U.S. recapture Ryder Cup, end losing run
Leaping in the air after sinking a birdie putt on the 18th hole - much like he did when he won the 2004 Masters - might have been the only thing Mickelson got wrong all week.
The Ryder Cup, after all, is an exhibition.
The 28-year-old from Sheffield had a weekend to forget, winning just two holes out of 54 over three sessions.
“It depends who feels like they are ready for it”, he said.
“There’s no question that he would make a brilliant leader, and I think he’d be better in Paris in 2018 than in Wisconsin two years later because he is a little extroverted, and it’s easier to be that way at home”.
All that mattered to the Americans was taking back that 17-inch gold trophy.
Successive wins by Sweden’s Henrik Stenson over Jordan Spieth (3-2), Belgium’s Thomas Pieters over J.B. Holmes (3-2) and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello over Jimmy Walker (3-2) gave the Europeans a little breathing room - and a good bit of momentum.
Nothing gets more analysis and second guessing in golf than the Ryder Cup, and for a change most of it for the 2016 version will focus on Europe and Darren Clarke. Europe had won eight of the previous 10 competitions.
Captain Davis Love III, draped a US flag, celebrates with vice-captain Jim Furyk during the closing ceremony of the 2016 Ryder Cup.
“I’m so proud that our guys handled the pressure”.
“I’ve got a partner beside me for the next 20 years, I’m not letting anyone else have him”, the world number three told reporters as he put his arm around the Ryder Cup debutant following the 17-11 defeat by the United States on Sunday.
Europe took six rookies to Hazeltine. The latter feat was last achieved in 1975, when the late Arnold Palmer - whose death last Sunday prompted a flood of tributes - served as the American captain.
Moore finished eagle-birdie-par for a 1-up victory over Lee Westwood, and the celebration was on.
McIlroy and Ryder Cup rookie Pieters formed a dynamic duo in the foursomes and four-ball sessions.
“I didn’t want to let my team down”, said Moore, a victor in two of his three matches.
The U.S. wins started with Patrick Reed’s thrilling 1-up victory over Rory McIlroy. Unfortunately some american fans showed that @P_J_Willett was in fact correct.
The two players who had drawn in the crowds and been the emotional leaders for their teams faded a bit down the stretch.
Despite how well both played, Garcia saw it as “definitely a negative”. Each would have shot a 63 in medal play.
“Setup-wise, this course can be as tough as you want it to be, there’s no doubt about it”, he said of the Robert Trent Jones-designed layout, which hosted the U.S. Open in 1970 and 1991 and the US PGA Championship in 2002 and 2009. “Otherwise, it’s all for naught”, Mickelson said. He even managed to rebound from an awkward moment in the days before play began when he criticized decisions made a dozen years ago by former captain Hal Sutton. “It’s about a multitude, for decades to come”.