There were several new faces on the U.S. Ryder Cup team this year, but the results were the same. The Europeans have now won eight of the last ten Ryder Cups contested. Since golfers from continental Europe became eligible to participate in the Ryder Cup in 1979, the Europeans have won nine of 18 Ryder Cups with one tie.
Captain Tom Watson tried different combinations and he even sat Phil Mickelson for both sessions on Saturday, but the results were the same as the Europeans convincingly won the 40th Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, 16 ½-11 ½.
Team USA, led by rookies Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth, played well in the four-ball matches on both Friday and Saturday. They blitzed the European team of Stephen Gallacher and Ian Poulter 5&4 In the first four-ball session on Friday morning.
In the first match on Friday, the American duo of Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson defeated Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy 1-up. After Bradley made a clutch birdie at No. 17, to draw the match to all even, Mickelson made birdie at the last to win a full point for Team USA.
The U.S. collected another ½ point when the team of Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler made a birdie at the last hole to force a tie with Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer.
The U.S. led the Ryder Cup 2 ½-1 ½ after the first session. It was the only lead they would realize over the three days.
Captain Watson was questioned for sitting Reed/Spieth in Friday afternoon foursomes after they had played so well in their initial four-ball match.
The Europeans won the Ryder Cup on the strength of their play in foursomes. The U.S. team only managed to win a total of one point in eight foursome matches. Walker/Fowler halved their match on Friday with McIlroy/Garcia and Spieth/Reed tied Kaymer/Rose on Saturday afternoon.
Are you beginning to see the trend here? The youth of the American squad, Fowler, Reed and Spieth were the only members of the U.S. team able to successfully compete with the Europeans.
Paul McGinley’s European team won both sessions of foursome play by a total of 7-1. The U.S. lost the Ryder Cup by a total of five points. If they had been able to do anything in the foursome matches, the final outcome could have been much different.
Give Captain Watson credit, even with Mickelson’s persistent lobbying efforts on Saturday, he sat the veteran for both sessions on Saturday after Mickelson appeared tired and dejected on Friday evening.
Bradley and Mickelson did win a tough battle in the four-ball on Friday morning, but were beaten 3&2 by Victor Dubuisson and Graeme McDowell in the afternoon foursomes.
Based on their strength in foursome play the Europeans entered the Sunday singles matches with a huge four-point lead, 10-6. Needing only 4 points on Sunday to retain the cup, they captured 6 ½ points to win again.
Hoping for a Sunday miracle similar to the one mounted by the Europeans at Medinah two years ago. Watson once again showed confidence in his young players and put Spieth, Reed and Fowler in the first three groups out in singles.
It was to be world No. 1, Rory McIlroy who set the tone for the day, however, when he streaked out to a 5-up lead over Fowler in the third match on Sunday and would go on to win the match 5-4.
Spieth started strong and had McDowell 3-down through the first nine holes. McDowell never panicked and won Nos. 10, 11, 12, 13 and 15 to erase the deficit and take a 2-up lead. He would go on to beat the youngest player in Ryder Cup history 2-up with a par save from the bunker on No. 17.
Reed did manage to defeat Henri Stenson, but the McIlroy and McDowell victories all but assured the European triumph.
The three rookies Spieth, Reed and Walker earned a total of six points, more than half of the American team’s 11 ½ total points.
The other nine Team USA members only contributed a total of 5 ½ points in the losing effort.
Even though the Europeans won again the trio of Fowler, Spieth and Reed offer a glimmer of hope for the U.S. team. Spieth 21 years old, Reed 24 and Fowler just 25 should provide a solid core for future Ryder Cup teams.