2010 Ryder Cup, Final Clippings Vol. 1

It was an unforgettable Monday thanks to a strong American comeback, but ultimately they came up a 1/2 point short of Monty never being able to show his face again.

Ledes

Lawrence Donegan in The Guardian:

The sport was enthralling, the climax gripping and the celebrations tumultuous as the rain-delayed 2010 Ryder Cup in Wales finally ended yesterday in tears for the losers and buckets of champagne for Colin Montgomerie and his European team.

James Corrigan, filing for The Independent.

The longest Ryder Cup in history was always going to come down to the very last match; it had kept us waiting and it was not going to disappoint. Graeme McDowell was the heroic winner, the last man standing who earned the final point which retained the trophy for Europe by the slimmest 141/2-131/2 margin and triggered a scene unprecedented in its collective euphoria.

Larry Dorman in the New York Times:

Moments after Graeme McDowell won the final Ryder Cup point on the 17th green on Monday, something that looked like a Celtic Mardi Gras parade broke out in the Usk Valley. Singing, laughing pockets of elation spread out across the greensward, up the slope next to the 18th green, and in front of the Twenty Ten clubhouse, and in the 18th fairway at Celtic Manor.

Standing on the seat of a cart beneath the clubhouse balcony, with a bottle of wine in his hand and a cigar in his mouth, the 46-year-old Spaniard Miguel Ángel Jiménez, who had played a leading role in the Europeans’ 14 ½-13 ½ victory over the United States, basked in the victory, throwing kisses to the crowd and tossing them hats, gloves and shirts to show his appreciation.

Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY

A blowout turned into a barn-burner.

Doug Ferguson, Associated Press:

The pressure was more than Graeme McDowell wanted.

The heartbreak was more than Hunter Mahan could handle.

The longest Ryder Cup in history came down to the very last match Monday at Celtic Manor, exposing the rawest emotions found in golf and delivering a moment that defines a career – even for a U.S. Open champion.

Monday, Monday

Sam Weinman, Golf Digest:

For all the hyperbole often associated with the Ryder Cup, here was one that may have exceeded expectations, one that came down to the last two players on the last day, with seemingly all of Wales jockeying for position just to witness the finish.

Corrigan on the first tee scene.

The grandstand surrounding the first tee has been the favoured position for the wisecrackers and yesterday they did not disappoint. When a grim-faced and waterproof-wrapped Tom Lehman walked on to the first tee the chant went up of, "You're only here for the weather." When Lee Westwood embarked on his painful-looking stretching exercises they all sang, "Where's your belly gone?" And so it went on and on.

Then Tiger Woods arrived and by his expression he knew what was coming. "How many birdies today then, Tiger?" one voice shouted (the answer was actually six). The marshals had a word with that miscreant (not Tiger, the fan) but soon after came the most damning chorus. "Elin is a Euro, Elin is a Euro..." Cruel? Undoubtedly. Funny? A little. Just call it Blue Monday hysteria.

Rick Reilly also chimes in from the first tee.

• In a lull, they chanted to Stewart Cink, "We've got more hair than you!" To which Cink doffed his cap to prove it.

• To 21-year-old Rickie Fowler, the tiny U.S. player who looks more like a skateboarder than a golfer, somebody hollered out: "Hurry up, Rickie! You've got double math [class] today!"

A Press Association report on Seve sending his best wishes.

"Congratulations to all of you!" he said. "It has been very exciting until the last minute. I have enjoyed watching great golf from both sides over the weekend. As I said on Thursday, the more difficult it is to win, the sweeter victory tastes. I'm sure all the players and European supporters are enjoying it. Well done Europe!"

Mike Walker on the crazy 17th hole scene.

SIR MONTY

James Lawton slobbers all over the second coming of Churchill:

In truth, Monty was part field commander, part cheerleader and, above all, resident mother hen.
His strategy was sound, his selection of men and their places in the battle almost invariably touching perfection, and at the climactic point when his anchorman from Ulster, Graeme McDowell, delivered the brilliant putt that made victory inevitable, he shut his eyes for a second, drew a deep breath, then said: "We've done it – that's it."

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, on Monty:

"He's been brilliant," said England's Ian Poulter, who went 3-1 in this Ryder Cup, including a 5 and 4 victory over Matt Kuchar on Monday. "He's been awesome. He's been a really good captain.

"Monty's Monty. He's passionate. He wants to win this thing. He spent two years of his life dedicated to this trophy. It's on home soil. He drove us very hard this week, as well he should."

The role of the captain is often overstated -- Monty's players are the ones who got it done -- but you do have to admire the high regard he had for the job and the manner in which his players responded.

"Monty has been as fired up as anyone on this team this week," said McDowell, the reigning U.S. Open champion. "He has been so desperate to get us charged up going to that first tee. He's been asking us to go out and do a job for him."

The Guardian publishes an editorial praising Monty.

This week, though, he has been a treasure. Can't they make him Ryder Cup captain for life?

He'd get this blogger's vote!

Richard Williams on Monty's captaincy.

Unlike Corey Pavin, Monty did not have his own name embroidered above those of his players on the back of the support team's jackets. And he was flexible enough to expand his initial choice of vice-captains – Thomas Bjorn, Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke – when García called with a request to be included in some capacity despite his failure to qualify as a player. Remembering how the Spaniard's enthusiasm had contributed to the atmosphere in earlier years, he accepted the offer and would be grateful for the extra hand.

EUROPE

Alistair Tait says the difference in the matches was the European's passion for the event. You'd think passion would get you more than a two point advantage.

Do you think Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson live for the Ryder Cup? Think again. Tiger once gave a million reasons why he’d rather win a WGC event than the Ryder Cup. Europeans would probably spend a million just to play in the match.

Brian Keough on Graeme McDowell:

Despite not being comfortable with his game all week, the 31-year old from Portrush showed just why is arguably the gutsiest golfer on the planet as he withstood incredible pressure coming down the stretch when it became clear that Europe’s Ryder Cup hopes rested on his shoulders.

Phillip Reid swoons over McDowell's clutch play.

HOW DO YOU design a hero? Do you ensure he measures 5ft 11 in, and clocks in at 12st on the button? That he has an Ulster accent first honed on the Causeway Coast, but diluted by attending college in Alabama? That he has attributes of mental fortitude, and an ability to swing - in his unique, quick-tempo style - a club at a small white ball? And, more so, that he knows how to get that ball into a tin cup?

Do you call him Graeme McDowell? Or, perhaps, G-Mac?

USA, USA

Randall Mell on the improbable American comeback.

Dustin Johnson officially started the American charge, giving the Americans their first point by routing Martin Kaymer, the German who won the PGA Championship that ended so bitterly and controversially for Johnson six weeks ago. Johnson felt like he should have been in the playoff Kaymer won at Whistling Straits. Johnson looked like he would have won it Monday, closing with four consecutive birdies to beat Kaymer 6 and 4.

Moments after Johnson’s point registered, Steve Stricker closed out his match, beating Europe’s best player, Westwood, 2 and 1.

Tiger Woods looked like, well, Tiger Woods. He played like even if he loses the No. 1 ranking this fall, he’s close to finding the form that will win it back. He played like he’s still going to blow past Jack Nicklaus on his way to setting the record for major championships. He played like he wanted to shut us all up with a 4-and-3 thumping of Francesco Molinari. Woods holed a shot from 133 yards for eagle. He made seven birdies and an eagle in a performance that rivaled any he’s delivered at the height of his powers. He was 9 under over 15 holes.

Phil Mickelson delivered, too. He ended his streak of four consecutive Ryder Cup singles losses defeating Peter Hanson 4 and 2.

Gene Wojciechowski thinks Corey Pavin did okay.

Blame Pavin if you want, but it would be a mistake. Yes, he plodded along in his monotone way. And yes, if they made a sweater vest logo of Pavin, it'd be a silhouette of a yawn. In fact, I'm pretty sure he had his emotion gland surgically removed before arriving in Wales.

But Pavin wasn't hired because of his personality (at least, I hope he wasn't). He was hired to make four captain's choices, configure the USA foursome, four-ball and singles lineups and, in his spare time, arrange for his team to wear leaky rain suits and TCU-purple sweaters.

Captains matter. I know the players swing the clubs, but innovative Paul Azinger was worth at least a point when he captained the USA team to a win at Valhalla in 2008. Montgomerie had to be worth at least the same, maybe more, at Celtic Manor.

And robotic Pavin? Eh. As they say in golf, "helpy, hurty."

David Whitley praises Pavin's effort, though you wouldn't know it from this passage.

Sure, Pavin screwed up when he ordered rain suits made out of paper towels. The golf bags leaked. And those lavender sweaters the U.S. wore Saturday need to go back in Estelle Getty's closet.

Then there were the press conferences, where Pavin treated every question like an invasion of privacy. He didn't want to discuss how the U.S. team room was decorated, or what he might have told his team or why he chose certain pastels for team uniforms.

"I wanted to be a calming effect on the team," he said.

He wasn't just calm. He was comatose compared to Colin Montgomerie. Captain Colorful filled up notebooks and railed about "passion" and spread British witticism all around Celtic Manor.

Pavin was so uptight he wouldn't even confirm he was in Wales. America could only hope his players weren't as bored by Pavin as everybody else.

As one cheeky British writer put it: "He has looked so devoid of energy that it is doubtful, in his present mood, that he could inspire lemmings to jump off a cliff."

Paul Mahoney on Pavin:

Pavin didn't sound any different in defeat as he had all week. Maybe the mud sucked away all his energy. He paid tribute to his players. "They fought back. Nearly got there. It's been a privilege and an honour to call them team-mates." Pavin got many things wrong and that was another one.

He was not a team-mate; he was their captain. "I wanted to have a calming effect on the team," Pavin said. Sadly, it felt more like an embalming effect. "I went with what I thought was best," Pavin added. "It nearly worked out." Nearly, though, doesn't cut it.

And Martin Samuel shared this:

At the back of the 16th, Corey Pavin, the American captain, nearly flipped a golf buggy by taking a bend too fast and veering on to a grass verge that had been reduced to a mud chute.

Sean Martin on Hunter Mahan taking his singles loss hard.

“Hunter Mahan put himself in that position today. ... Hunter Mahan performed like a champ out there today, all right. And I think it’s awesome. Not many players would want to do that. I’m sorry, I just wanted to add something to that before we stop.”

Mahan was asked one last question, about when he realized his match would decide the Cup. Mickelson gingerly pushed the microphone toward Mahan, but realized a few seconds later that Mahan would be unable to answer.

Mickelson took back the microphone a few seconds later, then tried to lighten the mood. “Let’s go to another (question). Yes, in the blue, back there. Go on, lad.”

Steve Elling also touched on Mahan's loss and reaction.

"He played great today, didn't miss a shot," Mahan said as his mates watched in empathy. "Hit a bunch of key putts, probably the last four or five holes, and you know, he that birdie on 16, after I got it to 1 down, was huge. He played he just beat me today."

Not since 1991, when Bernhard Langer missed a 6-footer and halved his match with Hale Irwin as the U.S. held on to win by a point, had a Ryder Cup gone down to the last match.

American veteran Jim Furyk quickly tried to deflect any blame that might be directed at Mahan, one of the most popular players with his brethren on the U.S. tour. Furyk has been on both sides of the clinching point as the winner and loser, so he knows it can be a lonely feeling.

"We probably have a bunch of guys on the team who feel like, 'You know what, that could have been my half point,'" said Furyk, who himself blew a chance at the 18th to secure a half-point Monday. "It's not anyone's fault individually, but there's lots of people thinking about it.

Brian Viner reports on Tiger's singles match win.

In truth, his round yesterday was like his entire golfing career writ small, featuring brilliance – not least, a full wedge shot holed for an eagle two on the 12th – as well as petulance, dazzling smiles as well as angry expletives, and even one shot that belonged to a 16-handicapper mucking up the midweek medal. That shot, a clumsy chip on the par-five second, yielded merely a par when he had all but reached the green, more than 600 yards from the tee, in two. After that he scarcely put a foot wrong, but then Tiger only has to put a toe wrong to give himself hell. On the 433-yard fifth he pulled a three-wood into the left-hand rough, and could not contain his frustration. "Fuck," he snapped several times, loudly enough to reach the ears of the many assembled youngsters (who will doubtless be handing in sicknotes at school today). "Trust your move," he berated himself, replaying the swing that has been tweaked for him by his new coach Sean Foley.

Reports And Report Cards

Gary Van Sickle grades the players for each team. I'm not sure about that A- for Rickie Fowler going 0-1-2 in spite of Monday's magical comeback!

Donegan's report card includes this on Padraig:

The most controversial of Montgomerie's three picks and at times it looked as if this might turn into an embarrassment for the Irishman and his captain. But an unlikely partnership with Ross Fisher revived his spirits. Hammered by Zach Johnson in the singles but most people would have been. The American was seven-under for their match. C

Golf Channel's cards for the Americans and Europeans.

They also posts quotes of the week.

John Strege posts a bit of this and that recapping the Cup.

Scott Murray live blogged and documented the final days' every move.

Jason Sobel provided the American version with live chat interaction

Jay Busbee at Yahoo also hosted a chat.

Player results from the week.

Darren Rovell declares his winners and losers from the endorsement perspective.

Our winner is Graeme McDowell.

Our loser is Tiger Woods.

Graeme McDowell: It came down McDowell on the home turf and he won it for the Europeans. Add to that his U.S. Open victory this year and his agent is going to be pretty busy. The question is, does McDowell have too many deals already? Check out this lineup: Audemars Piguet, Callaway, Ballantine's whiskey, Stuburt, Marquis Jet, Louis Copeland & Sons and the Al Naboodah Group (Dubai real estate company).

Tiger Woods: Tiger had a great day today and it was pretty much all for naught. Winning the Ryder Cup would have given Nike [NKE 79.815 -0.435 (-0.54%)] a chance to use him, something they haven't done all year.

Commentary

John Hopkins has nothing nice to say about the European and PGA Tours for pushing the event to October and warns that greed had better not rule the day for 2014, whose dates have not been set yet. He also quotes an upset Tony Jacklin who comes right out and blames the FedExCup. Glad Jacklin is in the World Golf Hall of Fame because a certain commissioner sure wouldn't vote him in now!

Paul Hayward also took a shot at the FedExCup:

Frustration found its outlet in the scheduling of the event in October, in Wales, which bears the brunt of Atlantic fronts. America's Fed Ex Cup – a pork barrel free-for-all for the world's best players – had taken precedence, forcing the Ryder Cup back deep into autumn. The viability of the event itself was questioned. Was it a hyped ceremonial afterthought to the real business of making money or the spiritual heartbeat of golf?

Rich Lerner's Hooks and Cuts.

• Journalistic impartiality doesn’t live at the Ryder Cup in Europe. When Molinari made the putt at 18 the press room burst out in applause.

• Luke Donald doesn’t strike fear into the heart of an opponent, pleasant more than pugnacious, a student of fine art at Northwestern. But he’s proven his mettle, with Ian Poulter saying that “he’s reserved, but inside there’s one helluva fire burning.”

• Corey Pavin is getting roasted by the pundits for his bland public persona. It may be unfair because he is who he is, but the nicknames Borey Pavin and Captain Charisma are making the rounds.

The SI/golf.com roundtable addresses various topics, including the turning point of the matches.

Farrell Evans, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: It was the spanking that the U.S. Team took on Sunday. They lost all but half a point. That was the deciding day.

Gorant: Farrell is right. Dropping five-and-a-half out of six points in the third session was a total team failure that turned the entire event. Taking it a step further, you could say that it was won on Saturday, since the Euros jumped to big leads in almost every match before play was suspended.

Television

John Strege with highlights from NBC on USA's telecast.

Koch, after Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson each won in a rout on Monday: "It's amazing how these guys play so much better when they play as individuals."

Jonathan Wall reviews the telecast but doesn't say a thing about the obscene number of commercial breaks. Don't worry, I did in my review for Golf World!