KOHLER, Wis., Sept. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the
conclusion of the 43rd Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, where the
U.S. Ryder Cup Team won its second consecutive domestic Ryder Cup,
19-9, Dustin Johnson (U.S.) and
Sergio Garcia (Europe) were named the inaugural recipients of
the Nicklaus-Jacklin Award presented by Aon. The players were
recognized as those who best embodied the spirit of the famous 1969
concession, when Jack Nicklaus
conceded a 2-foot putt to Tony
Jacklin for a halved match that resulted in the first tie in
Ryder Cup history.
This new award commemorates sportsmanship, teamwork and
performance in the context of better decision-making. These three
attributes that were brought to the forefront by Johnson and Garcia
also reflect Aon's values and commitment to helping clients shape
business decisions for the better.
Johnson arrived at the Ryder Cup as the oldest player on the
U.S. Team and through remarkable teamwork in his partnerships with
two rookies in Xander Schauffele and
Collin Morikawa, he performed
brilliantly to become the first American to finish with a 5-0-0
record since Larry Nelson in
1979. The 37-year-old, playing in his fifth Ryder Cup, is the
fifth player to go 5-0-0 in a single Ryder Cup, joining
Arnold Palmer (1967), Gardner
Dickinson (1967), Larry Nelson
(1979) and Francesco Molinari
(2018).
Showcasing his own appreciation for Johnson's contribution to
his teammates, Morikawa, who was paired with Johnson for three of
his five matches, recognized the impact that Johnson had on his
success.
"Obviously having DJ, he's an amazing player. I've said it all
week, and I'm going to keep saying it, because he really is. He's a
great guy and he really made these first two days a little easier
on me," Morikawa said. "Dustin has been one of the best players in
the world for a long time, and it was amazing to have someone like
that as my partner in my first Ryder Cup."
"It's a dream to go 5-0-0 in a Ryder Cup," said Johnson. "For
the first four matches, I had great partners in Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele. We played great together and
gelled really well. I am so proud of my teammates and my captains
and loved the help from the fans. This award is something to be
very proud of. All 12 of us showed great teamwork and came
together as a team."
Making his 10th appearance for the European Team, Garcia
showcased teamwork and performance through the Thursday and Friday
matches alongside fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm. Garcia and Rahm were
the first European tandem since 1987 to trail 3-down through three
holes and eventually win their match. Garcia and Rahm's
teamwork resulted in victories in all three of their matches.
Garcia exemplified the love of his team with his comments and
encouragement of teammate Rory
McIlroy on Saturday, "I told him the absolute truth. I told
him that not only me but the whole team is proud of him no matter
if he goes 5-0 or 0-5; that we love him and that we are always
proud of the effort that he makes and the heart that he puts into
his golf and into the team. It's as simple as that."
During Friday's Foursomes match, Garcia made the decision to go
for the green from 244 yards on the par-5 16th hole for what would
be a memorable shot enroute to winning a point. With Garcia's 3-1-0
record for the week, he became the all-time Ryder Cup leader in
overall wins (24), overall points (27.5) and Foursomes wins
(12).
"I love the Ryder Cup," Garcia said. "We all know about the
beautiful moment that happened more than 50 years ago between
Nicklaus and Jacklin. I'm proud to be the first to win this award
and thankful to Aon. I try to play the game to the best of my
ability, but always with respect and I enjoy it. I enjoyed this
week and I thought we played with good energy, which is important
to show the young players that you can play with respect and have
fun, even in defeat. I love my team. I'm so proud of all of them. I
have so many amazing experiences and relationships with my team. I
love the guys in that room."
The selections were made by a committee consisting of the
award's namesakes Jack Nicklaus and
Tony Jacklin; former Ryder Cup
Captains Paul Azinger and
Paul McGinley; Jim Richerson, President, PGA of America;
Alan White, Chairman, PGA of
Great Britain and Ireland; and Carlo
Clavarino, Executive Chairman of International Business,
Aon.
"We are honored to partner with the Ryder Cup to present the
inaugural award that embodies so much of who we are and what we
stand for at Aon," said Clavarino. "Sergio
Garcia and Dustin Johnson
both reflected the spirit of this tournament by showcasing better
decision making on behalf of their team and demonstrated excellence
and sportsmanship."
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ABOUT AON
Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the
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ABOUT THE PGA OF AMERICA
PGA of America is one of the world's largest sports
organizations, composed of nearly 28,000 PGA Professionals who work
daily to grow interest and inclusion in the game of golf. For more
information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.com and follow
us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
ABOUT RYDER CUP EUROPE
Ryder Cup Europe – which comprises representatives of The
European Tour (60%), of the PGA of Great
Britain and Ireland (20%)
and the Confederation of Professional Golf through the vehicle of
The Ryder Cup European Development Trust (RCEDT) (20%) – owns the
rights of The Ryder Cup when the competition is held in
Europe. The European Tour is the
Managing Partner and has prime responsibility for all matters
concerning The European Team; the PGA of Great Britain and Ireland is the Founding Partner; and the
Confederation of Professional Golf is responsible for the
management of the Trust, which is the Development Partner. Our
Official Partners for The 2020 Ryder Cup are Aon, BMW and Rolex.
For more information about The Ryder Cup visit rydercup.com
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SOURCE PGA of America