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Crowd full of beer, eagles and vikings

By MIKE KEEGAN Sports News Correspondent at Whistling Straits

BY THE dawn’s early light, they could see — and hear — a Us ryder Cup crowd at its very best. With the first rays of sunshine gently creeping over the tranquil Lake Michigan horizon, the self-styled American Marshals — a group of grown men who wear viking hats (and who may well become very annoying over the coming days) — captured the moment perfectly.

standing at the front of a packed grandstand surrounding the first tee, they began to sing the Us national anthem. But this was not a chest-beating version. In keeping with the beauty of the surroundings, their tones were soft.

Close to 3,000 voices quickly joined them. All waved tiny stars and stripes flags in what was an understated yet uplifting start to proceedings.

It deteriorated slightly, with ‘comedy’ boos for the europeans when they approached the tee, but this was more pantomime than pestiferous. A nonraucous ryder Cup — at least for now.

In the midst of a wall of red, white and blue, there were some specks of blue and yellow. one of those in the overwhelming minority had quite a story to tell — and quite an understanding wife.

Ashley Pearson, a 40-year-old recruitment consultant from stevenage, was determined not to miss out, despite transport being forbidden from the UK to the Us. He hatched a plan which entailed a fortnight in Mexico to enable him to be here.

‘We got the tickets three years ago,’ he explained. ‘In June, we still were not allowed in, but my cousin who lives here said you can come in if you come from somewhere outside europe, like Mexico.

‘I looked at my wife, Jo, and said, “the money is going to kill us” but she said, “It’s your 40th, it’s your uncle’s 65th, your cousin’s retirement, it’s the chance of a lifetime. don’t let anything stop you”.’

However, disaster struck when, with non-refundable flights and hotels booked, the UK Government nudged Mexico from amber to red. Cue another phone call to Jo.

‘I told her I’ve got to stay in the states for 11 days afterwards to get back to england,’ he explained. ‘My cousin’s just moved to the beach in Florida, so we’re going there afterwards. What was meant to be a three-day golf event has turned into 28 days away from my wife and two kids.’

For the most part, support for the home team and barracking for the visitors was good-natured. there was an issue on the third tee, something said to spanish pair Jon rahm and sergio Garcia. American Justin thomas pointed out the offender to security. there were isolated offensive shouts. on the sixth green in the afternoon, Ian Poulter — watching his team mates — was greeted with ‘you’re not good enough to play two rounds’ by a rotund spectator who hastily pulled up his facemask when told to be quiet by the rest of the crowd. And at the end of a version of America The Beautiful, one moron shouted, ‘If you don’t like it, go home’, but the behaviour was mostly good.

the costumes — think Uncle sam, Founding Fathers and giant American eagles (left) — were manifold. Yet the prize for the biggest belonged to two men in giant, inflatable, sumo-style Us flags.

dan sarles and Ben Heavrin, the 45-year-old wearers, are graduates of illustrious Princeton, on a weekend away with pal and fellow Boston native John soriel, who sported a slightly more sedate stars and stripes navy blazer and bright red trousers.

‘there’s a battery keeping it inflated,’ explained sarles. ‘Going to the restroom is a 15-minute process but it’s worth it for the spirit of being here.’

Heavrin, clutching a can of beer, was in good form. ‘We had a couple of cocktails before dawn overlooking Lake Michigan,’ he said. ‘It’s great to be here with friends.’

RYDER CUP

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2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

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