Ryder Cup: Nicolas Colsaerts on The Miracle of Medinah

Welcome to This Sporting Planet, the world's view of sport! In this episode, Natalie Sawyer (UK) chats with former Ryder Cup winner as both a player and vice-captain Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) about his career and his role in the legendary Miracle of Medinah in 2012! They also chat about the upcoming Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. They discuss: The honour of playing in the Ryder Cup: Colsaerts describes it as the biggest honour a golfer can have, a feeling nurtured by watching legends like Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, and Ian Woosnam. His first experience with the event was the "war on the shore" at Kiawah in 1991, which was an "electrifying" introduction. Getting the call-up: Colsaerts talks about the moment he was selected as a captain's pick by Jose Maria Olazabal. He had a good feeling about it after playing well and winning the Volvo World Match Play in 2012. He describes the meeting with Olazabal as a scene "like the Godfather". The rookie experience: As the first Belgian to play in the Ryder Cup, Colsaerts felt welcomed by the team. He credits his ease of blending in to his amateur days where he spent time with golfers from the British Isles. Team vs. Individual Sport: Colsaerts explains that he was comfortable in a team environment because he played a lot of team sports like field hockey when he was young. He likes that it is not just about the individual, but about putting others in the best position to serve the purpose. The Miracle of Medinah: Colsaerts reflects on the 2012 Ryder Cup where Team Europe came back from a 10-6 deficit going into the final day. He describes the mood in the team camp on Saturday night as changing from anger to a glimmer of hope after key matches went their way. His performance with Lee Westwood: Colsaerts discusses his four-ball match with Lee Westwood, where Westwood said it was "basically the Nicholas Colsaerts show". Colsaerts is proud that he was able to make such an impact as a rookie and contribute a point for his idol. Predictions for 2025: Colsaerts is confident Team Europe can emulate his winning side of 2012 and win on away soil! 00:00 - Intro: Welcome to Sporting Planet 01:15 - Why the Ryder Cup is so special 06:30 - A Call from Olazabal: Getting the Pick 09:12 - A Rookie in the Team Room 11:47 - Team vs. Individual: The Mindset of a Golfer 13:30 - The Miracle of Medinah: Saturday Night 17:48 - The Westwood Four-Ball 24:50 - The Ryder Cup's Unique Rhythm 27:50 - On Longevity in Golf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices