SHANGHAI: Jose Maria Olazabal was reunited with his Ryder Cup heroes on a fun-filled yesterday before the serious action begins at the $7m inaugural BMW Masters at Lake Malaren tomorrow.
Olazabal and 11 of the 12 members of Team Europe came together for the first time since the dramatic defeat of the United States in Chicago.
Inspirational captain Olazabal was joined by Nicolas Colsaerts, Luke Donald, Peter Hanson, Martin Kaymer, Paul Lawrie, Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Francesco Molinari, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Lee Westwood, who will all be competing in China this week.
The team, with only Sergio Garcia absent, shared stories of their historic comeback in the Singles at Medinah Country Club to defeat the United States 14 1/2-13 1/2 and retain the Ryder Cup.
Englishman Poulter, Europe’s talisman who won four points out of four admitted that he still was pumped up by events at Medinah.
“It was very special,” he said yesterday.
“I think everybody as a team bonded very well. That Sunday will go down in history. So to get us all back together again, all but one, it’s great.
“It’s great to see everybody again and to get back into some normality.”
It wasn’t a normal day for German Kaymer and world number one Rory McIlroy who tried their hand at China’s unofficial national sport table tennis, alongside the 18th green at Lake Malaren in September. REUTERS
