Meet Lisa Pavin, the US secret weapon
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It looks like the American Colin Montgomerie has most to fear from in next month's Ryder Cup won't be Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson or even Tiger Woods. Oh no. Instead it's the American captain's wife, Lisa Pavin, who is probably giving the European captain sleepless nights – not least because of a fairly revealing photoshoot for this month's edition of the American golf magazine Avid Golfer.
That's not all, though. Lisa is not your average Ryder Cup wife, smiling happily for the cameras in identikit patriotic outfit. She's desperate to see her husband carry off the cup from Celtic Manor, so much so that she's been christened " Captainess" in the American media.
Indeed, some might consider her commitment to victory rather unhinged. "I want to win the Cup more than anything," Lisa, 36 (Pavin is 50), said. "That's all life has been about lately, the Ryder Cup.
"This [the Ryder Cup] is my passion; this is my husband's dream. At the end of the day when your husband has this dream you are going to do everything you can to make his dream come true."
Lisa, Pavin's second wife, has contributed an enormous amount to the American effort. The team's outfits? She designed them. All-important gala events? She organised them. 2am emails to team members? Incredibly, she sent them.
And that's not all. According to Avid Golfer, she's taking care of the team gifts, the daily dining menus, team room and clubhouse decor. She wants to make sure each player and caddies' rooms are tailored specifically for them – "anything that creates a positive team spirit and environment throughout that week," they write.
Her tenacity (she regularly stays up all night, organising Pavin's schedule) has not endeared her to everyone. She had a Twitter battle with the Sports Illustrated writer Alan Shipnuck after he hit out at Pavin. "Europeans.... you just found yourself a new fan!!!" she tweeted. "No wonder the Tour calls him Shipwreck."
Most of all, Lisa is desperate to leave her mark on the Ryder Cup."When the Ryder Cup is over, I want the PGA of America to remember the positive ideas and inputs and, hopefully, they have something to remember me by," she said. "I want the Ryder Cup to keep getting better and better. I want to see that brand grow.
"I've learnt to live with this motto, 'When I die what do I want on my tombstone?'" I don't want to be known as the Tour wife; I want to be remembered as someone who was very family-oriented, but also very passionate and driven."
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