'DRAW IN THE DUNES' Featured at RyderCup.com by PGA of America

1969 Ryder Cup materials: official program (left), a daily draw sheet (right) and more. (Paul Trevillion)

THANK YOU TO BOB DENNEY and the PGA of America for publishing an article about my new book, DRAW IN THE DUNES: The 1969 Ryder Cup and the Finish That Shocked the World. The story published on Sunday at RyderCup.com, the official Ryder Cup site of the PGA of America. Denney is a senior writer and historian for the PGA of America. He and colleague Kelly Elbin (Director of Communications) were especially helpful as I worked on this project over the last few years.

In "'Draw in the Dunes' reflects on 1969 Ryder Cup drama," Denney writes:

Neil Sagebiel is someone who inspects golf events like a buyer strolling a used car lot. Kicking the tires is not enough. Lift the hood and you will likely find more than you anticipated. For Sagebiel, "Draw in the Dunes" was a "shopping" expedition as he inspected a fascinating Ryder Cup.

Author of "The Longest Shot" (2012, Thomas Dunne Books), the account of the historic 1955 U.S. Open victory by PGA Professional Jack Fleck, Sagebiel has found his stride again. The 1969 Ryder Cup at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, was more than an enduring symbol of sportsmanship between Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin. There was more to it than that.

OTHER COVERAGE
The A Position (Tom Harack):
"You don't have to read Draw in the Dunes while this year's Ryder Cup is in progress, but the contrast between the rough-and-tumble 1969 version and this year's elaborately produced extravaganza is gob-smacking. The unsanitized approach makes the book, at 320 pages, an engaging combination of golf and sociology you won't get watching every minute of this weekend’s wire-to-wire television coverage." Read entire review
The Irish Golf Blog (Kevin Markham):
"[Draw in the Dunes sets] an intriguing backdrop to the 1969 Ryder Cup at Royal Birkdale. We also get the story of Nicklaus and Jacklin and their rise to prominence. Each was about to embark on their first Ryder Cup quest, and each left an indelible mark on the event, both in 1969 and long after that....It really was a different age but that ferocious competitiveness comes through loud and clear, and Sagebiel captures every minute of it, through his story telling and through interviews with many of the event's players." Read entire review
Back9Network (Adam Fonseca):
"In his new book 'Draw in the Dunes,' author and golf blogger Neil Sagebiel provides a stunning recollection of the 1969 matches between the heavily-favored U.S. squad and the under-appreciated Great Britain and Ireland squad. With names of Nicklaus, Palmer, and even Back9 Ambassador Tony Jacklin taking part, that year’s Ryder Cup was primed to be memorable right from the start....Sagebiel’s attention to detail and extensive research not only rounds out a superb recollection of the 1969 Ryder Cup, but the reader is also given an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at some of history’s greatest players." Read entire review

For more reviews and coverage, please see the sidebar at right.

If you haven't picked up a copy of DRAW IN THE DUNES for yourself or someone else, I hope you will.