SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France –The grounds at Le Golf National are buzzing as the opening matches of the 2018 Ryder Cup quickly approach.
More than 50,000 fans are expected at this year's tournament just outside of Paris, and 43% of tickets have been sold to French fans. That means an American team looking for its first win on foreign soil in 25 years will be in front of a largely-European crowd that loudly supports their own.
That said, six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan had some advice for Team USA: Don't hear the crowd.
"(Jordan) talked about how he didn't hear the crowd. … I took that as, he couldn't wait to shut them up," said Brooks Koepka. "You might hear a few boos, whatever it is, but the quieter they are, you're kind of laughing inside; you've done what you wanted to do."
Jordan, an avid golfer, spent some time with the players Wednesday night and talked with them about playing on the road against tough opponents and crowds. In particular, Jordan shared a story about the 1993 NBA Finals.
That year, his Chicago Bulls went up 3-0 against the Phoenix Suns, taking the first two games on the road.
"They lost the next two and had to go to Phoenix," explained Rickie Fowler, a regular playing partner with Jordan in south Florida. "He said he packed one suit and one bag and told the guys, 'We're going there for one job; it's to go win.' And that was just something cool to hear."
"Hearing his experiences and things he's been through, like how you deal with things or maybe what he thought about or his outlook on what was ahead; I just love being around him."
Jordan has long supported the United States in golf competitions, including the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine.
"It's fun to have the chance to be around guys like him," said Fowler. "Guys that were very successful and guys that compete at a very high level."
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