by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
When Terry McGuire and Todd McKibben got off the plane in Shannon, Ireland this morning they headed straight for the golf course. Like many Americans in Ireland this week for the Ryder Cup, they are playing a little golf before the matches start Friday.
That’s probably where the similarities end.
Friday morning, the pair who grew up at the beach here in Jacksonville, will head over the K Club in Kildare, Ireland and there’s little doubt they may be the most obvious fans at the course. McGuire will be dressed as the Statue of Liberty thanks to a home-made costume from McKibben’s wife, Linda. McKibben will be dressed as Uncle Sam and the pair will be joined by two others — Abe Lincoln and Elvis.
“Basically, we will be there as a support system for our players,” said McGuire Sunday afternoon from Jacksonville International Airport. “We feel now, more than ever, we need to support our country not just here, but in other countries.”
Growing up, golf was somewhere behind soccer, surfing and chasing girls for McGuire and McKibben. Today, it’s their life and livelihood.
McKibben is the superintendent at Ocean Hammock in Palm Coast while McGuire is the Director of National Operations for Valley Crest Golf Course Maintenance and works out of Vero Beach. Both graduated from the golf course management school in Lake City and got their start in the industry with Palmer Management Company out of Orlando.
The two others making their presence felt at the K Club are Vince Gilmartin, a regional superintendent for Valley Crest who will be sporting the Elvis get up, and Ted Pfister, a regional sales manager for General Motors who will be Lincoln.
“He (Pfister) was an extra ticket and he’s our fourth in golf sometimes,” said McGuire. “He also doesn’t drink a lot so he’s our designated driver.”
If the four Americans end up getting a fair amount of air time on ESPN and the Golf Channel, credit McGuire for landing the group what’s called “inside the ropes” passes for the week. McGuire worked at the Irish course the last few months before it opened several years ago and has stayed in touch with Jerry Burns, the K Club’s superintendent.
The trip is much more than a round of golf and the three-day tournament between the United States and a team made up of European players. The foursome is staying at the Waterville Manor, plan to fly fish for salmon and steelhead trout in the afternoon and have golf lined up at four different courses: Waterville, where the Irish Open is played, Lahinch, Trallee and Royal Port Marnock, which was the runner-up venue for this week’s Ryder Cup.
“I have no idea what to expect,” said McKibben, who’s attending his first Ryder Cup while McGuire is attending his third straight.
Both believe the U.S. has a good shot at winning back the Ryder Cup.
“If I didn’t think we had a chance at winning, I wouldn’t be there,” said McGuire. “That’s also why we are dressing as symbols of Americana. Uncle Sam, the Statue of Liberty, Elvis and Abe Lincoln: that’s a cross section of American history.”
Everybody involved in the tournament — from Tiger Woods to Colin Montgomerie to TV producers — will know the second the group hits the course. They plan immediately head to the first tee to root on the Americans.
Both say this won’t be their last Ryder Cup, either.
“I will never miss another Ryder Cup until the day I die,” said McGuire.