Tiger Woods isn’t very always in fact at Whistling Straits, but several US gamers direct he helped inspire them to a huge lead in the main day of the Ryder Cup.
Woods despatched a body of workers text by captain Steve Stricker to American gamers, saying he used to be behind them in their fight to regain the cup.
“The gist of customarily what he stated used to be I’m cheering you guys on, I’m real there with you and trail fight and attain us proud,” Tony Finau stated.
“We had been in a sing to attain that and if TW’s watching, thanks for that text, brother, I think it helps us loads.”
Quite loads of gamers talked in regards to the text from Woods, who’s recovering from severe injuries in a February automotive accident. The US went 6-2 on the opening day for his or her supreme first-day margin since 1975.
“Tiger’s no longer with us in particular person but I know he is watching and talking to Stricker loads,” Harris English stated. “We know he is obtained our backs, in issue that’s in fact wintry and we kind of frail that energy at this time.”
Xander Schauffele stated the gamers had been mad to listen to Woods used to be cheering laborious for them from his residence in Florida.
“We knew he used to be fist pumping from the couch,” Schauffele stated. “Whether he used to be on crutches or no longer he is as fired up as any merit at residence. So or no longer it’s good to gain his enhance.”
Stricker stated he obtained the text on Thursday and despatched it out to the team on Friday. He stated Woods wished gamers lawful honest right fortune and shared just a few personal observations.
“He is a buddy of a quantity of those guys and these guys peek as much as him and I lean on him loads during this complete route of,” Stricker stated.
“So it used to be big to listen to from him and present some phrases of encouragement to these guys.”
Woods used to be an assistant captain in 2016, when the US closing received the cup.
He returned as a participant in 2018, but did no longer win a point in his matches.
In eight Ryder Cups, Woods earned 14.5 points but had an overall losing file and finest performed on one winning team – the 1999 team that received in a big final day comeback at Brookline.