What do the Korda girls, Pete Sampras and the parents of Jon Rahm have in common?

Let’s walk down memory lane and go back to the summer of 1997 when during the hot month of September, a very important event in the history of Golf took place.

I am talking about the 32nd edition of the Ryder Cup played at Valderrama in Sotogrande Spain.

The US team lead by Tom Kite and with Tiger Woods for first time, was in desperate need of a victory against the dominant European Team marshaled by no other than Seve Ballesteros in his own home country.

Young Phil and Tiger (image from the Ryder Cup archives)

The perfect battleground for the Golf version of Stars Wars.

The final result was decided on the last day on a nail-biting finale. The Europeans won again by 1 point 14 1/2 to 13 1/2 to retain the Ryder Cup.

But the story of this newsletter is not about how Seve won epically the Cup against Team USA.?

The European Captain Seve and Sir Nick Faldo (image from the Ryder Cup archives)

It's about a lovely couple from Northern Spain (Baske region) that was visiting the sunny south of Andalusia during the tournament.

The Rahms were so fascinated with the entire atmosphere and experience of the mystic Ryder Cup that they immediately started to encourage their son (Jon) to involve himself in Golf.

Apparently that is how everything started.?

The 2023 Masters' Champion with his parents and his wife. (image from the Masters archives)

Meanwhile, miles of distance from the links of Valderrama, there was this kid (me) that even though he has been playing Golf for quite a while, for some reason even he can remember, was focused at that time in Tennis.

On September 28th, 1997 (last day of the Ryder Cup), he was in Miami with his family watching Live on TV the final of the Grand Slam Cup of Tennis which was held in Munich Germany.

His favorite Player, Pete Sampras (doesn’t need intro) won the tournament by defeating the Aussie Patrick Rafter.

During the winning press conference right after the match, the first thing Sampras did was ask what was the outstanding result of the Ryder Cup?

As soon as one of the journalists told him that it was over and the US lost the Cup, he got into a state of pseudo depression to a point that he didn’t even care that he won his tournament.

At that moment I thought (F….)…” I am watching live the best Tennis player in the World winning one of the most important tournaments of the year and the only thing he cares about is what's happening in Golf at the Ryder Cup…!?"

Wow! Golf was definitely a big thing.

That was a slap in the face moment for me and the signal that I should redirect my attention to Golf again.

You might be thinking…”That’s all what it took for you to drop the tennis racket and pick your set of old Taylor Made burner clubs?”

Well Yes! But in my defense, I was a teenager at that time. There was no Social Media, the internet was no way near as good as it is today and Pete Sampras was a Rock star and a super Influential figure.

I guess that day in 1997 I experienced for the first time the power of an Influencer. [and in a good way].

Image from 1997... a Legend and a guy who used to play Tennis back then.

Speaking about the Ryder Cup

This year is Ryder Cup year again and the meet up will be in Rome Italy.

The next issue of The LinkedIn Golf Channel newsletter will cover the details of this up comic epic battle between the US and Europe.

What about the Kordas?

Oh yes, the day before the final in Munich, Patrick Rafter, the runner up of the tournament, defeated in the semifinals another Tennis legend… the Czech Petr Korda.

Petr Korda is the father of the Super Stars of the LPGA Tour Jessica and Nelly Korda.

Petr Korda with his Daughters Jessica and Nelly. (Image created with photos from by the ATP and the LPGA archives).

LIV vs PGA

Although Jon Rahm won the Green Jacket in a more than deserved way, I have to be honest … Koepka, Mickelson, Reid… say what you want but the race is head to head at the moment..