Miracle on Ice hockey team goes all-in for Ryder Cup

With chants of "USA! USA!" Minnesota members of the Miracle on Ice hockey team staged a bit of a welcome rally for the international golf world at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska on Thursday.

With props like a hockey goal, Team USA hockey and golf jerseys, and an actual 1980 men's Olympic hockey gold medal, six members of the team staged several messages for cameras, including a welcome-to-Minnesota message and recitation of the "We Are 13" (unofficial) Ryder Cup creed.

Hazeltine will host the biennial America-vs.-Europe team golf competition from Sept. 27 to Oct. 2.

Europe has held the Cup since 2010, although none of the Olympians uttered the M-word when asked about the golfers' chances.

"They know what they need to do," said Neal Broten, himself a 7-handicapper on the golf course.

Defenseman Dave Christian said that while golf and ice hockey might seem to have little in common, that all changes when it becomes team play for national pride.

"This is all about team, and certainly in 1980 that's what we were," Christian said.

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RYDER CUP CREED

We are 13.

12 players plus 1 nation.

This is our Ryder Cup. Our country, our course, our team.

We'll rep the red, white and blue on the green.

We'll go big, get loud and show respect.

We'll see golfers become legends, moments become memories and we'll hae no idea what's coming next.

We'll be watching. We'll be cheering.

We are 13.

WATCH: The American Captain video series featuring Davis Love III

DAVIS LOVE III 'PROUD'

Team USA Captain Davis Love III said the RYder Cup team "is getting a huge boost of support from some really special people."

In a statement, Love said, in part: "I couldn't be more proud to know that these gold medal winners are behind us. That team brought us the 'Miracle on Ice' and I know our guys will work as hard at Hazeltine as they did in Lake Placid to bring the Ryder Cup back to the U.S."

This article was written by Dave Orrick from St. Paul Pioneer Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.