Get this man a club
Michael Jordan is a veteran Ryder Cupper.

The retired NBA great and current managing partner of the Charlotte Bobcats was on hand Friday at Valhalla Golf Club, marking the sixth consecutive time Jordan has attended the matches. He stood on the porch of a corporate skybox behind the 14th tee Friday, a perfect vantage point to watch a U.S. surge that began on the back nine and gave the home side a 3-1 lead after the morning alternate-shot competition.

Just before the Kenny Perry hit his tee shot, Jordan showed that while he no longer plays, he’s still as competitive as ever. Despite a growing lead for the Americans, Jordan said, “There’s no such thing as a lead that’s too big. We’ve got to get them all.”

Then he looked over at the tee and like the fans on every side of him, yelled, ’C’mon Kenny!” before putting an ever-present stogie back in his mouth.

Jordan wasn’t the only American luminary rooting on the home team. Former president George H.W. Bush stopped by during the afternoon foursomes round, wearing the same shirt as the U.S. team.

Monty's here, sort of
Longtime European Ryder Cup star Colin Montgomerie failed to make the team for the first time since 1989.

Still, Montgomerie’s presence was felt at Valhalla, sort of. A group of European fans toted a life-size cardboard cutout of Montgomerie around the grounds.

The cutout was done up to make the Scotsman proud. The figure was adorned in a red tartan plaid kilt and a blue waistcoat with silver button and a sash. A look also modeled by the men who brought the cutout.

The Europeans could have used Montgomerie and his 20-9-7 Cup record on Friday morning.

There were actual, live, former European Ryder Cuppers in the crowd. Frenchman Thomas Levet, a member of the 2004 team, walked along with Englishmen Ian Poulter and Justin Rose during the morning round, even helping a marshal replace a stake at one point.

Battle of the stands
Before the players ever made it to the first tee Friday, the battle within the gallery had already begun.

Waiting for the first foursome to finish up on the practice range, U.S. fans began a rousing “U.S.A.” chant. Euro fans, several wearing the Euro team’s blue flag with gold stars as a cape, responded with a sing-songy “Eurrrr-up, Eurrrr-up.” They followed it up with the ubiquitous “Ole” chant heard often at European soccer matches.

Undaunted, U.S. fans fired back with a chant of “soccer sucks” as the stands — the Euros included — laughed.

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