Ryder Cup epic comeback, greatest choke:
Europe whips USA
CHICAGO—Europe produced the greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history to reel in the United States and retain the trophy at Medinah Country Club on Sunday.
Trailing by 6-10 going into the closing 12 singles, Jose Maria Olazabal’s men won the first five matches out and went on to make sure of victory when Martin Kaymer beat Steve Stricker 1-up in the penultimate match.
He clinched it with a six-foot putt at the last, 21 years after his fellow German Bernard Langer missed from a similar distance to hand victory to the United States at Kiawah Island.
That gave the Europeans the 14 points they needed to make sure of keeping the small, golden trophy for another two years, and then minutes later Tiger Woods missed a four-footer at 18 against Francesco Molinari to hand overall victory to Europe 14.5 to 13.5. “This is indescribable,” Kaymer said. “I was so nervous in the last three holes. Olazabal came up to me on the 16th and told me we needed my point to win the cup. I loved that feeling.”
The US had started the 12 closing singles 10-6 ahead and needing just 4.5 points to win the cup for just the second time in the last decade, the other time being at Valhalla, Kentucky in 2008.
They got to that position by dominating the foursomes and fourballs on Friday and Saturday, taking two sessions 3-1 and splitting the two others 2-2.
Olazabal’s team were left with the mammoth task of winning eight out of the 12 singles to put the overall match score at 14-14, thus ensuring Europe retained the cup as holders.
No European side had ever managed to come back from 6-10 down in the Ryder Cup and no US team had ever lost more than a two-point edge on the final day since the duel began in 1927.
Olazabal loaded his top guns at the start of the singles slate and there was some early momentum as Luke Donald quickly went 2-up on Bubba Watson in the lead match and Europe was ahead in three of the first five matchups.
But gradually the US team settled in with some strong middle-order players.
First point home was a blue one as Donald led from start to finish to see off crowd-pleaser Bubba Watson, 2 and 1.
The Englishman was 4-up with five to play. Watson took the 15th and then chipped in to nick the 16th before Donald clinched it with a bunker shot at 17.
Then Paul Lawrie pulled off an upset by trouncing Tour Championship winner Brandt Snedeker, 5 and 3.
And when world No.1 Rory McIlroy, who nearly missed his tee-time due to a mixup over time zones, completed a 2and-1 win over the unbeaten Keegan Bradley, and Ian Poulter defeated Webb Simpson, 2-up, the match was at 10-10.
Dustin Johnson beat Nicolas Colsaerts, 3 and 2, to put the Americans back ahead only for Justin Rose to win the last two holes with monster putts to defeat Phil Mickelson, 1-up.
Zach Johnson edged Graeme McDowell, 2 and 1, but Sergio Garcia won the last two holes to stun Jim Furyk and Lee Westwood scored a 3-and-2 win over Matt Kuchar as Europe led, 13-12.
Jason Dufner defeated Peter Hanson, 2-up, and it was level at 13-13.
It all came down to the last two matches and they were both all square.
Woods moved 1-up on Molinari, but Kaymer took the 17th against Steve Stricker and he sunk the nerve-jangling six footer at the last to ensure Europe had the 14 points they needed.
By the time Woods flopped at the last, Europe had taken the singles by an unthinkable 8.5 to 3.5.
An emotional Olazabal paid tribute to the late Severiano Ballesteros, his great friend and Ryder Cup partner, who died from a brain tumor last year.
“Seve will always be present with this team,” he said. “He was a big factor for this event, for the European side, and last night when we were having that meeting, I think the boys understood that believing was the most important thing, and I think they did.”
US skipper Davis Love said that he would not have done anything different in his tactics or selections.