On the flight home from Cardiff the United States Ryder Cup captain, Corey Pavin, would have reflected on the weekend’s events which would have highlighted that despite his team winning three of the four sessions the Ryder Cup trophy remained in Wales – with the European Team – leaving him wondering what more could he have done.
The short answer is probably very little under the circumstances as that middle session on Saturday evening and Sunday really determined the outcome - with Team USA winning only a half point in six matches. The three point deficit at the start of Sunday - 9 to 6 – required the US team win eight of the twelve matches. As it was they won seven losing the last on the seventeenth green when Hunter Mahan duffed his chip in an effort to keep a half point alive – given he was doorme two.
The European elation on the second last green highlighted the relief for the winners - who had started out the day looking at a clean sweep only to see the US players come back match by match, hole by hole. At one stage when Padraig Harrington fought back to win the fourteenth and fifteenth from Zach Johnson it seemed like a half point from his match might have been required.
In the end history will record that Graeme McDowell secured the win for Europe and ensured the 38th Ryder Cup match went in favour of the home team at Celtic Manor.
The US player that seemed most likely to struggle played the best in the end with Tiger Woods hauling three points overall which was the same as his partner for most of the week, Steve Stricker. The stalwarts of the US Team, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk, failed yet again to do their business. Mickelson only winning the singles on the last day against Peter Hanson four and two.
The FedEx Cup winner, Jim Furyk, playing in his seventh Ryder Cup, won only a half point in Wales and his record in Wales reflects that has only won nine out of a total of 24 matches played - with a low winning percentage of 40%.
Dustin Johnson found the Ryder Cup perhaps an event too far this year and his booming droves proved inaccurate and the pace of the slower Celtic Manor greens gave little for him to enjoy. Not unlike the rest of the Rookies, who all seemed to struggle away from home, with each only accounting for one point – apart from Matt Kuchar and the impressive Jeff Overton who both won two apiece.
The strength of match play foursomes and four balls seemed yet again to favour the European players with the United Sates players strong in the individual contests of the singles matches. Not unlike in Boston in 1999, the US comeback on Sunday at Celtic Manor gave them seven matches and had the running order been different it may not have fallen to the US Open winner, Graeme McDowell, to seal the win.
Without doubt the irony was not lost on Corey Pavin winner of the US Open in 1995.
But tactics in the Ryder Cup singles has become an art from in itself and in Wales Montgomerie showed a wisdom that has been gathered over eight events - under as many captains. With his opposite number only playing three times – 1991, ’93 and ’95 - maybe that was the difference.
At The Belfry in 2002 European Captain Sam Torrance threw the rule book out sending Monty out first against the indomitable Scott Hoch to get the first European point. It was the only way to get the home fans going and gather some momentum down the field. His plan was to risk it all early in the hope that by the time the US big guns – Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson - teed off their scores would start to look irrelevant.
That proved to be the case when Paul McGinley secured a half with his putt on the eighteenth green in the ninth match against Jim Furyk.
In 1997 the wisdom of a strong back order was Seve’s tactical plan in Valderrama with Jose Maria Olazabal, Nick Faldo and Colin Montgomerie the last three out. On that day it came down to Monty’s last game - after the preceding games were surprisingly lost by Olazabal to Lee Janzen and Faldo to Jim Furyk - with Scot Hoch again the man trying to win the last point for the USA.
On that wet Sunday evening in Spain Montgomerie secured the required half point on the eighteenth after Captain Seve Ballesteros conceded the hole as it was enough for Europe to retain the cup - after the win at Oak Hill Country Club two years previously.
In 2004 the US collapse in Oakland Hills Country Club in the singles was uncanny with Europe winning 7 and half points on the Sunday – quite easily – and the Ryder Cup by a record margin of 18 ½ to 9 ½. On that day the last four were Thomas Levet, Ian Poulter, Padraig Harington and Paul McGinley with all the matches going to Europe.
At Valhalla two years ago Nick Faldo front loaded the singles in the search of some early points.
However when Sergio Garcia and Paul Casey halved their matches the focus shot to the back end, where Europe were under pressure even at the outset as Harrington was having an indifferent event after winning his three majors. The third and fourth matches went to Europe with Robert Karlsson and Justin Rose beating Justin Leonard and Justin rose respectively.
In the last four matches Stewart Cink was against Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter against Steve Stricker, Lee Westwood playing Ben Curtis and Padraig Harington up against Campbell. In the end Europe only won two of those matches – thanks to McDowell and Poulter - and the reliable Harrington and Westwood failed to deliver that day and Europe lost its grip on the Ryder Cup by 16 ½ to 11 ½.
Clearly watching it all from a distance Colin Montgomerie learned a lot about the match in Kentucky and made sure the running order was as bullet proof as possible in Wales. Hoping also that Lady Luck would prevail on his side.
In the absence of good fortune he decided that McDowell was the right man to anchor the attack on the last day no matter what - a stroke of genius undoubtedly.
For Corey Pavin that may just have been the difference and little he could have done against a player who is currently in the form of his life.
Philip Walton ©
