Paul Casey was playing his Friday afternoon foursomes match at the Ryder Cup, he was down and his European team was down, but that all could wait. Michael Jordan was following his match. Michael Jordan.
“I don’t care if I’m up or down, I’m definitely saying hi to Michael Jordan,” analyst Jim “Bones” Mackay said Casey told him during Golf Channel’s broadcast.
The funny thing was, MJ was likely just as big of fan. Over the years, the basketball legend, the jumpman behind the Jumpman brand, has become as much a part of the Ryder Cup as the U.S. and European teams.
Jordan was there at Valderrama in 1997, weeks before the start of what would be the last of his six championships with the Chicago Bulls — the last dance. He was there in 2012 at Medinah, a few tee shots away from where he won all those titles. And he’s there this week at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. On 13, Jordan, who now also owns The Grove golf course in Florida, and longtime friend Ahmad Rashad pumped their fists after a Dustin Johnson birdie — which did not go unnoticed.
On Friday night, a couple hours after DJ went 2-0 on the day, his Twitter account saluted … MJ.
“All those rounds together at The Grove are paying off,” the tweet read, under a video of the putt.
Above, enjoy a photo slideshow of Michael Jordan at the Ryder Cup over the years.
