Europe make history with Marvellous Comeback to beat the US
0 comment
As the day unfolded, it looked as though the Europeans were giving the Americans a run for their money and the highly probable loss would be much closer than expected, but many never expected Team Europe to deliver a Seve style comeback inspired by the 2012 captain Jose Maria Olazabal. The final result was 14.5 to 13.5 and it was much closer than the score indicated, and closer than one could have imagined.
After closing with two unlikely 4-ball victories, inspired by Poulter brilliant 5 birdie run, the European Golf Team started the final day’s play by winning the top-5 matches and then went on the beat the American Golf Team on their home ground. The mommentum was with the Eurpean team and they just holed more putts and made some fantatsic birdies under pressure. The German Martin Kaymer, the former USPGA Champion and World Golf No. 1 courageously holed the winning putt and admitted that the miss of fellow German legend, Bernhard Langer, who missed Ryder Cup winning putt from similar distance in 1991, was on his mind. A tearful European Team captain Jose Maria Olazabal looked toward a blue sky in Chicago and and took a moment to think of Ryder Cup Legend Seve Ballesteros.
What occurred this week at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, honoured Seve Ballesteros and the great game of golf. The final result could not have been scripted better for the global audience of over 500 million and ended Europe: 14.5. United States: 13.5. and this can only be good for the Ryder Cup brand and the worldwide development of the great game of golf.
 |
 |
Here’s a re-cap of how the matches went during the day
Luke Donald def Bubba Watson 2/1
Off first, the former World Golf #1 Luke Donald was in control virtually from the outset, using pin point accurate irons to take a 2-up advantage to the back nine and winning holes 11 and 12 to lead by four. Watson fired three birdies starting at the 14th hole to delay the inevitable but a stiffd bunker gave Donald the win before the home crowd in 
Chicago, where he has lived for 15 years. Donald shot 4 under par.
Paul Lawrie def Brandt Snedeker 5/3
Lawrie led 3 up at the turn with 2 birdies and an eagle. A further birdie and two Snedeker bogeys in a three-hole stretch on the back nine to put this game out of reach at 5 up. Snedeker, who recently won the FedExCup seven days ago, birdied the 14th to extend the match but it was only a matter of time. Lawrie shot 5 under par.
Ian Poulter def Webb Simpson 2 up
Poulter picked up where he left off with that string of five straight birdies on Saturday when he opened this Singles match by chipping in for another on the opening hole. Simpson, led until Poulter squared the match at the 11th hole. Poulter finally got ahead when Simpson couldn’t save par from the bunker at the 17th hole and then won the 18th with a conceded birdie. Poulter shot 2 under par.
Rory McIlroy def Keegan Bradley 2/1
McIlroy arrived at the course by way of police escort with 1o minutes to spare before his tee time after confusing ET with CT times and then fired off three straight birdies starting at the fourth hole to take a 2-up lead. Bradley, squared the match at the 12th hole, but consecutive birdies at Nos. 14 and 15 gave McIlroy the cushion he needed to win. McIlroy shot 5 under par.
Johnson, won the first point for the American Golf Team to complete an undefeated 3-0 Ryder Cup. He won the first hole and never trailed in the match, although the 29-year-old from Belgium did level the game three times. Johnson won the final three holes with two birdies and a par to seal the win. Johnson shot 3 under.
Zach Johnson def Graeme McDowell 2/1
This match was just workmanlike and Johnson built a 3-up advantage by the fourth hole thanks to a birdie and two McDowell bogeys. The American lead 2 up at the turn and ground out halves at the next seven holes to seal the win. Johnson shot even par.
Garcia only led twice in this match but the second one was when it counted on the 18th hole. Furyk held a 1-up advantage through 16 holes but couldn’t get up-and-down from the greenside bunker at the 17th and three putted No. 18 to gift Garcia the win with two poor bogeys. In the final analysis, a very costly loss for the USA. Garcia shot 1 under par.
Dufner led 4 up at the turn. The Swede won the 10th hole with a birdie and Nos. 11 and 12 when Dufner made bogeys. But the American won three of the next four holes to earn what turned out to be the final point for the U.S. Dufner shot 2 under par.
Westwood never trailed in his match and took control over the final five holes, winning three and sealing the win a 12-inch putt the American made him putt for the point at the 16th hole. Westwood shot 3 under par.
Martin Kaymer def Steve Stricker 1 upNeither player led by more than 1 up in this tight match, and it all came down to the final two holes. Stricker missed a 7-footer for par at the 17th hole while Kaymer holed his from 5 feet to go 1 up. An almost identical scenario existed on the 18th hole but this time Stricker made it from 8 feet and Kaymer, who won the 2010 PGA, came up with the clutch 6-footer to win the 2012 Ryder Cup. Kaymer shot even par.
In celebration of this fanatsic win Golf Direct have extended their Ryder Cup Sale to the 7th October 2012
