04.09.06
Hell might very well have no fury like a woman scorned. But Thomas Bjorn came pretty close on Sunday night.
Reeling from the wretched discourtesy of learning about his Ryder Cup rejection on television in his hotel room, the fiery Dane responded with a critique of Europe's captain that was simply unprecedented in its ferocity.
"Ian Woosnam's captaincy has so far been the most pathetic that I have ever seen in my life," he said. With one simple sentence, Bjorn detonated the most explosive condemnation of one pro about another that I've heard in 23 years of writing about golf.
There was an awful lot more. Bjorn is so disillusioned by Woosnam's captaincy that he cannot even contemplate watching the Ryder Cup at the K Club on television. This, remember, is a man who flew to America for the last match simply to help out.
"I wish all 12 players the best of luck, I really do, but I'm hoping they win in spite of the captain," he said. "He has really gone down in my estimation. He is certainly no friend of mine. He has put a lot of players through a lot of misery simply because he is incapable of doing the right thing."
How could matters sink so low in a European camp that was always known for its unity? How could Bjorn feel so alienated, given that he is a member of the European Tour's players' committee, a deeply-respected pro who cares as much about European golf as anyone?
Certainly his comments cannot be lightly dismissed as the rantings of a temperamental sportsman pushed to the edge by failure, caught in the heat of the moment when his disappointment was at its height.
Halfway through Sunday afternoon, Bjorn, surrounded by a phalanx of journalists, looked me in the eye and invited me to ring him later for his 'strong views'.
He clearly had something on his mind that had been festering for some time. Those strong views lift the lid on the odd nature of the Woosnam captaincy to date and a bizarre lack of communication that has left many players wondering what on earth is going on.
While Bjorn was learning his fate on television, Lee Westwood was doing his nut on a plane back from Munich, wondering why no-one had rung him to let him know whether he was in the team or not.
What must rookies like Johan Edfors and Carl Pettersson be thinking: two more who no-one bothered to ring up to commiserate with?
In America two weeks ago, Jose Maria Olazabal was plainly mystified as to why his captain hadn't spoken to him for six months. Luke Donald, a certainty for the team from the moment the last match finished, played with the captain for the first time in Germany last week.
Bernhard Langer, mastermind of Europe's record-breaking victory two years ago, is yet another wondering why Woosnam has never taken him to one side. How can you be captain and speak to so few people?
Bjorn said: "There are plenty of people who are very uneasy about the Woosnam captaincy. A lot more stories will come out in the next few weeks and months."
No-one tried harder to make this team than Bjorn. He scored higher than Westwood, his main rival for a wild card in every category you care to mention: world ranking, order of merit placing, current form, tournament wins this year, Ryder Cup ranking points and Ryder Cup winning percentage.
That still didn't preclude Woosnam from using his captain's prerogative and picking Westwood, of course. That is the sort of hard decision captains sometimes have to make.
But, at the very least, it should have warranted a phone call from the captain before the public announcement to explain his reasoning. That is just plain, common decency. "I'm another one he basically hasn't spoken to for six months," said Bjorn.
After hanging about for two hours after his round in the vain hope that someone would tell him something, Bjorn was eventually cornered later that evening by Woosnam in the hotel bar. "He gave me 20 seconds of his time," said Bjorn. "That just about sums him up."
Woosnam admitted that Bjorn was an "unhappy camper" when they met, before adding the astonishing rider: "I hope we can have a few beers when it is all over."
Shouldn't you be having a few beers with an intelligent, progressive thinker like Bjorn before the match rather than after?
What makes this lack of communication especially bizarre is that no-one screamed louder than Woosnam when he thought Seve Ballesteros wasn't telling him what was going on during his captaincy at the 1997 Ryder Cup at Valderrama.
So what is happening? Perhaps Sunday night's televised announcement of the two wild-card picks offered a clue. Has any man holding public office ever looked so uncomfortable when asked to speak?
It was hard not to feel sorry for Woosnam as he struggled to muster a single coherent sentence. But why take on the job if you hate being a communicator that much?
At one point Woosnam had a dig at Langer for having the temerity to speak to Tom Lehman when the American captain approached him. What was he supposed to do — ignore him?
If Woosie had bothered to speak to Langer he would have discovered that, in fact, the German held back a lot of advice that might have proven especially useful to the American.
What makes matters worse for Woosnam in the busy days ahead is that he is up against a natural communicator in Lehman, the most impressive captain America has fielded since Tom Watson in 1993. Later this month Woosnam is going to have to give Press conferences every single day for a week. What on earth is that going to be like?
In the meantime, Bjorn tries to pick up the pieces of a shattered career. "Let me say first of all that no-one has more respect for Lee Westwood than me," he commented.
"He is a great golfer, a great guy, and I'm proud to call him a friend. But the facts are there for everyone to see. He hasn't scored better than me in a single category, and so you have to come to terms with a decision that makes absolutely no sense.
"If Carl Pettersson had been selected ahead of me then I would have had no complaints. How could you argue with what he has done, given two wins in America this year?"
What about the fact Westwood has won twice at the K Club while Bjorn, leading by four going into the last day, once shot a final round 86? Couldn't the demons he talked about at the time return?
"When you're playing in the Ryder Cup, you're not thinking about the course," argued Bjorn. "I'm no great fan of Valderrama or The Belfry but I did pretty well in my two Ryder Cups on those venues.
"I have had an awful lot of ups and downs in my career. There was the 2003 Open at Sandwich and the bad final round at the K Club. Everywhere I went people told me to get back on the horse and that is what I did and I'm proud of the way I've turned my career around.
"But this is the hardest thing to deal with, because of the terrible way it has been handled and because it just doesn't add up."
The one consolation for Woosnam is that this one-man demolition of his reign will be forgotten if Europe win. Half the team wanted to strangle Seve in 1997 but it was all lovey-dovey once the trophy was in their hands.
But as well as handing out the inevitable fine to Bjorn for his comments, there is an obvious conclusion to be drawn.
The role of Ryder Cup captain is too complex in the modern era to simply give it to a great player as a reward for his achievements.
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