Ryder Cup Update I
The 41st Ryder Cup, the quintessential team golf event that pits the US against Europe, is being held this weekend at Hazeltine Golf Club just outside Minneapolis. The US has lost 8 out of the last 10 Ryder Cups, creating such distress that the USGA actually set up a committee on how to improve the US Ryder Cup performance. The pressure for a US win this year, especially as it’s on home soil, is tremendous. And the US has its greatest advantage in years – not only because the US can set up the course with rough that is not penal and provides forgiveness to its erratic but long drivers but also because half of the European team, six players in all, are playing in their first Ryder Cup.
The Americans, with incredible crowd backing got off to a roaring start on Friday morning in the foursomes as they blitzed the Europeans with a barrage of birdies. Phil Mickelson and Ricky Fowler roared back from 2 down with 4 to play to win their match 1 up. At the end of the session, the US had won all four points, the first time that had happened since 1975. It looked like this Ryder Cup would be a rout.
Friday afternoon in four-ball, however, the tables turned. The Euros kept their composure and started to make some putts. In what turned out to be an afternoon of one-sided affairs, the Europeans walked away with 3 out of the four points, getting them back in the match. The clutch play of the Europeans in the afternoon should not be overlooked as it was possible for them almost be out of the event on Friday. It was an interesting day as virtually every match was a blowout – only one match made it to the 17th hole.
This morning looked to be following that blowout pattern as both Europe and the US took considerable leads in two matches each. Mickelson and Fowler rallied from 3 down with two wins but Rory McIlroy and rookie Thomas Pieters held their own and finished the match off with wins on 14, 15, and 16. Justin Rose and Chris Wood built a 3 up lead through 13 but Zach Johnson and Jimmy Walker clawed back two wins on 14 and 16 but were held off for a 1 down loss for the Americans. Brandt Snedeker and Brooks Koepka reeled off 3 wins on 13, 15, and 16 to break open a tie match and win the point for the Americans. That twosome showed how driving accuracy does not count for much on this course as they only hit three fairways all day in a 3 and 2 win. That left the final match of the morning to be decided with Americans Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed facing Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Sergio Garcia. Patrick Reed thrives in the Ryder Cup pressure and Spieth is one of the great mid-distance putters, which is what you need in this competition. And they just rolled over the Europeans going 4 up after 11. It looked like it would be virtually all over on 12 but Cabrera-Bello sank a decent-length putt simply to halve the whole. The crowd, sensing a big win, started to get all over Sergio, with chants about his “no majors”. It wasn’t a good idea. The Spanish pair started to make some putts and the US team started to miss theirs by inches. A win on 13 got the Europeans some momentum and they went on to win 15, 16, and 17 to square the match. With both teams making par on 18, the match was halved.
That incredible comeback by the Spaniards allowed the Euros to win the session 2-1/2 to 1-1/2 and pick up another point. For the Americans, it was a bitter disappointment and it means they have virtually squandered that 4 point advantage from Friday. They still lead by a point, 6-1/2 to 5-1/2, but the momentum is all on Europe’s side as we head in to Saturday afternoon. But, in this competition, momentum can turn on a dime.