The Ryder Cup is one of the most compelling athletic competitions on the planet. It occurs once every two years and pits the best golfers from the U.S. against the best of Europe. Originally, the event was between the U.S. and the U.K. but, the U.S. became so dominant that the competition was no longer much of a competition. It got to the point that many of the U.S. golfers began to decline invitations. Then Jack Nicklaus, the greatest golfer of all time, stepped in and managed to persuade the golfing authorities to include players from throughout Europe. That happened in the early ‘80s and the affair soon became much more competitive.

At the outset, I described the Ryder Cup as “one of the most compelling athletic competitions on the planet.” That may have been something of an overstatement. I live in Phnom Penh with my wife & daughter and, although the last time I checked, Cambodia is located on planet Earth it is clearly comprised of a population that has little, if any, interest in the game of golf. That is rather understandable when one considers the horrors endured by the country during the past half century. What with the indiscriminate bombing of its eastern provinces initiated by Nixon & Kissinger during the Vietnam debacle which, in turn, led to Pol Pot’s reign of terror from 1975 to 1979 followed by 10 years of a bloody civil war and, finally, the spineless & meddlesome intervention of the United Nations in the early ‘90s it’s a wonder the Cambodian people haven’t lost interest in living all together. However, despite that, I am amazed that there was no coverage of the Ryder Cup. We are connected to two cable TV networks with a combination of nine sport channels. During the Ryder Cup, five of them were devoted to soccer, two to motor racing events, one to badminton and, most annoyingly, one channel was telecasting a game of curling between Canada & Japan. Having had the dreadful experience of watching a curling match many years ago I can think of no other human enterprise as tedious & absurd and, considering the fact that most human enterprises are tedious & absurd, that’s quite a statement. Not to cast aspersions upon the Canadians and Japanese but, they do have remarkably high rates of suicide. Probably just a coincidence.

While flipping through the channels following the first round of competition, I set on the CNN sports program. As a rule, I avoid CNN because the only difference between that network and the National Enquirer is that the National Enquirer doesn’t pretend to be anything other than tabloid journalism. Nevertheless, just as I tuned in there was a replay of something I’d never seen before. An American member of the gallery named David Johnson was heckling Henrik Stenson of the European team. Stenson was lining up a twenty foot putt and Johnson yelled out that the putt was so simple that even he could make it. Johnson’s tone of voice was clearly good-natured; not abusive. Stenson responded in kind by turning to Johnson and offering him his putter…the implication being that if Johnson thought the putt was so simple then perhaps he’s like to have a go at it himself. Remarkably, Johnson accepted the challenged, took hold of Stenson’s putter and proceeded to sink the putt. Applause erupted from the predominantly American fans but, even Stenson congratulated him. Afterwards, while being interviewed by one of CNN’s so-called journalists, Johnson presented himself as a good-looking, affable and well-spoken young man. True or not, the rumor was that when the first round ended the European team invited Johnson to their locker-room. In lieu of being offended by his behavior, they simply found him to be irresistibly engaging.

The incidence reminded me of a subject my wife and I have discussed on several occasions. Namely, being presented with an opportunity in life and while, at the same time, being prepared to take advantage of that opportunity. My wife (Nak) was born into nearly destitute conditions during the Cambodian civil war of the 1980s. When she was eleven years old a stranger entered her life who presented her with an opportunity…an opportunity to prevail over the indigent circumstances into which she had been born. The stranger offered the same opportunity to other members of her family but, Nak was the only one who manifested the character, intelligence and willingness to benefit. As a result, she has become the most wonderful human being I have ever had the honor of knowing. The fact that she & I could carry on an intelligent discussion with regard to the subject mentioned is ample testimony.

Jumping to what may be an abrupt conclusion, allow me to mention Usain Bolt. Obviously, I don’t know the fellow personally but, from media coverage he strikes me as being a hugely talented, personable young man and a tribute to his native country of Jamaica. He holds the record in the hundred meter sprint which accords him the title as the fastest human being on the planet. But, is he really…is he really the fastest human being on Earth? Or the world, for that matter? The planet Earth is one of a billion orbs in one of a billion galaxies in the universe which all contain a billion orbs. The planet Earth is part of the Milky Way Galaxy although, why our galaxy is named after a candy bar is beyond me. The point is that it is highly unlikely that Usain Bolt is the fastest man on Earth. There are, undoubtedly, young men in Africa and other parts of the planet who can run faster that Usain Bolt. The only difference is that they are prepared to take advantage of opportunities which have never and will never be presented to them.

In conclusion, I waited several days in the vain hope that the Ryder Cup would be replayed on one of the nine TV sports channels to which we subscribe. No such luck. The U.S. won the damn thing so that’s great. Still, the only shot I saw was David Johnson’s and that was, maybe, the best shot of the event.