Satellite Guided Balls And Magnetic Cups May Tarnish US Ryder Cup Victory
Fresh after an emphatic victory in the 2008 Ryder Cup, Team US and Team Europe were embroiled in a row over allegations that the US team had help from above. Rumours had circulated all week that the US were suddenly playing out their skins and that their balls were doing strange things. The Europeans didn't appear to have the same balls as the Americans.
Magnetic Core Reveals Satellite Receiver
The Americans were using a magnetic core in the ball and closer study of the core showed it had some sort of satellite tracking device inside it. The hole cups have since been tested and have been found to have been magnetised.
Faldo was fairly diplomatic. "Looks like they cheated," he said. "When players like Boo Weekley finishes seven under as did Kenny Perry then you have to question what's going on," added the popular captain.
Many Marshalls around the course were seen to be holding satellite receivers and when they heard USA USA USA from the tee, they suddenly switched them on in order to assist wayward shots. USA, it now transpires, is code for Use Satellite Assistance. The ball then locked on to a signal which could guarantee the ball would be within a few feet hole, according to makers of the system.
Dirty Tricks
Once the ball was putted, the magnet in the ball was attracted to the magnetised cup. Putts that seemed to be veering way left or right suddenly started curving towards the hole and were going in. This didn't apply to European putts which happily sailed on by the hole.
It's always been an open secret that Tiger Woods uses some form of technology to assist with his game.
Sergio Garcia and Padraig (pronounced Paul) Harrington claimed the technology would have helped their game although a swift kick up the a*se would have sufficed. "Me and Paddy were great before we arrived here. There was some weird stuff going on out there. We were poles apart," said Sergio in broken Spanish.
Ian Poulter had no such trouble but it is suspected his flamboyancy may have interfered with the satellite receivers.
Don't Thank Me, Thank The Satellite
US captain Paul Azinger played down the controversy: "Nick's a tool."
Faldo, thinking this was the Paralympics, has asked for the whole event to be played again. The Ryder Cup Committee have agreed and it will all be replayed in two years time, in Wales, but with a different European captain. Faldo has claimed a moral victory.
Faldo, thinking this was the Paralympics, has asked for the whole event to be played again. The Ryder Cup Committee have agreed and it will all be replayed in two years time, in Wales, but with a different European captain. Faldo has claimed a moral victory.
