The First Major: The Inside Story of the 2016 Ryder Cup

by John Feinstein

The rivalry between the U.S. and European teams was at an all-time high even before the first swing of the 2016 Ryder Cup. The Americans had lost an astounding six out of the last seven matches. With the U.S. team out for revenge and the Europeans determined to keep the Cup out of American hands, the showdown took place in Hazeltine, Minnesota—just days after the death of golf legend Arnold Palmer. It became one of the most raucous and heated face-offs in the Cup’s history.
 
Award-winning author John Feinstein takes readers behind the scenes, providing an inside view of the dramatic stories as they unfolded, including the assembly of veteran Phil Mickelson’s superb team, the intense match between European superstar Rory McIlroy and American Patrick Reed that almost came to blows, and the return of Tiger Woods. Throughout, Feinstein vividly illustrates why the Ryder Cup has become golf’s most intense and emotional event.

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction, History, Audiobook

336 pages, Paperback

Published September 4, 2018

About the author

John Feinstein was an American sportswriter, author, and sports commentator.

Reviews

[Ang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Feinstein, with numerous anecdotes and player stories. You really feel like you're there. (I also REALLY appreciate that Feinstein doesn't even attempt to go shot-by-shot, which would be complete overkill.)

This is something I feel comfortable recommending to anyone who likes reading about golf, and perhaps even people who just appreciate reading about sports in general.

Thanks to the publisher and to Edelweiss for the ARC.

[Ethan Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was in depth in so many ways and told history not only about the Ryder cup but most of the players paths to this specific cup. I loved the parts about the “most famous matches in history” and the behind the scenes thought with so many important decisions.

[Don Gorman · Rating 2 out of 5]

(1 1/2). Warning: This book is for golf nuts only! I have read many of Feinstein's previous works and I thought this was one of the weakest yet. I kindly rounded it up to two stars just because I do respect him as an author. The first half of this book, on the history and more in depth on the immediately previous Ryder Cups is pretty damn boring. Almost all of the "inside" information are situations or circumstances that have been pretty widely publicized and fairly common knowledge for golf afficianado's (like me). When we finally get to the 2016 event, Feinstein hits his stride, and the book becomes much more fun. Either way, this is a book you can easily ignore.

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

What started as a relatively friendly competition between groups of professional golfers in the United States and Europe, the Ryder Cup, has become one of the most emotional and pressure-packed events in golf. The 2016 edition was no different and the entire competition, as well as the history of the event, is captured in this book written by best-selling author John Feinstein, who is a very respected author on the sport.

Having read every book for an adult audience that Feinstein has written, I opened the book with very high expectations. The first half of the book was very informative as it gave a very good account of the history of the Ryder Cup as many legendary golfers on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean have competed in the competition. Some golfers have performed better on this stage than the tourneys in which a golfer’s own individual score is his only concern, not that of a team. An example of a player with this reputation is Colin Montgomery, an outstanding European Ryder Cup player. Feinstein shares the story of the Ryder Cup through descriptions of stories of Montgomery and many others who have gone through the joy and the agony of the tourney.

As a reader, I found this part of the book a little difficult to follow. One reason is that when something takes place at a past Ryder Cup, the year isn’t given but instead the location such as Gleneagles (2014) or Medinah (2012). Until I got used to this, I had to frequently look back to find out what year that particular incident took place. Also, the pace of these stories, while fascinating and entertaining (especially the Phil Mickelson press conference at Gleneagles), was fairly slow.

However, once the book shifted from the history of the competition to the actual 2016 Ryder Cup played at Hazeltine in Chaska, Minnesota, then the writing was pure Feinstein magic that his fans like me have come to know and love about his books. Even though I knew who won the tournament, it read like a gripping drama, complete with great golf, emotional speeches by the players, unruly fans and eventually a championship won in which the winners were elated and the spirits of the losers were deflated. I look at this ending like a round for a golfer who struggled on the front nine, but once he or she made the turn, the shots were going straight and the putts were finding the cup. The writing about the actual tournament was so good, if it were the golf round described above, Feinstein would have been threatening to shoot under 30 on the back nine.

Golf fans and fans of Feinstein’s work will want to add this book to their libraries as it is another work in the long line of excellent golf books by the author. If the reader has not heard of Feinstein, this is an excellent introduction to his writing.

I wish to thank Doubleday Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

http://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/201...

[Sean McBride · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved reading about this subject as we close in on the last few weeks of the Fed-Ex cup playoffs. Feinstein is a spectacular storyteller, as he brings the tale to life; highlighting stories of each of the players in the Ryder cup and how they rose to that occasion. The largest detraction I have is that he retells stories (for example how Phil Michelson and his wife assisted Darren Clarke after he recently lost his wife to cancer) multiple times. The text was so close on some of these locations that I thought I had purchased a mis-printed copy of the book, and was in fact re-reading a section I already read. Other than that the book is spectacular. I learned more in this book about the players than in any other golf book I've picked up.

[Lmjoslyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It starts out slow. There is a lot about older Ryder cups. When he starts with Arnold Palmer death, it picks up and is fascinating.

[Rhiannon Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow I couldn't put this down! Great history of the Ryder Cup, players, and the drama. The best sporting event I've ever been to and it captures the behind-the-scenes perfectly.

[BHarder · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of Feinstein's best. A must read for any golf fan. You will never watch the Ryder Cup competition the same way again.

[Bill Pence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy John Feinstein’s books, especially his books on golf. His books are always detailed and entertaining. I listened to the audiobook version of the book, which was well-read by Feinstein.
The Ryder Cup is my favorite event in golf. Golf is usually a solo sport, but for the Ryder Cup, players join together every two years as a team with others they normally compete against on a weekly basis. The author refers to it as golf’s first and best major. In 2016, there was tremendous pressure on the United States to win, having lost 8 of the previous 10 Ryder Cups to Europe. The situation had become so desperate for the U.S., that a Ryder Cup Task Force (something the European players found humorous), was formed.
The author covers some Ryder Cup history, beginning with the first competition in 1927 at Worcester Country club in Massachusetts. The matches are named after English businessman Samuel Ryder. For many years, the U.S. dominated the matches, which pitted the U.S. vs. Britain. It was Jack Nicklaus who suggested that the British Ryder Cup be expanded to an European team, to make the matches more competitive. And now, Europe had been dominating the U.S. and the Ryder Cup had become big business. All of this led to the pressure on the U.S. to win in 2016, especially since the Ryder Cup matches would be hosted on U.S. soil
Davis Love, who captained the U.S. team in 2012, when they had a Sunday collapse in the singles matches and lost the Cup, was named the captain for 2016. Darren Clarke would captain the European team. The matches were held September 30 – October 2, 2016 at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, not far from Minneapolis.
From the beginning, the author writes that Love made it an “Us vs. Them” situation. He stated that the 2016 U.S. team was one of the best ever assembled. He was confident. Clarke on the other hand, would be missing some key players, notably Ian Poulter, who had been excellent in Ryder Cup play. Europe would send no less than five Ryder Cup rookies into the matches.
As always, the author gives us interesting insights into the players, captains and vice-captains, the latter of which included Tiger Woods. Some of the things I found most interesting were:
• Phil Mickelson’s criticism of 2014 captain Tom Watson and 2004. Hal Sutton.
• Matt Kucher’s role as a trickster, keeping the team loose. He also played an important part in the team meeting on the Saturday night before the singles matches. He asked everyone to be prepared to share what they were thankful for. Brandt Snedeker shared a reading by Chuck Swindoll on attitude that I have always appreciated. Most of the room was in tears, and this really served to bring the team together before going out on Sunday.
• The dispute between Brandel Chamblee and David Duvall on The Golf Channel, with Duvall sticking up for the U.S. players.
• 2016 Masters Champion Danny Willett’s brother Pete’s article, criticizing the U.S. team and its fans. Coming on the eve of the games, that led to a lot of fan criticism of Willet. Fan behavior, often fueled by the consumption of alcohol, was an issue during the matches.
• Bubba Watson, after being informed that he would not be getting a captain’s pick, asking Davis Love if he could still come to Hazeltine and help the team. Love was stunned, but gladly named him a vice captain.
• Jordan Spieth’s inspirational speech to the U.S. team the night before the matches began.
Arnold Palmer’s death hung over the beginning of the 2016 Ryder Cup. His golf bag from the 1975 Ryder Cup, when he served as captain, was placed on the first tee during Friday’s opening session to honor Palmer.
The author provides a detailed account of each day of the 2016 Ryder Cup. The U.S. went up 4-0 Friday morning. Europe cut it to 5-3 by the end of Friday matches. Europe was down 3 points going into Sunday’s singles matches. Patrick Reed took Rory McElroy in an excellent first match, setting the tone for the U.S. win. The would win the singles matches 7 ½ - 4 ½, and the 2016 Ryder Cup 17-11. It was the first win since 2008 at Valhalla, and their most lopsided since 1981, when they won by 9 points. They never trailed during the 2016 Ryder Cup.
This is a book golf fans will truly enjoy.

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit repetitive, but still a great insider view on the process and the players.

[Tom Gase · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually never watch golf on television. I play it a little but more than anything I love reading about it. The best at writing about it seems to be John Feinstein, who is one of my favorite writers ever.
This is the 26th book I've read by Feinstein (I've even read four of his young adult books) and the eighth book on golf I've read by him. And seven of those have been very good! (See Open, A Good Walk Spoiled, Caddy for Life).
I came into this book not knowing too much about the Ryder Cup or its history. This book takes the reader through the history of the Cup, which is a golf tournament played by players from the United States against players from Europe. For years the U.S. dominated, but recently Europe has dominated. This book is the story of the 2016 Ryder Cup, which came two years after a dissapointing loss on the U.S. side in 2014.
Feinstein takes the readers where few people can go and gets inside the lives of golfers such as Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Patrick Reed, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Tiger Woods (to an extent), Tom Watson, Darren Clarke, Davis Love III, and many more.
I won't give away what happens in this tournament where emotions ran high. If you like books about golf you'll love this. If you like reading John Feinstein you'll also enjoy this. Not one of his very best (that's tough to beat when you have written A Civil War, Season on the Brink, A March to Madness, The Punch, Legends Club and A Good Walk Spoiled, but I'd put this one in his second tier of good books.

[Brent Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

National pride is always a strong driving force for athletes, especially when it comes against worthy foes whose claim to a pastime is stronger than to one's own. This is especially true in golf, where the originally European game has long been dominated by American stars, the Ryder cup in recent years has become in many ways a bastion of European dominance. Exploring an iconic Ryder Cup for the Americans, John Feinstein takes a look at the reason for the regression of the American teams from dominant steamrollers to regular doormats in the increasingly competitive event, and what was done to make a change and reform the American team in a fashion in which it could reclaim the price of the cup. He takes you into the minute discussions, dialogues, and politics of managing the team, and the events for both squads that shaped this critical and key moment in the series between the American and European teams.
Feinstein is very hit or miss for me, sometimes providing valuable and unique insights, and sometimes providing meandering and dull recollections. Fortunately, I found this to be in the category of the former. His exploration of the personalities at the heart of the Ryder Cup on each team, what made them who they are and the impact they had upon the game is fascinating, especially to someone like me, a casual golf fan with a mostly passing knowledge of the game. This is a very entertaining and manageable read exploring a seminal moment in golf history, which I recommend to any fan or casual observer of golf.

[Sean Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Feinstein's work, as a general rule, and this book really wasn't an exception. If I was underwhelmed at all it was perhaps because I knew the outcome of the matches from 2016, if not all the anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories (which, I suppose, is why I enjoy these books so much). Some of the stories are amusing, while others are surprising and many are sprinkled with candor not often afforded to the media in general by pro athletes. The tone of the book at times baffled me though, as if Feinstein was trying NOT to sound too pro-USA (which would have been understandable). Phil Mickelson, for example, is lauded by many throughout... it is without question that he is a great player, but he sounds an awful lot like a whiny, pampered athlete in the book, with an excuse for every one of his losses or shortcomings. Perhaps this is just a perception. All in all, this was an interesting read, thrown into even more interesting relief by the pummelling the European team administered to the US team in the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris, which can lead golf fans to wonder whether 2016 was a blip (like Brookline) or perhaps the start of a new home-course advantage dominance by both sides.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, quick read. I live 15 minutes from Hazeltine and have played the course on a handful of occasions. That made the book more interesting to me. Feinstein told the story well, though some parts/stories were repeated a second time -- some more editing would have been good.

I learned why Phil is a polarizing guy: he can be a charismatic guy, but he can also have zero self-awareness. The fact that Phil still doesn't take responsibility for he and Tiger playing so poorly in so many Ryder Cups tells me about all I need to know about Phil.

Not surprisingly, my favorite guy on tour, Jordan Spieth, comes out looking even better than I though of him before reading the book.

As for McIlroy and Reed, the jury is still out on those guys for me. A lot of the time, Rory seems like a quality dude. Then other times, he seems like the egotistical, only child, prodigy that he is.

[Peter McGinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a golfer or even a fan, The most I can say is that sometimes I will watch some of the final round of a tournament if there seems to be some down to the wire tension. And sometimes I will read a book on golf.

This book was interesting, if a bit too thorough for me. He talks about people involved in the recent history of the Ryder Cup, which leads us down many rabbit holes of personal stories and details of the events leading to this one. The level of detail and side stories perhaps contributed mightily to my perception that when he finally gets around to describing the 2016 Ryder Cup, he seems to give it short shrift and we whizz right through it. But it is well-written and recommended for golf fans.

[Tupelodan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very engaging book about 2016 Ryder Cup. Lots of excellent background and Cup history. John Feinstein is one of the best of a dying breed of sportswriters who gets out of the way and just tells the story. And it’s a great story.

That said, the book could have used a bit more editing. It got a little “loose” in some places. Also, there are some good photos but they’re just kind of thrown in there. No order at all. And as difficult as it would be to compile, an index would have been nice — for reference to some of the less familiar characters.

All that aside, The First Major is excellent. And it’ll make the 2018 Ryder Cup even more interesting.

[Karli Eller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very quick read about the 2016 Ryder Cup, with a ton of backstory on the history of this storied event. Feinstein did his research and it was interesting to hear anecdotes from previous Ryder Cups as well as the one in 2016 told from so many different perspectives (from the top U.S. players as well as from the top European players). Perfect book for me since I watch so much of this event on t.v. every two years. Getting to read behind the scenes stories about that weekend was great fun. Perfect for anyone who follows golf closely.

[Mark Edlund · Rating 4 out of 5]

Golf - I have always enjoyed Feinstein's books. His inside stories about being "inside the ropes" are fascinating. This is the story of the 2016 Ryder Cup which the Americans HAD to win to save their golf pride. Feinstein writes about the team selection, previous train wrecks (Mickelson's rant about Watson) and the fact that American golfers cannot really play as any sort of team.
Canadian references - Graham Delaet plays Speith in the President's Cup; mention of a Canadian golf tournament and the use of a Babcock quote to the Canadian Olympic Hockey team.
No pharmacy references.

[Christopher DuMont · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book - but not nearly as much about the actual 2016 Ryder Cup as I would have expected. The first 2/3 of the book are about everything leading up to 2016 and only the last 1/3 are about the actual event and matches. It is still interesting and the whole concept of the Ryder Cup and how it has exploded is a great topic. The number of stories that Feinstein brings to the table are outstanding and there is a level of insight he has been able to gain through his connections from the Tour. Definitely a great book to read right before the 2021 Ryder Cup.

[Steve B · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love golf, and I do, you will enjoy Feinstein's 'The First Major' - a book about the 2016 Ryder Cup played at Hazeltine CC in Chaska, Minnesota. It is a typical Feinstein book. He goes into detail about the history of past Ryder Cup competitions, the personalities, the struggles and successes of the the players. Feinstein is the master of anecdotal history and this is no exception. He brings the Ryder Cup alive for the reader and is objective in his treatment of both the Americans and the Europeans. It was fun to read especially with the 2023 Ryder Cup only a couple of months away.

[Deacon Garland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great overview of the Ryder Cup and how important it is. In this book it talks about the start of the Ryder Cup to the most recent and I think it does a good job at covering all of the big moments. I enjoy how it talks about all of the captains and the process of picking the captain. Feinstein’s golf books are always good, like Tales Of Q-School and this is another. The only thing is about this book is it is very long and you have to love golf. Otherwise this is a great book to read.

[TJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great storytelling as usual from John Feinstein. He gets a large number of quotes and comments from players, captains, and other Ryder Cup personnel throughout the book. My only complaint is that some of the stories are repetitive and told more than once or twice in the book. All in all, though, golf fans will love reading this look at not only the 2016 Ryder Cup but some of the other Cups in the 21st Century.

[Neil Flattery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4 stars. For the first half of the book or so, the author focuses on the backstory of the Ryder Cup and provides in depth profiles of all the major players of the 2016 Ryder Cup. This part was interesting to me as a casual golf fan who was unaware of all these details. Once he gets to the 2016 Ryder Cup and the events leading up to it, the narrative picks up considerably and makes for an easy and fun read for any sports fan.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Feinstein does it again. I have exactly zero interest in golf. I'm not even much of a fan of any sport, but Feinstein has a way of writing about sports that make his books really interesting even to non-sports fans. I didn't even know if the United States won the 2016 Ryder Cup, so my reading probably had a little bit more suspense to it than most people who would read this book.

[Gail Gregg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Golfer’s Delight

A really good read - takes the reader behind the scenes of Ryder Cup competition. I learned about the good and not so good of certain golfer’s personalities, what goes into the selection of the Captain’s picks and all the strategy and skill needed to make up the two man teams and the final day’s lineup! I loved the book!

[Chuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great writing but very left wing.

Remember if you buy books written by sports journalists that they are rabid liberals and use their books to make snide comments about those of us that don’t share their ridiculous political views.

If you can stomach that stuff this book is interesting and Feinstein is a good writer.

[a.t.m. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great golf book

The author has written a compelling book based on in depth interviews and information on the 2016 Ryder Cup. The author has written other books on professional golfers , their egos, their amazing skills, and their enormous motivation to win every time they compete, and this book is special. I highly recommend.

[Kellen Quigley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really makes me miss my high school golf team days. Anytime we played at home, we had the advantage. Anytime we played away matches, they had the advantage. But then afterwards, when we'd all be having fun and goofing around in the clubhouse or on the putting greens, those were the best. This book captures those memories perfectly.

[J.C. · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars. Decent read. Some good history in there. Felt a little repetitive near the end and I struggled to close it out when it was just descriptions of the golf shots as the final day rolled around (the descriptions weren't as exciting as other books I've read recently).

[John Beitelspacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievably great read

This is the first John Feinstein book I have read and I must say I am a fan. I was at the 2016 Ryder Cup and this book brought such a rich of backstory. This was the first book in a long time where i stayed up until 2 AM because i could not put it down.