STRAIT TALKIN’: The scramble for seats resembles a cheese-rolling contest… while the expected rain failed to materialise as Team USA got off to a bright start
- There was a scramble for seats when the gates opened up at 6am on Friday
- It was a frantic scene similar to the Cooper’s Hill cheese-rolling contest
- One woman suffered a suspected broken ankle on the slippery downslope
- Frightening amounts of plastic are on display at the Whistling Straits course
- Forecasted rain didn’t appear ahead of what should be a dry Ryder Cup weekend
The scramble for places around the first tee when gates opened at 6am had to be seen to be believed. Desperate for a space in the 3,000-capacity stand, hundreds — who had queued for hours — diverted from the course path and headed up a grass bank in an attempted shortcut to beat those in front of them.
In a frantic scene similar to the Cooper’s Hill cheese-rolling contest, dozens went sprawling on the slippery downslope.
One man, in a pair of sky-blue trousers, ended up covered in mud and without a shoe. However, the outcome was worse for a woman who went to the ground and suffered a suspected broken ankle. She was on the turf for 15 minutes receiving medical attention.
There was a mad scramble to get to the 3,000 capacity grandstand at the first tee
It resembled a cheese-rolling contest at Cooper’s Hill (pictured) as fans went sprawling on the slippery downhill slope
Sky have taken around half of their normal crew to Wisconsin because of Covid restrictions and difficulty getting here.
The broadcaster have been helped by the presence of hosts NBC, who are also owned by Comcast.
Recycling appears to be a dirty word at Whistling Straits with frightening amounts of plastic on display.
There are no recycling bins to be seen and in the giant megastore any purchase — regardless of size — comes wrapped in a giant plastic bag.
Elsewhere, the press are ferried from their hotel by bus to a car park about 100 metres from the media centre.
However, they are forbidden from walking the short distance and instead placed on to another shuttle bus for a journey lasting the grand total of one minute.
Team USA got off to a bright start on the opening session at the Ryder Cup on Friday
The hoodie is going nowhere, with the likes of Brooks Koepka sporting the much-talked-about garment on a chilly first morning.
Gilets and collared jerseys were also on display with the Americans admittedly looking smarter in their predominantly navy and white uniforms than the light blue and yellow worn by the Europeans.
A chilly 9°C greeted the players on the first tee, although by the time the later groups went out the mercury had risen to 23.
The forecast rain and wind did not materialise on a near-perfect first day. Saturday promises to be a little colder but again dry, with highs of 18, while Sunday looks like another belter, with sunny highs of 23 predicted.
Golfers including Brooks Koepka opted for a hoodie on a chilling Wisconsin morning