Revisiting The Ryder Cup
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Phil O'Neill
By Phil O'Neill
Published on 10/13/2006
Monty and the boys stomped all over the team with 'more talent' in the Ryder Cup. With another merciless beating behind them, the players of Team USA have gotten back to the type of me-first golf they excel at. Meanwhile, Team Europe partied like rock stars for a few weeks then got right back to form as if nothing had changed. Who would you rather be? Phil O'Neill takes a look.
Monty and the boys stomped all over the team with 'more talent' in the Ryder Cup. With another merciless beating behind them, the players of Team USA have gotten back to the type of me-first golf they excel at. Meanwhile, Team Europe partied like rock stars for a few weeks then got right back to form as if nothing had changed. Who would you rather be? Phil O'Neill takes a look.
Revisiting The Ryder Cup
Two years may have passed since the Oakland Hills Ryder Cup in Michigan but very little changed in terms of the outcome at this year’s event at the K Club, County Kildare, Ireland.
Team USA arrived in Ireland convinced that they had put the issues of team unity (or lack thereof) to bed for good. Tom Lehman felt he had assembled a solid unit well prepared to take the 36th Ryder Cup trophy back home and in the process prevent Team Europe recording their first ever hat-trick of victories.
However more embarrassment was on the way for the American team as they put up little resistance on their way to a record-tying defeat at the hands of Ian Woosnam’s European heroes.
The similarities to Europe’s victory in Michigan cannot be ignored. First, the score line was an exact replica of the 2004 tally: 18 ½ - 9 ½. Second, Team America were again packed full of stars (they entered the tournament boasting the top-three players in the world rankings) but again seemed to lack the chemistry required to succeed in a high pressure team tournament such as the Ryder Cup.
No-one can question the individual talent members of the American team possess but again questions will be asked why they cannot transfer their individual form and success to a team environment.
The Ryder Cup form of the great Tiger Woods was once again the hottest topic following America’s latest failure. It does have to be noted that Tiger doesn’t appear to bring his ‘A’ game to the most prestigious team tournament, but to look towards Woods’ form as the major factor in this latest loss would be foolish, especially if you look at what he brought to the team this year.
Tiger was the leading point’s scorer for his team at the K Club, accounting for nearly a third of his team’s points. Some sceptics may point out that the reason behind this is that Tiger played in the maximum number of matches. However, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk and Stuart Cink also played the maximum five matches available. Their totals? Furyk amassed 2 points, Cink, 2 ½ and as for World No 3 Mickelson……four losses and one tie accrued miserable total of ½!
Nobody would make the claim that Woods was at the peak of his powers, but only Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia scored more individual points for Europe with four each.
The major difference between the sides is that everybody contributed and seemed to genuinely pull for one another on Team Europe. Four other players amassed three points each and nobody on the whole team failed to score at least a ½ point.
Even Tiger’s decent point total was something of a disappointment, considering his exceptional play both before and since the Ryder Cup. Tiger has won six consecutive PGA tour events (most recently the American Express championship by a massive eight shot margin!) and is closing in on the late Byron Nelson’s record of 11 straight victories on the PGA tour.
Team USA arrived in Ireland convinced that they had put the issues of team unity (or lack thereof) to bed for good. Tom Lehman felt he had assembled a solid unit well prepared to take the 36th Ryder Cup trophy back home and in the process prevent Team Europe recording their first ever hat-trick of victories.
However more embarrassment was on the way for the American team as they put up little resistance on their way to a record-tying defeat at the hands of Ian Woosnam’s European heroes.
The similarities to Europe’s victory in Michigan cannot be ignored. First, the score line was an exact replica of the 2004 tally: 18 ½ - 9 ½. Second, Team America were again packed full of stars (they entered the tournament boasting the top-three players in the world rankings) but again seemed to lack the chemistry required to succeed in a high pressure team tournament such as the Ryder Cup.
No-one can question the individual talent members of the American team possess but again questions will be asked why they cannot transfer their individual form and success to a team environment.
The Ryder Cup form of the great Tiger Woods was once again the hottest topic following America’s latest failure. It does have to be noted that Tiger doesn’t appear to bring his ‘A’ game to the most prestigious team tournament, but to look towards Woods’ form as the major factor in this latest loss would be foolish, especially if you look at what he brought to the team this year.
Tiger was the leading point’s scorer for his team at the K Club, accounting for nearly a third of his team’s points. Some sceptics may point out that the reason behind this is that Tiger played in the maximum number of matches. However, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk and Stuart Cink also played the maximum five matches available. Their totals? Furyk amassed 2 points, Cink, 2 ½ and as for World No 3 Mickelson……four losses and one tie accrued miserable total of ½!
Nobody would make the claim that Woods was at the peak of his powers, but only Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia scored more individual points for Europe with four each.
The major difference between the sides is that everybody contributed and seemed to genuinely pull for one another on Team Europe. Four other players amassed three points each and nobody on the whole team failed to score at least a ½ point.
Even Tiger’s decent point total was something of a disappointment, considering his exceptional play both before and since the Ryder Cup. Tiger has won six consecutive PGA tour events (most recently the American Express championship by a massive eight shot margin!) and is closing in on the late Byron Nelson’s record of 11 straight victories on the PGA tour.
Revisiting The Ryder Cup
Phil Mickelson on the other hand appears to be suffering the worst type of Ryder Cup hangover. The World #3 has pulled out of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Hawaii and has said his season is now over.
Perhaps the pressure has grown too great for a man who has failed to break 70 in the final round of a tournament since March. There’s no reason to bet against Mickelson returning fresh in 2007 and challenging Tiger’s supremacy again, but it’s still a sad end to what was once a season full of promise.
Jim Furyk showed why he was World #2 with his fourth place finish in the American Express Championship and is in position to contend in next year’s majors.
Europe’s finest are also finally back in action after their long Ryder Cup celebration. Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomery, Sergio Garcia, Jose Maria Olazabal and Padraig Harrington put up a strong showing for the bleary-eyed Europeans, all finishing in the top 41 at the Amex.
So it appears to be business as usual on the PGA tour with Tiger dominating and the rest fighting for second place. His commanding presence leaves most challengers defeated before they ever tee off.
However the Ryder Cup is proving a different story as the European players appear to use their team unity and togetherness to find the mental strength to not only defeat but also humble the might of the American team.
One point that many golf experts and fans noticed about the 36th Ryder cup in Ireland was the fact that Team Europe was all smiles over the three days, enjoying the occasion, the atmosphere and, perhaps most tellingly, each other.
The American team on the other hand looked tight the entire time and if they were enjoying the occasion they did a fine job hiding it.
The key is for Team America to go back to the drawing board and agree on one crucial goal: Have fun!
Start enjoying the great occasion that is the Ryder Cup, start to enjoy playing on a team and develop the chemistry and spirit that has been sorely missing from consecutive Ryder Cup teams whose talent was the least of concerns.
Perhaps the pressure has grown too great for a man who has failed to break 70 in the final round of a tournament since March. There’s no reason to bet against Mickelson returning fresh in 2007 and challenging Tiger’s supremacy again, but it’s still a sad end to what was once a season full of promise.
Jim Furyk showed why he was World #2 with his fourth place finish in the American Express Championship and is in position to contend in next year’s majors.
Europe’s finest are also finally back in action after their long Ryder Cup celebration. Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomery, Sergio Garcia, Jose Maria Olazabal and Padraig Harrington put up a strong showing for the bleary-eyed Europeans, all finishing in the top 41 at the Amex.
So it appears to be business as usual on the PGA tour with Tiger dominating and the rest fighting for second place. His commanding presence leaves most challengers defeated before they ever tee off.
However the Ryder Cup is proving a different story as the European players appear to use their team unity and togetherness to find the mental strength to not only defeat but also humble the might of the American team.
One point that many golf experts and fans noticed about the 36th Ryder cup in Ireland was the fact that Team Europe was all smiles over the three days, enjoying the occasion, the atmosphere and, perhaps most tellingly, each other.
The American team on the other hand looked tight the entire time and if they were enjoying the occasion they did a fine job hiding it.
The key is for Team America to go back to the drawing board and agree on one crucial goal: Have fun!
Start enjoying the great occasion that is the Ryder Cup, start to enjoy playing on a team and develop the chemistry and spirit that has been sorely missing from consecutive Ryder Cup teams whose talent was the least of concerns.