The cup of thrills and spills

The return to Gleneagles is an historic moment for the Ryder Cup as it returns to the scene of the very first match between a representative team from the USA and Great Britain.

While the Ryder Cup was first officially contested in 1927 at Worcester, Massachusetts, (thanks to the donation of money and a gold trophy by Samuel Ryder) the first match between the UK and US teams occurred as an invitation the day before the British Open at Gleneagles in 1921. It is also the first time that the Ryder Cup has returned to Scotland since the first hosting of the event at Muirfield in 1973 (which was before the contest was extended to include players from Europe to bolster the beleaguered British and Irish ranks).

This biennial event between the USA and Europe has occasionally been derided by players who will not receive payment for their time, although is responsible for many of the most dramatic, sporting, controversial and emotional memories in golfing history.

Who can forget the emotion of Darren Clarke standing on the first tee at the K Club in 2006, benefitting from a wildcard entry from the captain, Ian Woosnam, required as he had taken a sabbatical from golf following the death of his wife to cancer. Greeted by a ‘tsunami’ of noise, partnering Lee Westwood he birdied the first hole and went on to win all three of his matches, helping Europe to a 18-1/2 – 9-1/2 victory as they retained the trophy.

The Ryder Cup has also witnessed some of the most sporting moments with one of the most memorable being at Royal Birkdale in 1969. Great Britain had won only three times in 42 years and had been thrashed in 1967. However, the English course stoked a revival with the majority of matches only being concluded on the final hole.

As the last pairs made their way down the final hole the match was tied. This pitted America’s seven-time major winner, Jack Nicklaus, against British Open winner, Tony Jacklin. Having sunk his own putt Nicklaus sportingly conceded Jacklin’s putt meaning the result was a tie, although America retained the trophy on this basis.

At the opposite end of the scale controversial moments include the ‘War on the Shore’ at Kiawah Island in 1991, aptly-named due to the frayed tempers throughout. With patriotic fervour being stoked by captain Dave Stockton and Corey Pavin wearing a Desert Storm Cap there was a number of clashes amidst noisy home crowds who were ecstatic when Berhard Langer missed his six-foot putt on the final green to hand the US the trophy.

This was followed by the uproar in 1999 at Brookline with Justin Leonard’s monster 40ft putt.

Passion was running high as America had clawed their way back from a 10-6 deficit at the start of the day and Leonard’s putt meant that, in all probability, the US would claim the win. However, it was still mathematically possible for Europe to win and the fact that players, caddies and WAGs ran onto the green to celebrate as Olazabal waited to putt was unethical and rightly criticised.

Comebacks create some of the highest emotions and this matchplay format seems to ensure that drama is possible even late into the final day. In 1995 at Oak Hill, Europe, in Seve Ballesteros’s last of eight Ryder Cup appearances, were two points down heading into the final day of singles.

With penultimate player, Nick Faldo, one down with two to play, Europe again looked doomed. However, on the 18th he made a remarkable 94-yard chip to within five feet and sank the putt to claim the win and when Philip Walton defeated Jay Haas Europe claimed only their second ever victory on US soil.

However, even this cannot match the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ in 2012. Losing on Saturday afternoon by 10 points to four the win for Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald looked as though it would be negated by a defeat for Poulter and Justin Rose. But Poulter hit five straight birdies and sealed a one shot win with a 10-foot putt on the final hole. Europe then secured 8-1/2 points on the final day to secure the win.

For every top player to have criticised the Ryder Cup there is another that has made his name from thriving in the pressure situation of the various matchplay formats. Ian Poulter and Colin Montgomerie have never won a major yet they are revered for their Ryder Cup results. Who can forget Jose Maria Olazabal’s jubilant jig after helping Europe to their first ever win in the US in 1987?

Another unlikely hero in 2002 was this year’s European captain, Paul McGinley. Needing to draw his match against Jim Furyk the rookie Irishman was faced with an undulating 10-foot putt. When the ball dropped in the hole he was duly mobbed by his teammates before jumping into the greenside lake and parading with the Irish tricolour.

Nine of his team were provided for him courtesy of the order of merit, although he has made some interesting choices. In selecting Scottish rookie, Stephen Gallacher, he is providing the home crowd with a local to cheer. Gallacher was rewarded for his recent form in which he had to fight hard to qualify directly from results at the Czech Masters and Italy, only to come up short in the rankings. 

Westwood’s selection makes sense given his recent form that has hinted at a recovery combined with Ryder Cup experience that will see him play in his ninth edition of the competition. While Poulter’s name is etched into the history of the Cup (winning 12 of the 15 matches he has played), his form has been terrible. These selections come at the expense of Luke Donald who has won 70 per cent of the points he has contested and won the Cup every time he has played.

Europe will look to be inspired by Rory Mcillroy, Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose, all of whom have shown excellent form and have strong Cup records. They also have an intriguing debutant in Frenchman, Victor Dubuisson, who qualified largely as a result of finishing runner-up in the WGC-Accenture World Matchplay Championship in February.

The US will be led again by Tom Watson who, despite losing in Medinah, is the last captain to win in Europe in 1993 and is confident his team can overturn a run of two defeats and five in the last six.

In his own selection he has turned to two players in Hunter Mahan and Keegan Bradley who have a winning record and another, Webb Simpson, who will be seeking redemption.

The Americans have been hit by the loss of Tiger Woods and Dustin Johnson although it is debatable whether the world’s former number one will be unduly missed in this format while the latter went undefeated in Medinah.

Watson can turn to the experience of Phil Mickelson and Furyk, the exuberance of Bubba Watson and the gritty matchplay excellence of Matt Kuchar.

Europe are strong favourites given their recent record and holding home advantage … although, discount America at your peril … they boast eight of the world’s current top 15 players in their ranks.

I believe that the US can repeat their success of 2012 over the first four sessions and then learn their lessons in the singles and ultimately reclaim the trophy. However, form and experience can both go out of the window if the players fail to deal with the nerves associated with playing in this unique team competition.