Star Spangled Banter

(Photos the sole property of Getty Images, Reuters Photos and AP Photo)

The USA made us proud this past week at the Presidents Cup. For the first time in years, it seemed like we had a genuinely cohesive unit out there. Congratulations to Freddie and the boys. 

At the KC we were very impressed overall with both captains' apparel selections. Clothing seems to be improving in quality and detail every year in these team events. Genuine appreciation should be given to the Greg Norman Collection, Ashworth, Elevee and the rest of the providers. The following will be a quick recap of days 2, 3 and 4. 

Day 2 (Photos 1+2): Loved the Internationals khaki ensembles with the diamond-patterned, powder blue polos. Very crisp, very professional, very European. The US was just "okay" in multi-stripe shirts and charcoal trousers. The pop came from the red hats, which seemed kind of out of place with the rest of the look. 

Day 3 (Photos 3+4): Total U.S. domination. And we don't mean solely on the scoreboard... The off-white/gray argyle, cashmere sweaters were possibly the best piece of the week. The INTLs looked classic in blacks and creams, but couldn't match up. 

Day 4 (Photos 5+6): More argyle, this time for the Internationals who just killed it. Their look yesterday was everything a team event 'uniform' should be: flattering, contemporary, appropriate and fun to wear. The US wore red shirts/hats in homage to Tiger's Sunday winning practices - and really looked quite sharp in the process - but definite edge to Greg Norman's side. 

We loved the classic inspiration of the apparel at Harding Park. More modern touches like sterling team belt buckles on the INTL side were paired with bold argyle, color-blocked and patterned polos. On the US side, as can be expected, there were lots of stripes and patriotic red flashes, but the best came when the bolder colors of the flag were left alone; iconic grays and whites - reminiscent of the gulls that circle the Bay Area - won the day. It was fun to see newer brands like Elevee alongside classics like Ashworth and Greg Norman and it was nice to see the quality and thought put into all the pieces worn. 

Here at the KC, we sometimes get so caught up in "what we could have done better" that we forget to sit back and see the successes and the strides that team looks have made through the years. We can only assume, with next year's Ryder Cup, that this progression and focus on quality and fit will continue.

-KC  (Proud golfers, Americans and style observers)