Palm Beach Gardens, FL …

You would expect the 2018 USA Ryder Cup captain to know one or two French words but Jim Furyk drew applause in getting right not one but three France related questions.

It was not my intention to trick Furyk but merely test his knowledge, so full marks to the American who will lead a USA Team to Versailles looking to achieve what has last accomplished in 1993 and that is to successfully defend the Ryder Cup on European soil.

So, I asked Furyk if he could name a French word, a French dish or a French wine.

Jim Furyk (centre) with the PGA of America’s Pete Bevacqua (left) and Julius Mason (right)

“Any word, any dish or any wine?”, he said seeming to stumble.

“I’m a big fan of Bordeaux and also White Burgundy (An answer that drew laughter from those jounalists present). I’m going to butcher the name but I’ll go with Chassagne-Montrachet (more laughter).”

A well-known American journalist spoke-up saying to Furyk:  “Can you spell it?” (further laughing)

Furky said:  “Really? C-h-a-s-s-a-g-n-e, M-o-n-t-r-a-c-h-e-t.”

Jim Furyk gets full marks in spelling correct Chassagne Montrachet wine.

Correct and his response drew widespread applause.

“It’s probably wrong. You all just didn’t spell it right,”  he said.

“Now favorite dish, I’ll go with — I’m going to butcher again. My French is bad. I have no work on that before we go over to Paris, but we’ll go with like a coq au vin. You know, I guess when Tabitha (wife) travelled over there, we’ve eaten, duck seems to be a popular dish, so l’orange, very good.

“And what was the last question? A French word? I can’t go with “Oui”? (more laughter ensued).”

Furyk’s answers drew a comment from Julius Mason, the senior media officer with the PGA of America who was acting as moderator of the press conference.

“Jim would have been such a waste in Louisville with all this talent,” said Mason smiling.

Furky responded:  “I was paired with all the Southern folks in Louisville, so I was in the redneck pod. So I had to learn a whole other language there, as well.”

Felicitations et bein fait, Jim.