Ryder Cup Choice Not So Tough

By THOMAS BONK

Oct. 23, 1997 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Three weeks after losing to Europe and nearly two years until the next Ryder Cup, the PGA of America wasted no time Wednesday when it named Ben Crenshaw U.S. team captain for the 1999 matches.

Crenshaw, 45, a four-time Ryder Cup player, succeeds fellow Texan Tom Kite in the U.S. captain’s role for the 33rd edition of the biennial match-play competition.

Europe has retained or won the Cup five times in the last eight matches, including the last two. Kite’s squad lost, 14 1/2-13 1/2, last month at Valderrama Golf Club in Sotogrande, Spain.

“It’s an honor,” said Crenshaw, who was selected over such candidates as Curtis Strange, Larry Nelson and Hale Irwin.

Crenshaw may have his work cut out for him. The U.S. probably will be favored once again in the matches at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., but the favorite’s role hasn’t worked out too well for the U.S., which also lost in 1995 at Oak Hill in Rochester, N.Y.

Crenshaw acknowledged he will be under much scrutiny. “There’s pressure, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “We have felt the sting of losing the last two.

“It doesn’t completely debilitate you, but it stings the rest of your life.”

Crenshaw hardly reflects a radical change in the PGA’s approach to the personality required for the captain’s job, which Strange clearly would have represented.

Known as “Gentle Ben” for his easygoing style, Crenshaw comes close to matching Kite, whose demeanor came under fire after the defeat in Spain when contrasted with the volatile, hands-on philosophy of European captain Seve Ballesteros.

Crenshaw downplayed the captain’s personality issue.

“The American side has plenty of incentive this time,” Crenshaw said. “I don’t think I can heighten their senses any more, but we’ll be talking about that a lot.

“Sometimes I think ‘Gentle Ben’ is a misnomer . . . the toughest person you could conjure up, I don’t know if it would have any more effect [on the outcome].”

Crenshaw watched the events unfold at Valderrama on television and came away with the impression that Europe holds a clear advantage in at least one area: around the greens.

He said the short game is something he’s going to focus on. Crenshaw reasoned that if the U.S. players are able to make a few putts, the momentum can make all the difference in a close match.

“The ball has got to be rolling for you a little bit . . . and we haven’t seen enough of that.”

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Ryder Cup Captains

Ben Crenshaw joined the list of U.S. Ryder Cup captains after being named by the PGA of America on Wednesday to lead the 1999 team against Europe at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.:

Walter Hagen: 1927, ‘29, ‘31, ‘33, ‘35, ’37

Ben Hogan: 1947, ‘49, ’67

Sam Snead: 1951, ‘59, ’69

Lloyd Mangrum: 1953

Chick Harbert: 1955

Jack Burke Jr.: 1957, ’73

Jerry Barber: 1961

Arnold Palmer: 1963, ’75

Byron Nelson: 1965

Jay Hebert: 1971

Dow Finsterwald: 1977

Billy Casper: 1979