Ryder Cup !

[frayne]

I have to chuckle at all the Monday morning quarterbacking and second guessing US Captain DLIII. I thought Davis did an excellent job and the Europeans simply out played the US players on Sunday. Heck of an exciting match.

Gotta feel for Stricker and Furyk, heck of a way to end a season.

 

[pb4uski]

While hugely disappointing and bordering on an embarrassment, all the Monday morning quarterbacking is a bit ridiculous. The Euros made the clutch putts down the stretch (like Rose' incredible 40 footer on 17) and our guys lipped a couple and that was the difference.

 

[MichaelB]

Although I don't follow golf I did take interest when the US press was singing victory with one day to go. That is always a bad sign. Congrats to the folks in Euroland for not giving up and such a dramatic win.

 

[Gatordoc50]

I thought Davis did a good job. It's not his fault that the core of our team for the past 15 years just is not as good as the europeans in that format.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

I've always love the Rider Cup and what happened this year is just the opposite of what happened at Brookline the last time the matches were played here. As they said on the Golf Channel, the captain usually gets too much credit when his team wins and too much blame when they lose.
The thing that is always critiqued is what players to pair up, who should go first vs last. What the hell, they are all professionals. It shouldn't matter to them. According to the stats, we had the more powerful team on an individual basis but got our butts kicked in the singles. So much for statistics.

Disappointing to the USA team but everything was in our favor. We lead ofter the 4-ball and team games. Our home course, fans were great, the captain can set the course however he wants, etc. Everything in our favor; however, somebody forgot to tell the Euro's they were supposed to lose. That's why they play the game.

 

[Dawg52]

I have to chuckle at all the Monday morning quarterbacking and second guessing US Captain DLIII. I thought Davis did an excellent job and the Europeans simply out played the US players on Sunday. Heck of an exciting match.

Gotta feel for Stricker and Furyk, heck of a way to end a season.

The Europeans simply out played the Americans on Sunday. So congrats to them.

The main problem I had was DL's captain picks. He passed on Hunter Mahan who was 9th on the Ryder Cup list, who missed out by one as an automatic member of the team. He went with older guys with more 'experience'. Furyk's overall record prior to this Ryder Cup was horrible, so not sure why that was valuable experience to have on the team. Plus he had blown a couple of big tournaments this summer and Mahan had won twice earlier this year. Don't understand that one...but they didn't ask me.

 

[frayne]

The Europeans simply out played the Americans on Sunday. So congrats to them.

The main problem I had was DL's captain picks. He passed on Hunter Mahan who was 9th on the Ryder Cup list, who missed out by one as an automatic member of the team. He went with older guys with more 'experience'. Furyk's overall record prior to this Ryder Cup was horrible, so not sure why that was valuable experience to have on the team. Plus he had blown a couple of big tournaments this summer and Mahan had won twice earlier this year. Don't understand that one...but they didn't ask me.

Good point, I thought Watley should have made the team as well.

 

[Gatordoc50]

Good point, I thought Watley should have made the team as well.

Too many captains picks, IMO. Not second guessing Davis but I feel at least the top ten who earned it should be there. I wish Payne Stewart had a chance to captain the team. He would have been great at it.

 

[Texas Proud]

3 stars that don't shine in the Ryder Cup - Houston Chronicle


An article about how the top 3 do not do the job... written before this one...


IIRC, Tiger did not earn a point.... but I could be wrong since I did not follow it this time....

 

[RockyMtn]

Furyk had a rough year in majors and Ryder Cup so you gotta feel for him a bit. But hey...you gotta step up to be big time.

That being said I think the biggest problem is US players just can't compete with the Euros when it comes to a match play format.

 

[youbet]

Thank goodness the Ryder Cup matches are over! Traffic and congestion in the neighborhood were beyond terrible. The road which borders our subdivision is under construction. Add massive traffic flows to that already messy situation and it was a real pita for three days.

Should have gone on a camping trip........

 

[Gatordoc50]

There seems to be a philosophical difference in how the competing teams think. Tiger didn't care about his last putt and then conceded Molinaris for the halve stating the rider cup was " over". Meanwhile Captain Olly was telling Molinari(sp?) to play the last hole out and try to win because 141/2 to 131/2 and winning is a lot better than 14 to 14 and retaining. They just want to win.

 

[pb4uski]

While I would have preferred a 14-14 tie with Europe retaining the Cup, at the end of the day the result isn't any different from a 14 1/2 - 13 1/2 - Europe still retains the Cup either way.

I thought it was gracious of Tiger to concede the last putt given the chaos around the 18th green, particularly since if Molinari had missed the putt it would have enhanced Tiger's personal Ryder Cup record (both overall and singles).

 

[frayne]

While I would have preferred a 14-14 tie with Europe retaining the Cup, at the end of the day the result isn't any different from a 14 1/2 - 13 1/2 - Europe still retains the Cup either way.

I thought it was gracious of Tiger to concede the last putt given the chaos around the 18th green, particularly since if Molinari had missed the putt it would have enhanced Tiger's personal Ryder Cup record (both overall and singles).

I agree, thought both Tiger and Phil showed some real class and sportsmanship on Sunday.

 

[nun]

Europe just had more passion and that's been a theme over the last decade. There's a sort of party atmosphere about them with the multiple nations coming together to be more than the sum or their parts. With the USA the team seems to be less than the sum of the parts.

 

[sanfanciscotreat]

Tiger and Stricker are past the prime and don't need to play again in two years.
If Tiger had won just one of the matches he was involved in, the results would have been different.