Woods, we had Europe deliver
captain Jim Furyk. “I tip my hat to them. They played great.”
Thorbjorn Olesen, left in the clubhouse since a Friday morning defeat, took Jordan Spieth apart, playing 14 holes in four under par.
That left Jon Rahm as the last of the 12 Europeans without a point, but he broke his duck in spectacular fashion by beating Tiger Woods.
Rahm, who on winning dropped his putter and went on an air-punching rampage, was in tears afterwards, reflecting on how he had beaten a man he hero-worshipped.
He had been taking pictures of Woods from the East Lake clubhouse like a fan when Tiger won the PGA
Championship a week ago. Woods though was a pale shadow of that figure here.
If the Ryder Cup diminishes Woods, it pumps Poulter into twice the golfer and the old bug eyes were back as he defeated Johnson.
Even two monster putts from the monster driver could not stop the monster that Poulter becomes in these surroundings, and when he celebrated victory at the 18th this spectacular stadium venue shook. With Henrik Stenson moving into dormie territory against Bubba Watson and then Molinari and Garcia
doing likewise, Europe now had the match in their pocket. Official confirmation came when Mickelson went into the drink at 16 and waved the white towel. Despite all of the celebration rolling around the course, the match still had to be completed and, after Stenson and Garcia added their names to the European winners, an hour later it was completed, fittingly, when Alex Noren holed out from 30 feet to beat Bryson DeChambeau. For Europe the fun was just starting, with the players chasing each other around the putting green in the semidarkness spraying each other with champagne as they sang their Molinari song. For the United States a more sober inquest was about to begin. By the time the Ryder Cup returns to Europe and Rome in 2022, it will be 29 years since America last won on European soil. THE Englishman took the early initiative as Johnson found water at the second and Poulter also took the fourth to go two up.
Johnson fought back to level but Poulter AFTER his wonderful partnership with Tommy Fleetwood, Molinari had to do it on his own and victory was only briefly in doubt against an off-form Mickelson. The Italian SWEDE Stenson birdied three holes in a row from the third to take command over Watson, and followed up with another birdie on the 11th. The American, who won just one hole CUP stalwart Garcia had been a debatable wild card pick but fully justified his selection with his third win to become the top points scorer in the event’s history. He always held THE Englishman had enjoyed his first Ryder Cup win alongside Paul Casey on Saturday but the rookie was unable to get the better of Masters champion Reed, who had lost two took the seventh before the American twice holed outrageous putts to stay alive.
Poulter missed a putt to win on the 17th but a superb approach to the 18th sealed it. raced to three up and although he made a mess of the ninth and Mickelson birdied 11, Molinari’s relentless accuracy paid dividends as Mickelson conceded on the 16th. in the round, then bogeyed the 12th to leave his opponent on the verge of victory.
The point was secured with yet another birdie for Stenson on the 14th. the upper hand after winning the first two holes.
Fowler got one back on the 13th but found water on the 16th and Garcia secured an historic win. matches alongside Tiger Woods.
‘Captain America’ registered his first point of the week thanks to five birdies, securing his point at the 16th.