The Irish Golf Club Gazette: September 2012

9/30/2012

Seve Spirit Seals Ryder Cup

Europe equalled the biggest singles comeback in Ryder Cup history to win The Ryder Cup 14 ½-13 ½ and stun the USA at Medinah.

Dressed in the colours of the late Seve Ballesteros, Europe tonight pulled off one of his trademark great escapes in what will go down as the "Miracle of Medinah".

What looked mission impossible when Europe trailed 10-4 at one point late last night suddenly became possible after they dramatically won the first five singles games and then picked up further points from Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia.

That put José María Olazábal's side, almost unbelievably, 13-12 up and as the holders they needed only a tie to retain the cup. Yet they ended up winning it 14 1/2-13 1/2.

Three games were still on the course. Peter Hanson lost the first of them on the final green, but Martin Kaymer and Francesco Molinari had it in their power to retain the famous gold trophy.

And Kaymer, left out all day on Saturday, was the one to deliver the point they required to match the biggest comeback in the event's history.

He was up against Steve Stricker. Level with two to go, the American bogeyed the short 17th after hitting his chip far too strongly.

Kaymer, bunkered off the final tee, found the green and had two putts for it once Stricker missed his long birdie attempt.

He gave himself and his team-mates palpitations when he sent his first one six feet past, but 21 years on from compatriot Bernhard Langer missing from the same distance to lose at Kiawah Island Kaymer made the one back and sparked jubilant scenes.

Moments before Molinari had fallen one down to Tiger Woods by bogeying the 17th himself, but suddenly it did not matter. The Cup was going back across the Atlantic.

A tearful Olazábal said: “When I saw we had a chance coming down the stretch I was very emotional. The boys have done an unbelievable job. I have a few thoughts for my friend Seve and this one is for him.

“That’s why I’ve always said that this event is so special. Last night I told them I really believed we could do it and they just believed in themselves. That’s why we’re here as winners.”

Single Rory Sinks Bradley at Medinah

Rory McIlroy overcame his bizarre late arrival to produce golf worthy of a world No 1 as he clinched a 2&1 victory over Keegan Bradley.

The USPGA champion opened with three solid pars despite not having time to warm up, and he converted an excellent approach to the fourth to go one up.

Battling Bradley drained an 18-footer for a half at the next, and McIlroy's approach came up short at the sixth before he chipped in to double his lead.

McIlroy missed from eight feet at seven, and Bradley took advantage of the reprieve and nailed a 10-foot birdie putt at the next to pull a hole back.

But the world No 1 responded with another pure iron to three feet for birdie to turn two ahead, although Bradley replied instantly at the next.

McIlroy did well to save par and preserve his lead at 11, but he pulled his drive at the 12th and his par putt lipped out to bring the two youngsters all square.

An exquisite bunker escape at 14 set up a birdie to take the Northern Irishman back into the lead, and he clipped a delightful wedge to three feet at the next and nailed the putt.

McIlroy held his nerve to rap in a five-footer for par at the 16th, and a cast-iron three at the 17th closed out a high-quality match.

McIlroy Barely Makes Tee Time

Getty Images

Rory McIlroy came within 10 minutes of missing his tee time in bizarre circumstances on the final day of the Ryder Cup at Medinah.

The world No 1 was scheduled to face Keegan Bradley in the third singles at 11.25am local time, but he was rushed to the course in an unmarked police car and arrived at 11.15am.

After a brief warm-up, he made it to the first tee on time to take on the unbeaten rookie, who won all three of his matches alongside Phil Mickelson over the first two days.

It is believed McIlroy was confused by the time zones in the United States, with television listings indicating his tee time was 12.25 EST.

But Chicago is in the central time zone and one hour behind, which led to the Northern Irishman leaving his hotel well behind schedule.

"We did not have that in mind," said European captain Jose Maria Olazabal. "All of a sudden we realised Rory was not here and started to look for him.

"Finally we got hold of him and he came in with a police escort."

Olazabal Draws on Brookline Defeat

Europe captain Jose Maria Olazabal hopes the spirit of Seve Ballesteros can inspire his side to a dramatic Ryder Cup comeback against the USA on Sunday.

The hosts lead 10-6 ahead of the singles at Medinah on Sunday after dominating the first two days of the event.

But Olazabal, who was part of the side which squandered the same score on the final day at Brookline in 1999, insists Europe are still in with a chance.

And he will pass on some advice from fellow Spaniard and mentor Ballesteros, who died last year after a battle with cancer, to his players as they prepare for the all-important singles matches.

"I believe that it's not over. That's what I learned from Seve, and that's what I'm going to try to pass to the players," Olazabal said.

"It's not over until it's over.

"There are 12 matches to be played (on Sunday). Of course we have a tough task ahead, but it's not over. As simple as that."

Europe will wear the blue and white favoured by Ballesteros on Sunday as well as having the image of him on their bags and his silhouette on their shirts.

Olazabal added: "We are going to wear Seve's colors, navy blue and white, and actually with Seve's silhouette on the shirts."

Olazabal was left waiting on a crucial putt on the 17th hole in 1999 when the US entourage stormed the green after Justin Leonard sank a birdie bomb.

After the chaos died down Olazabal missed his putt, ultimately handing the USA an incredible come-from-behind success.

"There is three moments that I remember very vividly," Olazabal said of the final day at Brookline.

"The start that the US team had, having reds straight away winning the first few matches, the 17th green with Justin, and all the players after the matches were over in the locker room and seeing more than half (of them) crying all together there, me included."

Chema Sets Final Running Order

Luke Donald will take on Bubba Watson in the first of 12 singles matches that will ultimately decide the Ryder Cup.

USA captain Davis Love III opted to put big-hitting Watson out first, followed by close friend and Ryder Cup partner Webb Simpson, who will go head-to-head with Ian Poulter.

Keegan Bradley and Rory McIlroy make up a fascinating third pairing as both captains chose to load the top of their teams with quality in a bid to establish early momentum.

Francesco Molinari has been given the task of anchoring the European side by captain Jose Maria Olazabal, and that means he'll face a rematch with Tiger Woods,

who beat him comfortably at Celtic Manor two years ago.

Woods' position is perhaps testament to the fact that he's played the back-nine better than any of his compatriots despite struggling this week, whereas Olazabal has clearly attempted to keep his weaker putters at the back of his pack.

Full draw:

Bubba Watson v Luke Donald (1703 BST)

Webb Simpson v Ian Poulter (1714)

Keegan Bradley v Rory McIlroy (1725)

Phil Mickelson v Justin Rose (1736)

Brandt Snedeker v Paul Lawrie (1747)

Dustin Johnson v Nicolas Colsaerts (1758)

Zach Johnson v Graeme McDowell (1809)

Jim Furyk v Sergio Garcia (1820)

Jason Dufner v Peter Hanson (1831)

Matt Kuchar v Lee Westwood (1842)

Steve Stricker v Martin Kaymer (1853)

Tiger Woods v Francesco Molinari (1904)

Medinah Putts Two Mac's in Rough

Getty Images

Europe's miserable second morning at the Ryder Cup concluded when star pairing Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell were upset by Jim Furyk and Brandt Snedeker in an erratic foursomes.

The Northern Irish pair failed to make a birdie until the 14th hole, by which time the Americans were two holes ahead.

Another at 16 set up a nervy finale, but Furyk and Snedeker held on up the last to avenge their defeat to the same pair in Friday's opener.

Furyk's confident birdie putt at the first gave the home pair the perfect start, and they went two up with another birdie at the long fifth after McIlroy's 20-footer slipped wide.

McIlroy and McDowell continued to be frustrated on the greens, although they pulled a hole back when the home pair made a mess of the short eighth.

But Furyk restored the two-hole lead with a delicate downhill birdie putt at 11, and the unflappable veteran rapped in from four feet at the 14th to halve the hole in fours.

McIlroy finally got a putt to drop for a win at the 16th, but he shaved the lip at the next before striping a drive down the centre at the last.

But McDowell tugged his approach long and left, and McIlroy's 50-foot putt from the fringe again grazed the cup as the American's safely two-putted to clinch the point.

Only Rice Makes Next School Stage

Limerick's Tim Rice did what his three compatriots couldn't and progressed to the next stage of European Tour qualifying.

Going into the final round at Golf d'Hardelot, there were real hopes that all four Irishmen -- Rice, Cian McNamara, Neil O Briain and Michael Collins - would secure their places in November's second phase.

But in the end it was only Rice, who carded a one-over-par 72, who made it through as part of the top 18, by one stroke, while Royal Dublin's O Briain (75), Limerick's McNamara (76) and Mallow's Collins (76) missed out.

Rice had two birdies and three bogeys in the first six holes. However, he got things under control after the turn and despite dropping a shot at the 13th, held his nerve.

McNamara will be feeling the most hard done by, having started his final round in sixth. It looked plain sailing for him as he birdied the 10th, but a catalogue of errors followed and his dreams were shattered on the par-four last when he took six and missed out by just one shot.

O Briain also missed out by just a stroke as he carded a four-over 75.

Collins also began in a qualifying position, only to squander his chance of earning a Tour card by shooting a five-over 76.

The final events of European Tour first stage qualifying take place next week at Frilford Heath in Oxfordshire and Ribagolfe in Portugal with a host of Irish talent involved.

9/30/2012

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