Mark James, the captain of Europe's team in 1999, believes this month's Ryder Cup match should go ahead as planned despite last Tuesday's terror attacks in the U.S. "When something like this happens the enormity of it is difficult to grasp," Englishman James was quoted as saying in the Sunday Mirror newspaper.
"But with American sport starting again this coming week, I personally think it would be a good thing to go ahead. What might happen is that the matches will be played between two teams who can genuinely call themselves colleagues and friends, going out and enjoying themselves and playing great golf," added James.
"The crowd will behave impeccably and both teams will be able to sit down and have a beer afterwards. You can look on it as a celebration of American-European relations."
But James said the final decision must be left to the Americans as to whether the Ryder Cup should be played as planned at The Belfry in central England between September 28-30.
"It's a decision the Americans have to take, though there are huge British casualties as well," he was quoted as saying in the Sunday Mirror. "Without question, if it were to go ahead, it would be played in the spirit that Samuel Ryder would have wanted."
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
