Tiger salvages a halve, but Team USA falters
Team USA’s seemingly insurmountable lead evaporated Sunday during the final day of the Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club near Chicago. Leading Europe 10-6 starting 12 singles matches, the Yanks were blitzed 8.5 to 3.5 and sustained a shocking 14.5 to 13.5 defeat, matching the biggest comeback in the 39-year series history.
In 1999, the U.S. faced a similar last-day deficit at the Country Club in Brookline, Ma., and pulled off a stunning 14.5 to 13.5 victory.
On Sunday, Europe got off to a fast start and rode a wave of momentum. The outcome came down to the final two matches between Steve Stricker against Martin Kaymer, and Tiger Woods against Franceso Molinari.
With Team USA needing 1.5 points out of 2 to regain the cup, Stricker lost the par-3 17th hole to fall 1 down, then needed to win the par-4 18th hole to salvage a halve with Kaymer and keep the Yanks’ hopes alive.
It didn’t happen. Although Stricker made a clutch two-putt par from 40 feet, Kaymer also two-putted for par, holing a huge six-foot comebacker to clinch the cup.
Woods was standing in the 18th fairway, waiting to hit his approach shot, when a roar went up at the green by the Europeans fans, who began singing “Ole, ole, ole, ole,’ signaling the final outcome. Tiger, who fell 2 down after three holes to Molinari, battled back gamely and took his first lead with a par on the 17th hole to give the U.S. team hope.
“I just kept focusing on my point,” said Woods. “I didn’t really pay a lot of attention to the boards. I had to get my match back to all square and not put a red point on the board.”
Once Tiger reached the 18th green, he knew his point was meaningless, although had he tied the hole with Molinari and beaten him 1 up, the overall match would have finished tied at 14-14, with Europe still retaining the cup. Woods missed a four-foot par putt and conceded Molinari’s short par putt and their match was halved.
“It was inconsequential,” Woods said. “So I hit it too quick and gave him his putt.”
Six of the 12 matches went to the 18th hole and U.S. won only won.
“What happened to us is we got a couple matches flipped that normally would have counted,” said American captain Davis Love III. “When you lose some of those at 16, 17 and 18, that’s what costs you.”
Europe has now won five of the last six competitions, but trails in the overall series, 25-12-2.
