit Tigers baseball games. He is buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in suburban Detroit. "He was such a flamboyant andout-goin- g person, I think that had a great ..wJLJzx JL JL w a jM ill ft! al JL IfltU '' . K. . s mSSSm . i 45-fo- ot ' ; Llll : : . i ir 1 iJ I lil in al Hills. Fhfl Mickelson, who had his worst 72 holes of the year at the Canadian Open 291), ar- rived in the Detroit area Sunday night and was the first player at Oakland Hills on a day when the course was not opened to the public Jim Furyk and Fred Funk arrived later for some casual practice. The European team left Heathrow Airport in London aboard a Virgin Atlantic flight complete with beauty attendants to give them a massage and arrived just after 5 p.m. Monday. Langer, the European captain, cleared customs with the trophy in hand. "What is this you have here?" US. captain Hal Sutton said after greeting him. "Just a little something." Langer said. 'Well fight for it the next few days." The shiny gold trophy was passed around Airing the flight. "It was everywhere on the . plane," Langer said. "We took some memorable pictures. It was nice to have it in my ' m ncii niiEo ismm oiums to sco d The Oisccunted Sea Sams Seat for 1 , r last 10 matches, even though the Americans again look stronger on paper. One of his captain's picks, Luke Donald, won the European Masters two weeks ago for his second victory in two months. Padraig Harrington, the high- player in Europe, picked up his first victory of the year Sunday at the German - very C3-- b Pricrity iim .113 .111 noeles Lak Denver luogets Cleveland 1111 lew Chicago Bulls Houston Rockets... tail Suns . Miami Heat Portal Irail Blazers 128 .......21 ttartotte Bobcats..: 1124 lewMfoicks 1126 Minnesota 1130 Dallas Mavericks .121 .121 Boston Ceitics.... 27 ....211 .....223 Merwolves Atlanta Hawks Tiger Woods, who lost his No. 1 ranking two weeks ago -for the first time in five years, held a capcHe clinic about 20 miles from Oakland HiDs on Monday. Five of the American rookies , are hardfyfreshfaced kids. Kenny V They include Funk, , Perry and the both of whom played in the Presidents Cup in South Africa last year against an Internatjon- ' al team comprised of players -from everywhere in the world f i. except Europe. f ,;. ' - .''' Houston Rockets Portland Trail Blazers ............ ram:..... ........ 1227 1231 Los Angeles lakers Denver luisets seat for Washington Wizards 324 llilwaukee Bucks.. ........320 ....41 Golden State Warriors aiBDE POWER 18 home games against the toughest 113 Cleveland Cavaliers 110 Memphis Grizzles Detroit Pistons 1113 lew 1122 Orleans Hornets Hocston Rockets H1CH Minnesota limberwolves 211 Boston Celtics 225 Memphis Grizzlies 311 Milwaukee Bucks 326 ....122 Hornets. ...41 Golden State Warriors 120 .415 Minnesota limberwolves Small commitment Los Angeles Dippers -- ' big time thrills with this mini-pac- 1110 Seattle Supesonics 1124 Philadelphia 1130 San Antonio 121 1214 1227" 15 76ers...... Spurs... ............. 118 Memphis Grizzles 122 Minnesota limberwolves. 211 teams! .115 .122 .128 ... lew Jersey lets.'. ... . 71! ) -- 1 ..21 2J lewMbicks... 1126 .121 OrfarM:;ic. ........ ........ .121 SacramsntiCngs.'.....,......;. 1231 SateioSpis.. ............. .110 Miami 1120 Memphis Grizzlies. Orlando Magic . sr,e great :. 115 Pboenii Suns Ihe lew Orleans Cleveland Cavaliers PbiIaie!pbia7Eers.:.,.v...........1S ;i(!Hliif 25 1113 1231 lew Jersey lets .............. .. .....1210 Sacramento Kings thrills! .31 1214 Ccgs................ .............. NBA g 225 32 ... ......1210 Los Angeles dinners Sacramento .....122 lew Jersey lets 1122 Orleans Hornets. .115 Cavaliers....... Uemuhis Grizzlies 1113 . j"Masters. Get your weekend started with some 110 San Antonio Spurs. 4 1 CQLH WEEHEKD PACK See every team in the league this season and get the biggest savings. - I .an per has rea&on to believe his team can capture the Ryder Cup for the seventh time in the iter the ccir.teent tfca fclccsr the benefits. M mint fctfcfi;' la ftaysS ttti tail hosi E5c!i Ha FcncrrTi fml l!rr mm h czed Heat.... Minnesotaiiberwolves.... 211 Dallas Mavericks 23 Boston Celtics - Indiana Pacers. I Ml ...........225 .31 UL. 4 UJ U. |