The wives and girlfriends of Team Europe’s Ryder Cup side will be allowed to support their partners in America after all.
WAGs, who have been a growing presence at Ryder Cups in recent years, were granted an exemption from US travel restrictions. They can fly out to watch in Wisconsin at Whistling Strikes.
Currently, British and EU citizens are not allowed to enter America due the coronavirus restrictions. But after extensive discussions between the US Embassy, PGA, and European Tour, they agreed to issue waivers for the players’ families.
Padraig Harrington and Co will now join their partners on a charter flight of around 200 people, which departs Heathrow on Monday. The opening ceremony will see the women and girlfriends officially introduced on Thursday.
This will give the players a boost as they try to retain their Ryder Cup against the star-studded Team USA. Here’s a list of the partners who will be parading down the fairways at Whistling Straights next week.
(Image: Getty Images)
Erica Stoll/Rory Mcllroy:
Remember the miracle in Medinah? Now, meet the woman who could have made it all possible.
Rory Mcllroy, who famously overslept the Sunday before his singles duel with Keegan Bradley, almost missed his tee off time.
Erica Stoll, a PGA employee at the time, helped rescue him from what would have been a humiliating episode, and the police got him to the course before Mcllroy won his match 2&1, helping Team Europe to a sensational 14.5-13.5 win.
(Image: Getty Images)
What do you make of the WAG’s being allowed to travel? Let us know in the comments section.
Mcllroy’s alarm-clock error turned out to be a positive when, five years later, he married Mcllroy on the grounds Ashworth Castle. Poppy is now the couple’s daughter.
Stoll is a keen sailor and has traveled all over the world to support her husband. However, she doesn’t like the spotlight so keeps it low.
Angela Akins/Sergio Garcia:
Anglea Akins’ association with golf extends way beyond being married to Sergio Garcia.
Marty Akins is her daughter and she was a former Texas Longhorns quarterback. After securing a job with the Golf Channel, Anglea Akins moved to Florida as a reporter on golf for Fox Sports Southwest.
In fact, Garcia met her through her role at Golf Channel. She was previously married to Ross Hamann.
(Image: Instagram/theangelaakins)
She’s no mug on the course herself, representing the women’s team at the University of Texas and her handicap has been as low as three.
Azalea Adele was born in 2017. The couple got married in 2017.
Kelley Cahill/Jon Rahm:
Continuing the theme of European players with American wives, Kelley Cahill is regularly seen supporting husband Jon Rahm at tournaments.
Both attended Arizona State University together in college.
(Image: Instagram/cahillkelley)
There, Cahill was talented student-athlete and competed as a javelin thrower, and is also said to be a very capable tennis player.
In December 2019, they tied the knot in Bilbao in Spain. Their son Kepa was also born just before this year’s US Masters.
Pollyanna Woodward/Paul Casey:
Believe it or not, it was motorsport that brought Pollyanna Woodward and Paul Casey together.
They have just completed their divorce settlements. The couple met at the F1 Chequered Flagball at 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Two years later, they were engaged.
The pair have since married and have two children together..
Pollyanna is no stranger to the TV cameras, working as a co-presenter on The Gadget Show from 2010-2013. She also wrote columns for How It Works magazine, and was a contestant in Splash! In 2014.
She was just ten years old when she participated in Popstars: The Rivals 2002 and was one of the top 10 finalists in Miss England.
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Helen Storey/Lee Westwood:
Lee Westwood needs his wife more than anyone in Wisconsin – she’s his caddie!
Westwood met Helen Storey in Newcastle in late 2015. He first saw her at the Made in Denmark tournament in 2016.
(Image: INSTAGRAM@helenstorey_10)
Their partnership has blossomed in more ways than one in 2021 with Westwood enjoying a stellar year – and to cap it the pair got married.
Helen is also an excellent golfer, so she will be a crucial component to her husband’s performance in what could prove to be his last Ryder Cup.
Katie Poulter/Ian Poulter
For every Mr Ryder Cup, there’s a Mrs Ryder Cup behind him.
Katie was a nurse when she met the famous ‘Poults. Now, the couple lives in Lake Nona in Orlando.
They are married and have four children together, with Katie famously telling her partner they were pregnant as he walked off the course at Royal Birkdale after competing in The Open in 2008.
However, they did face a Twitter backlash when Poulter, a multi-millionaire, took to Twitter to complain that his nanny was being downgraded after a 10-hour flight. This meant his wife would have four children to look after.
It’s probably easier to deal with a pumped up Poulter in Ryder Cup Week.