Phil answers Rory’s bow with curtsy as U.S. takes control in Cup
CHASKA, Minn. — It was just one moment among dozens on a spectacular Ryder Cup on Saturday. It was just one putt among dozens struck.
But when Phil Mickelson buried his 30-foot birdie putt on the 10th green to give him and Matt Kuchar a 2-up lead over Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer, Mickelson turned to the large grandstand behind the green and curtsied. Yes, he curtsied. “Oh, you saw that,” Mickelson said with a devilish smirk a moment after the Americans surged to a commanding 9 ½ to 6 ½ lead entering Sunday’s singles. The U.S. needs five points to win the Ryder Cup for only the third time in 23 years, while Europe needs 7½ to retain the trophy it has held since 2010.
“That was for the bow,’’ Mickelson told The Post. “They gave us a bow, so I gave them a curtsy.’’
The bow, of course, came from European leader Rory McIlroy, who went into a ballistic celebration that included a series of bows to the American-partisan grandstands after closing out his Friday afternoon match with an eagle on the 16th.
McIlroy afterward conceded that he had choreographed the celebration in his mind before he took the eagle putt because he wanted to “put an exclamation point on that session.’’
McIlroy not only made good on the exclamation point, he also first-class delivered motivational video for the U.S. team to stew over while it was played for them in the team room on Friday night. Thus, the Mickelson curtsy. McIlroy, too, had been seemingly taking over this 41st Ryder Cup with his brilliant play. It seemed every time you looked at a video board around Hazeltine National there was McIlroy’s image, fist-pumping, chest-bumping teammates and letting out guttural screams.
He, too, had handily beaten Mickelson and Rickie Fowler, 4- and-2 in the Saturday morning foursomes, afterward crowing that he had wanted a piece of Mickelson after having lost his three previous Ryder Cup matches to him.
With the Saturday morning matches having not gone the way the U.S. wanted — Europe won 2 ½ of the four points and inched to within 6 ½ to 5 ¹/2 — McIlroy looked like he was about to take over this Ryder Cup.
Ah, but not so fast with the Rory coronation.
Enter Patrick Reed, the Americans’ heat-seeking missile. Reed has some Colin Montgomerie in him in that his game rises to a completely different level for the Ryder Cup.
Reed, partnered with Jordan Spieth for the fourth time in these matches, carried their pairing in the afternoon four-balls with six birdies and an eagle and no bogeys in 17 holes in a pivotal 2and-1 victory over Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson in the final match to be completed for the day with the green surrounded by players, captains and family.
It could not have been a sweeter victory for Reed and Spieth given that they had spit up a 4-up lead with six holes to play to Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello, who stole a half point.
“We’re tired of hearing people tell us we can’t win one of
these,’’ Spieth said.
At times is got a little salty in the grandstands, with the Europeans having at least two unruly fans removed. There was a lot of backing off putts by the Europeans.
“It’s been a long day and sometimes emotions run high,’’ McIlroy said. “It’s tough for us to come and play in. We expect that. It’s the same for the U.S. guys when they come to play in Europe. You have to keep your concentration out there.’’
McIlroy said the boisterous U.S. fans “fueled me a lot.’’
“The more they shouted, the better we played,’’ he said. “I hope they should all day [Sunday].’’
No matter how loud the American fans shout on Sunday and regardless of the three-point lead and momentum the players and captains took to bed Saturday night, it still figures to a nervy Sunday for the U.S. team.
Memories of losing a 10-6 lead to Europe in 2012 at Medinah with Davis Love III captaining the side are impossible to completely ignore.
“We’re one closer than we were at Medinah,’’ Rose said. “It’s going to be a monumental challenge [Sunday]. We’re going to put out our lineup and we’re going to look at each other man-to-man. It’s going to be eyeball-to-eyeball on the first tee, no partners, no friends out there on the golf course.
“Just go out and try to put a point on the board. That’s everybody’s mission. Just basically pride in the bag and go out and be the best 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 you can be.’’