Harrington is let down by veterans Poulter and Westwood

AS Ian Poulter stood over a 20ft putt trying to keep his match alive, the chap manning the old- fashioned scoreboard behind the 14th green reached for the numbers.

Up went the digits, telling Poulter his old mate Lee Westwood had just been turned over by Brooks Koepka and Daniel Berger.

Poulter left his effort short and shook the hands of Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele and playing partner Rory McIlroy.

Era

In those few moments, it was not hard to think of an era coming to an end.

The grand old men of Europe put to the sword by America’s young blades.

On the back of two foursomes defeats, it would be foolish to call time on their Ryder Cup playing careers.

Knowing the resilience of t his pair of fighters, they will probably come out swinging today and tomorrow.

But as Cantlay and Schauffele, 29 and 27, crushed McIlroy and 45-year- old Poulter — and Berger and Koepka, 28 and 31, took care of Matthew Fitzpatrick and 48-yearold Westwood it felt like one Ryder Cup step too far for the wonderful stalwarts of English golf.

It was not that they played badly — they just could not match the nerve and firepower of their

We didn’t.”

But the pattern was set when Westwood missed a short putt to win the first hole and the Europeans never got their noses ahead in the rest of the contest.

This is Westwood’s 11th Ryder Cup appearance and this was his 45th match.

He has won 20 and lost 19 but has now lost four on the spin.

This is Poulter’s seventh Ryder Cup appearance and this was his 23rd match.

He has won 14 and lost seven. opponents.

“It’s a shame because we actually played quite well,” said Poulter, who has now won only one of his last six matches in the pairs format.

“They have played exceptionally good golf in foursomes.”

To be fair, it was not as though

Poulter was a weak link in the

European partnership.

Indeed, after the turn, he drained trademark putts to bring the game back to three down after a disastrous start had seen them lose the first five holes. They are records to be proud of,

And “quite well” is not good but the chances of them teeing it enough against these bombers. up in Rome in 2023 are slim, to say

Poulter was teeing off on the the least. same holes as Cantlay and was up Instead the veterans will have to to 50 yards shorter than the PGA regroup after their afternoon’s Tour Player of the Year with the rest and draw on the old magic for driver. the huge challenge that lies ahead

That proved to be too much over these next two days. length to concede, especially as Judging by their defeats on a gloCantlay was keeping it on the rious Wisconsin morning, this carpet. might well be their Ryder Cup

Westwood also played “quite playing swansong. well”. In fact, Westwood is likely to be

Indeed, Fitzpatrick was not far captain in Rome and Poulter might off the mark when he said: “Lee take the helm in 2025. put onabitofan But, for now, on the course, capexhibition from tee to green.” tain Pádraig Harrington could do

Westwood himself had a point with one last tune out of his old when claiming: stagers.

“We played well enough to win And by the looks of things, it had that match. They got the breaks. better come soon.

Proud