This was the greatest comeback since Lazarus. Europe’s win over the USA in the Ryder Cup by 141/2 -131/2 was truly remarkable. Only one other team had ever come back from 6-10 down to win the Cup and that was achieved by USA at Brookline in 1999.
Arguably this win by Europe was even better. It was achieved on foreign soil amid a hostile crowd and against a rampant American team who were dominant for the first two days. At one stage America led 10-4 with two four ball matches remaining on the course on Saturday evening.
Ian Poulter had been playing this competition like a man possessed since day one and Saturday evening he went into hyper mode. His partner Rory Mcilroy birdied the 13th hole to leave his team one down, but then Poulter reeled off 5 birdies on the last five holes to snatch a much needed win to reduce the margin to 10-6. Donald and Garcia did their bit to snatch a win from Woods and Stricker.
On Saturday evening ESPN’s chief golf writer claimed that Europe had no chance in winning the Ryder Cup. He said: “Team Europe can still win if the following five things happen Sunday:
Keegan Bradley is abducted.
Team USA captain Davis Love 3rd inserts cup spectators Michael Jordan, President George W. Bush, Amy Mickelson and the Rev. Jesse Jackson into the singles lineup.
Lee Westwood: U.S. citizen.
Marty McFly shows Team Europe captain Jose Maria Olazabal how to go back in time. Last Friday will do.
Team Europe wins eight of the remaining 12 matches to retain the cup.”
Emboldened by America’s 10-6 lead going into the final day’s singles competition, he signed off by suggesting that the task the Europeans faced was “as close to insurmountable as trying to climb Everest wearing a T-shirt, cargo shorts and flip flops”.
I’m sure Jose Maria Olazabal shared the hack’s comments with his team before stacking the top of the order with his best players. Europe won the first five matches with Luke Donald and the incomparable Ian Poulter leading the way.
Golf is a strange game in many ways. There are players who excel in the majors. There are those who perform well in the majors and the Ryder Cup. Jack Nicklaus, Larry Nelson, Nick Faldo, Tom Watson and Sevy Ballesteros fall into the latter category. Then there is the enigma of Tiger Woods with 14 majors, but has a dreadful record in the Ryder Cup. Woods in conjunction with veterans Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker won a meager 11/2 points between them.
Finally we have the category of golfers who have never won a major, but have an excellent record in Ryder Cup matches. Donald, Westwood, Garcia, Montgomerie and Poulter epitomize this phenomenon. Montgomerie was undefeated in singles matches and Poulter has the eye-catching record of 12-4 in his three Ryder Cups. The competition has reached such magnitude that a good Ryder Cup record can now define a golfer’s career.
Europe’s amazing start in the singles drew them level in terms of the overall score, but more work was required to retain the cup. By the time the middle matches were completed the score was level at 12-12. If Mickelson’s chip or Stricker’s putt on 17 had dropped, Martin Kaymer and the Europeans would have come up a point short in their quest to retain the cup. Instead Kymer sunk the putt and the rest is history.
Did we witness a miracle inspired by the spirit of the late and great Sevvy Ballesteros, or did the Americans have a meltdown in the home stretch? Neither assumption is probable but anything is possible. However there is one factor of which I’m sure: on the first two days most of Europe’s putts were lipping out, but on Sunday every European putt appeared to find the cup which made it possible to retain the Cup. Add the ensuing mayhem to miracle and meltdown, and there you have it in a tin cup.
