When Jordan Comes Around, Fans Only Have E For Him

Ryder Cup players, surrounded by fans watching them warm up Saturday, were virtually abandoned when Michael Jordan showed up 50 yards away in front of the clubhouse.

Jordan raced up and kissed Barbara Bush on the cheek and shook hands with former President George Bush. Jordan flew in to support the U.S. team and former college schoolmate Davis Love III.

“I’ve only seen Davis and Freddie (Couples) and Brad (Faxon) and I’ve just seen Justin (Leonard),” Jordan said. “I’m here for moral support more than anything.”

“I’m a fan of theirs, I’m a fan of the game, I know the difficulty of the game,” said Jordan, who had a small American flag planted in the back of his golf cap. “Over here when you’re away from home, you need as much support as possible. I took a day off from a vacation with my wife - she let me come over for a day.”

No easy Ryder

Tense and tired. That’s how Swede Jesper Parnevik described his debut in the Ryder Cup, where he was the point leader with 1-1/2 points through two matches.

“I’ve never felt this tired ever playing golf,” said Parnevik, who played the opening foursomes and four-ball matches. “It’s almost like you’ve been skiing for two full days.”

And the pressure?

“The four-ball is quite all right, but there’s more pressure in the foursomes. You’re so used to making up for your own mistakes. All of a sudden you have a partner who has to take care of your garbage if you hit something bad.”

And playing for hands-on captain Seve Ballesteros?

“I’m sure Seve, if he could, would give a lot more advice than he is giving,” Parnevik said. “I think he’s biting his tongue a lot of the time. He would probably like to take everybody’s club if he could.”

Odds and ends

Jacques Santer, the president of the European Union Commission and one of the most powerful politicians in Europe, was politicking Saturday at the Ryder Cup. He admitted he’d never played and knew little about the game. David Wright, a member of the commission, explained the visit by saying, “This is the only team like this Europe has, so it’s a chance to come and lend support.” … Ryder Cup sponsor Johnnie Walker has put out 6,000 bottles of whiskey and 18,000 glasses for the three-day matches.