Look away Team USA, arguably your most coveted supporter, Michael Jordan, is tipping against you at the Ryder Cup in Italy this week.
That is, if European captain Luke Donald is to be believed, after the Englishman revealed he met the NBA icon for dinner a few weeks ago.
“He tipped the Europeans to win. Take whatever you want out of that one,” Donald told The Guardian.
“He is a good friend. He would be very supportive of me having a great experience. I think, ultimately, he wants the US to win.”
Jordan’s obsession with golf, and the Ryder Cup, is a matter of public record. Opened in 2019, his golf club, The Grove XXIII in Hobe Sound, Florida, is the meticulously constructed embodiment of his passion for the game and his own private golf sanctuary.
It has hosted some of the American stars teeing it up at Marco Simone Golf Club this week, including Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas.
The duo are making their sixth and fourth appearances respectively at the biennial tournament in Rome, and Jordan has had a front row seat at all of their previous outings – and beyond.
“His Airness” has boasted perfect attendance at the Ryder Cup since making his debut as a spectator at Valderrama, Spain, in 1997, regularly spotted lauding or taunting players depending on their allegiance.
“He’s their biggest cheerleader and their biggest fan. He loves being there,” Jon Miller, longtime friend of Jordan and the man who helped him attend his first Ryder Cup, told Golf Digest in 2021.
“This is his special time. I don’t think there’s anything he loves – other than his family and his kids and stuff like that – that he cares about as much as this event.”
Jordan takes in the action from the stands during the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Course in Chaska, Minnesota. – Montana Pritchard/PGA of America/Getty Images
Jordan takes in the action from the stands during the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Course in Chaska, Minnesota. – Montana Pritchard/PGA of America/Getty Images
The streak ends
Jordan vowed that he would “never” miss another Ryder Cup, according to Miller, but that 12-event streak is set to be broken on Friday.
Donald said that he would not be behind the ropes at Marco Simone as “something had come up.”
It could well mean Jordan misses seeing something he has never before witnessed: Team USA tasting victory on European soil. Despite enjoying a triumph of historic proportions at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, in 2021, captain Zach Johnson and his 12-man American team cross the Atlantic seeking to end a miserable 30-year barren away run.
Not since 1993 has the US returned home with the trophy, when Tom Watson steered his charges to a 15-13 win over Bernard Gallacher’s European side at The Belfry in Warwickshire.
Jordan watched on as Europe defeated Team USA comfortably to clinch the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in Paris, France. – Adam Davy/PA Images/Getty Images
It’s a pressure Jordan would have undoubtedly enjoyed. Discussing his love for the Ryder Cup in a 2021 interview with current NBA great Steph Curry, Jordan admitted he would have preferred playing amid the hostility of a European setting.
“I love playing on the road. It seems as though your concentration level is much better,” he told the Golden State Warriors star, also renowned for his love of golf.
“You know you’re not expected to win so you can have the opportunity to prove the unknown. A lot of times when you play at home, you let your hair down, you get relaxed, you see more friends and family, you gotta worry about tickets and so many other different things.
“I always loved playing on the road because it minimized my thought process and I could focus on my craft. I would imagine if I was playing in the Ryder Cup, I would much rather play in Europe than play at home.”
Whether Jordan would actually be willing to tee it up however, is another question entirely.
“I stay in my lane,” Jordan laughed. “I don’t have the skillset to put myself in that environment.
“Now, if you tell me I’ve got a basketball in my hand, now that’s a different story. But if I had a golf club in my hand, there’s no way I can get comfortable to hit a 50-yard or 100-yard shot, not with all those people watching.”
Johnson, who suffered defeat three times on European turf as a player, is as acutely aware of Team USA’s travel struggles as any, but believes his side can finally stop the rot come Sunday.
“The European teams have been very stout, very good, very deep, and this year is no different,” the US captain told reporters Monday.
“It’s just difficult. I know what history says. I’m very aware of that. But at the same time, I can speak confidently and, talking to my team, these guys are ready and want to embrace that difficulty.
“The teams of the past are teams of the past. This is a new team with a new opportunity.”
News
Is Michael Jordan’s Era Over? Confirm Michael Jordan’s ‘Privilege’ but LeBron James Earns Higher Honor
Have you tried NBA 2K25 yet? Well, fans have been enjoying the game and the initial reviews seem pretty convincing. The movements are much smoother this time, with gamers pulling all sorts of ankle breakers and step-backs with their favorite…
Former LeBron James teammate is amazed James is still playing so well
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is 39 years of age and about to enter his 22nd NBA season. But judging by his level of play, one may not be able to tell if they don’t know any better….
When Michael Jordan ended an endorsement deal for this reason
MJ refused to extort money from a brand he no longer used. Michael Jordan’s stance on endorsing products was admirable from the start. Having attained unprecedented fame after his Air Jordan brand became a cultural hit, Mike understood the responsibility…
Terrence Ross is speaking the fact: “I don’t understand how one can put Michael Jordan ahead of LeBron James”
The opinion battle about the NBA’s GOAT continues with “experts” giving their unquestionable opinions. The dialectical battle for the GOAT of the NBA continues almost always with LeBron James and Michael Jordan as protagonists. It’s rare to see current players…
Kevin Harvick Discloses Being Shocked By Michael Jordan’s Advice That Changed His Mind
Michael Jordan often received flak for not attending races of his team, 23XI Racing. Although not every team owner is present at the racetrack on every race day, somehow the bar is set high for Jordan. And while a few…
LeBron James’ Wife Savannah James Makes Candid Admission
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James’ wife was not a fan of his free agency decision LeBron James stunned the basketball world in 2014 when he announced he was leaving the Miami Heat, where he won two championships, to return…
End of content
No more pages to load