How Europe united to put USA in shade
Golf correspondent DEREK LAWRENSON has been at every Ryder Cup since Europe began their winning habit in 1985. Here, he picks out some highlights from the most glorious period in the competition’s history.
1985: THE BELFRY EUROPE 16½ USA 11½
Summary: Concorde flew over the course and tipped its wing in salute as Europe won for the first time since the continent was invited to the party in 1979.
My highlight: Ian Woosnam, his face a picture of rapture, on the clubhouse roof pouring champagne on the delirious punters below. It was the triumph that effectively built the European Tour.
1987: MUIRFIELD VILLAGE USA 13 EUROPE 15
Summary: History was made on the course that Jack Nicklaus built as the Europeans won for the first time on American soil.
My highlight: Jose Maria Olazabal going from petrified, white-faced rookie who struggled to pull the club back on the opening morning to doing an impromptu victory conga on the 18th green on Sunday.
1989: THE BELFRY EUROPE 14 USA 14
Summary: America won the last four singles to force a tie but there was no joy in that, for the cup stayed in the hands of the holders.
My highlight: Seve and Ollie in tandem as they won three and halved one. No- one who saw this pair together over four Ryder Cups will forget the experience. Makes me misty-eyed just mentioning it.
1991: KIAWAH ISLAND EUROPE 13½ USA 14½ (see left) 1993: THE BELFRY EUROPE 13 USA 15
Summary: The European fortress is breached as America show their strength in depth in the singles to win a rare one on foreign soil. So rare, they’re still waiting for the next.
My highlight: The captaincy of Tom Watson, as he combined personal charm in the press centre with a steely-eyed determination outside it. Amazing what he can do when not undermined by Phil Mickelson.
1995: OAK HILL USA 13½ EUROPE 14½
Summary: An obvious hero combined with an unlikely one as Nick Faldo and Phillip Walton produced the heroics to get Europe over the line in a real nail-biter.
My highlight: Faldo played one of the great shots of his life to wrap up a vital singles win and then walked straight into the arms of Seve, completely ignoring his wife close by. Funnily enough, they split up less than a month later.
1997: VALDERRAMA EUROPE 14½ USA 13½
Summary: American captain Tom Kite did everything right but what chance did he have with Seve at the European helm for the first match played on Spanish soil?
My highlight: Here we had the mad genius of Seve (below) in full flow. Am I right in thinking it isn’t possible to watch every match in person at the same time? That week he had you doubting a basic law of nature.
1999: BROOKLINE USA 14½ EUROPE 13½
Summary: Four points down going into the singles, USA rallied for a famous victory. Cue pandemonium and a million headlines along the theme of the ‘Boston tee party.’
My highlight: Lowlight more like. The sight of rabid American players stampeding across the line of Jose Maria Olazabal’s putt when his match was still alive made me feel physically sick. The look of utter contempt on Ollie’s face almost saved the moment, mind.
2002: THE BELFRY EUROPE 15½ USA 12½
Summary: Postponed for a year owing to 9/11, this proved a relatively straightforward affair, with Colin Montgomerie resplendent.
My highlight: This might have been the finest week of Monty’s career. Chest puffed out, he had the body language of a man who thought he was invincible. He was, with a half point conceded in five matches.
2004: OAKLAND HILLS USA 9½ EUROPE 18½ Summary: Hapless Hal Sutton couldn’t remember how many kids he had when he introduced his team at the opening ceremony. He soon lost count of how many points Europe were ahead by as well, in the most one- sided match imaginable.
My highlight: The look on Tiger’s face when partner Phil Mickelson wildly sliced his drive on the 18th to trigger the loss of a foursomes against Clarke and Westwood where they had been three up. That’s why Tiger never liked the Ryder Cup. You have to rely on team-mates. 2006: K CLUB EUROPE 18½ USA 9½ Summary: When America didn’t practise one day because it was pouring, you knew it was time to put your money on Europe. My highlight: No-one who was around the first tee that Friday when Darren Clarke stepped out, just six weeks after the loss of his wife, will forget it. The 300-yard drive down the middle that followed is up there with the greatest shots in Ryder history.
2008: VALHALLA USA 16½ EUROPE 11½
Summary: Nick Faldo proved no match for Paul Azinger in the captaincy hot-seat as Europe lost its vaunted chemistry. No real controversies, either — unless you count some of Faldo’s pairings, that is.
My highlight: Boo Weekley riding his driver like it was a horse encapsulated the relaxed approach Azinger instilled. The crowd were wonderful too — loud and passionate but respectful.
2010: CELTIC MANOR EUROPE 14½ USA 13½
Summary: ‘Bring your waterproofs in 2010,’ Faldo had said in signing off at Valhalla and that was one thing he did get right, as Europe won a soggy one on a memorable Monday.
My highlight: A final day for the ages. Still not sure how America managed to lose this one. How can you come out on top in three of four series of matches and lose?
2012: MEDINAH USA 13½ EUROPE 14½
Summary: There will never be a Ryder Cup that quite compares to this one. For two days it looked like a Medinah massacre and then suddenly it turned into a miracle as the afternoon of a lifetime unfolded.
My highlight: Four words — thank you, Ian Poulter. I have a brain filled with memories of Seve at the Ryder Cup but what the Englishman inspired here might top them all.
2014: GLENEAGLES EUROPE 16½ USA 11½
Summary: America’s rookies fired and Patrick Reed caused a stir when he daringly ‘shushed’ the crowd. But this was Paul McGinley’s masterpiece, a triumph that showed just how pivotal a captain can be.
My highlight: You think you’ve heard it all when you attend some press conferences and then Phil Mickelson decided to throw his captain, Tom Watson, under a bus to show you just how wrong you can be. Quite simply, the single most shocking moment at any press conference I’ve attended.