The 1999 Ryder Cup remains one of the most special of all-time if you’re from the USA and according to Tom Lehmann, captain Ben Crenshaw was instrumental.
Crenshaw, a two-time Masters winner, was given the job of leading Team USA in 1999 as they went to Brookline looking to fend off a tough European team.
As always, Team USA was stacked with talent with players like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Justin Leonard just a few of the big names in the 12.
However, going into the Sunday singles, things couldn’t have looked much worse for Crenshaw and Team USA.
They sat four points behind Europe, a margin that had never been overturned in the cup’s history on a Sunday.
However, with captain Crenshaw at the wheel, things started to turn for the US and according to the first man out, Tom Lehmann, his captain was instrumental in the USA recovering.
Tom Lehmann reveals what Ben Crenshaw said before the singles at the 1999 Ryder Cup
Tom Lehmann was another one of the experienced and hardened players in this Team USA 12 and he was tasked with being the first man out for them.
Coming up against Lee Westwood, Lehmann knew he had a tough task ahead of him but in the end, he won out 3&2 to send the US on their way.
And speaking about how Crenshaw had encouraged him prior to teeing off, Lehmann revealed some big words from his skipper.
“Ben is one of those mystical guys so when he says things you pay attention,” Lehmann revealed.
“When he put me out first I felt the pressure. I know that the first guy out loses, it makes the day a lot tougher. But Ben had a way about doing and saying things, and I’d never forget as long as I live, I was in the locker room stretching and he put his hand right on my heart and he said ‘Do you know why I put you out first? I put you first because you’re the toughest guy I know’.
“Whether he meant it or not it didn’t matter but for him to say that, he knew exactly what I needed to hear and it was something that was a huge encouragement, something I’ll never forget to this day.”
How Team USA won the Ryder Cup in 1999
With Lehman mentioning the pressure of the first man out here, it couldn’t have been more prevalent than in the ’99 cup.
Lehmann’s win was the first of six successive singles wins for Team USA, as Tiger Woods, Hal Sutton, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III and David Duval all won before Padraig Harrington stopped the rot by beating Mark O’Meara.
Steve Pate then beat Miguel Angel Jimenez, before Jim Furyk crucially beat a young Sergio Garcia 4&3 to ensure the US took the glory.
Despite Paul Lawrie seeing off Jeff Maggert in the final match, it was all too late as Crenshaw’s men pulled off one of the great escapes of modern golf.
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