WHERE IT WAS WON & LOST
WHY EUROPE WON THE RYDER CUP By picking the right wildcards THOMAS BJORN went for experience before form – and Rafa Cabrera-Bello was unlucky to miss out. But Garcia, Poulter, Casey and Stenson all had winning records, shepherded the rookies and helped to whip up the atmosphere in France. By planning – and thinking on their feet TOMMY FLEETWOOD and Francesco Molinari are good friends and were always scheduled to play together – but not all four matches. Yet after winning twice on Friday, Bjorn sent them out for two more wins on Saturday to become the first Europeans to win all four points in a pairing. Le Golf National THE Albratross Course holds the French Open every year and the European players had played 233 competitive rounds here before this week. The Americans had played eight. Europe hit more of the narrow fairways and holed more putts on the slower greens. The Ryder Cup is a bit like Test cricket where the home side has a massive advantage. Only the Miracle of Medinah has stopped the home team winning the last seven Ryder Cups. WHY THE USA LOST THE RYDER CUP Tiger Woods THE former world No.1 looked exhausted after the emotion of winning his first title in five years in Atlanta last Sunday. And he drained the energy out of ‘Captain America’ Patrick Reed in an unsuccessful pairing and was flat in losing only his second ever Ryder Cup singles match yesterday. By picking Phil Mickelson – and playing him in foursomes THE captain’s picks are to get players in form and suitable for the course. Furyk had to pick Woods and DeChambeau but Mickelson, who is 192nd on the PGA Tour for driving accuracy, was a disaster waiting to happen. The five-time Major champion did not play on Saturday after his 5&4 defeat with DeChambeau in the foursomes and going into the water with his final shot summed up his week. Vice-captains Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar were more suited to Le Golf National By NOT playing Webb Simpson enough THE tight fairways and punishing rough here have been compared to Sawgrass where the shorthitting but accurate Simpson won this year. He only played twice in the first two days, both times with the erratic Bubba Watson and his steady game was too much for world No.2 Justin Rose in the singles. Furyk relied on his big guns – world No.1 Dustin Johnson and world No.3 Brooks Koepka – and they failed to fire.