COLUMN: A day in the life at the Ryder Cup

You know the excitement is real when a 4am alarm doesn't knock a pipe out of you. That Christmas morning feeling as a young lad, except this time you're hopping in an Uber to Grand Central to catch the 5.20am train to Farmingdale. At that hour, we later learned there were people already queuing to get into Bethpage. We barely got a seat on the train with all the fans, some of whom had already cracked cans. 

The travel organisation was good. Endless shuttle buses lining both sides of the road at the station ready to ship everyone to the front. The sun was just rising when we walked under the long red banner welcoming us to the 45th Ryder Cup at Bethpage Back in Long Island, a leafy suburb about 45 minutes outside of New York City. 

The vastness of the course was breathtaking. Massive. I had butterflies in my stomach as we approached – I couldn’t even imagine what it was like to be playing. We arrived around 6.15am and caught most players on the range, hitting balls. The practice area sat right at the front of the entrance. You got to see the players warming up on the chipping green, in the bunkers, on the range before they hit the course. Surreal to see them this close. The contact and ball flight through the air was unreal. You need to see these guys up close to understand how good they are compared to us weekend hackers. 

Our plan was to try and get to the grandstand on the first hole. But that was a distant fairytale by the time we got to the course. It was packed and from what we were told, mostly reserved for the more important. So we settled for a place behind the first green. As we walked down, a large plane with two fighter jets alongside pierced through the horizon and flew right above our heads completely unannounced, almost deafening us in the process and sending the crowd wild. 

‘Merica, hey. We thought at the time it might have been Air Force One. Turned out it wasn't. Either way, the sound of those jets would wake you up better than any cup of coffee.

RORY

Bryson DeChambeau was the first American out. The Americans love Bryson. Everyone was cheering him on as he attempted to drive the first green.

Rory McIlroy was in the third group out in foursomes. His drive, taking the same line as Bryson, hit just short of the fairway. Tommy Fleetwood stuck the approach to 10 feet and McIlroy was putting for Birdie. That's where we got the full experience of the heckling.

"F*** you Rory!" someone shouted, nonchalantly. Another gently reminded the Down man of what happened ‘on the 18th at Pinehurst.’ Rory sank the putt, but it was a sign of things to come.

It was evident they were really trying to get on Rory's back. It was like being in school again in one sense. Every time someone would shout out a dig or an insult at Rory and Co, the guy beside him would try and go one better. Push the line even more.

It must be said, 95% or maybe more of the American supporters were great fun. Easy going. But that 5% were incredibly obnoxious. Young white males between the ages of 25 to 35 primarily. All dressed the same. Khaki shorts, striped polo, and baseball hat. I know we shouldn’t stereotype, but facts are facts. 

The price point here is important to remember. $750 a ticket priced out a lot of supporters. Only certain people in America could justify it. 

READ MORE: Excitement builds as Mayo sides gear up for basketball season

MAYO JERSEY

Important to remember too, if anyone goes to the Ryder Cup, you should not be going there with the view of being able to see a lot of golf. 

Truth be told, it's not a good spectacle for watching the game. The crowds make it near impossible to get a good vantage point to follow a group around the course. You just have to find a place, burrow your way through, and hope for the best.

It only took us one hole to spot a man in a Mayo jersey. Between the first and second tee. A classic from the 2004 to 2006 era, worn by Martin Gannon from Ballinrobe. But there were all sorts of GAA jerseys there - Clare, Tipperary, Offaly, Meath, Cavan, Dublin - we stuck out like a sore thumb. 

We wanted to see Rory and Shane Lowry and they were ideally paired together for Friday’s Fourballs. We managed to do that in the second round and followed them from holes 2-4. The heckling continued. Lowry was being called a Teletubby, Bob McIntyre getting similar insults throughout the day. 

On the second fairway we struck up a conversation with a nice couple from North Carolina. The woman pointed out that New Yorkers are particularly rude by nature, as compared to people from her neck of the woods. 

FOOD AND DRINK

It was also there where we saw our second flyover. Four fighter jets flying in close formation, almost directly over our heads towards the grandstand as Star Spangled Banner rung run out. The sight was incredible.

Those four fighter jets flew towards the first hole where Donald Trump had escorted Bryson to the first tee. The roar that reverberated was incredible. He's a popular guy. New York is traditionally a liberal and Democrat state, but they lost their minds for him. As the scoreboard was turning more and more blue, the support of the home crowd shifted. 

Less towards their own players, who gave them little reason to encourage them it must be said. More towards the Europeans. Trying to rile them and put them off. Antagonise them. The household names took the brunt of it.

But overall the atmosphere was incredible. There was also free food, which was a nice touch. Take your choice of drinks, fruits, crisps, burgers, hotdogs. Whatever you wanted. We had a couple rounds at it. Complimentary bottled water stations popped up everywhere around the course.

Beer wasn't cheap though. $19 a can. But on a day like that, you pay it and drink it. The sun was out. It was hot. You're on your feet all day. It's tiring. Bethpage Black is hilly. There was also a lot of people talking about going to Ireland in two years' time for the Ryder Cup in Adare. 

OUT OF THIS WORLD

It was funny hearing American supporters talk about the Ryder Cup in Ireland as if Ireland is this mythical place they're going to be able to visit. JP McManus himself was walking inside the ropes, alongside Limerick manager John Kiely and fellow billionaire Dermot Desmond.

One could only wonder what it was like from their vantage point because the standard of play is truly out of this world. The manner in which they hit the ball is sensational. 

Seeing the likes of Jon Rahm, Justin Rose, Justin Thomas, Matt Fitzpatrick, Colin Morikawa and all these major winners within touching distance is a sight. Some people might think the Ryder Cup is overhyped. But it's only when you get there you realise the passion that's there. You don't hear the snide remarks at home, the heckles, the sledging from the TV, but it all adds to it.

Seeing McIlroy and Shane Lowry curse back into the crowd is totally understandable. That would wind anyone up. To say you've been there at the US Ryder Cup in New York to see Europe win is a pretty good way to finish it. A once in a lifetime experience.

I was sitting in JFK watching on my laptop as Shane Lowry’s winning putt rolled in. You could hear cheers down the hallway at Gate 2 of Terminal 7. The experience? Worth every penny. Even if you couldn't see half the golf. Bring on Adare.

READ MORE: Mayo GAA confirm county final dates in all three grades