Surging Europe rallies to rein in US
Source: Agencies |
October 4, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
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EUROPE, inspired by Lee Westwood, drew level with holder the United States at 6-6 overall after claiming the first two points of the unfinished third session at the weather-hit Ryder Cup yesterday.
Westwood and Luke Donald, 4-up on Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker after nine holes overnight, rattled up three consecutive birdies before completing a crushing 6&5 foursomes win over the heavyweight American duo.
Northern Irishmen Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy then collected Europe's second point of the day by beating Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan 3&1 in their foursomes.
With the Ryder Cup about to make its first Monday finish ever at a saturated Celtic Manor in Newport, south Wales, Europe was up in three and down in one in the four fourball matches on the course.
Westwood gave the British partnership a major lift when he drained a 40-foot birdie putt at the 10th before he and Donald went on to inflict the biggest defeat of Woods's Ryder Cup career.
The world No. 1's previous worst result was a 5&3 defeat by Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer at Valderrama in 1997 when Mark O'Meara was his partner.
"That putt Westy holed on 10 was just magnificent," Donald told reporters. "I can't even put it into words. It was amazing to see that go in and to go 5 up just gave us a huge boost.
"It was nice to go out there and show they are beatable," he added. Woods and Stricker had never been beaten as a team, winning four matches at last year's Presidents Cup and their first two in Wales.
"They didn't play as well as they wanted to, and the other guys played well," US captain Corey Pavin said. "It happens. It happens to the best of 'em."
World No. 3 Westwood, a talismanic figure for the European team this week, said: "When you're playing Tiger you just seem to up your game a little bit. We played great today. That was some scoring in foursomes combinations."
Westwood and Donald were 5 under after 13 holes in the alternate-shot format at Celtic Manor.
With blue numbers dominating the board overnight, European captain Colin Montgomerie had urged his team to maintain momentum on the third day and his players were delivering.
Padraig Harrington and Ross Fisher were 2-up on Jim Furyk and Dustin Johnson after 14 holes while Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez were 1-up on Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton after 13.
Overton, however, produced one of the most memorable celebrations of the week when he holed out from the fairway to eagle the par-four eighth, his ball spinning back into the cup from three feet.
The jubilant American immediately yelled: "Yeah, c'mon, yeah, yeah, c'mon, wow!" before slapping hands with his partner Watson and adding: "C'mon, yeah!"
In the bottom fourball match, Britain's Ian Poulter and German Martin Kaymer were 1-up on Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler after 12 holes in a tight contest.
The Americans, who had trailed in all six matches overnight, managed to reverse momentum in the fifth encounter where Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar were one up on Italians Edoardo and Francesco Molinari after 13 holes.
Weather-permitting, the concluding 12 singles will start at early this morning.
Westwood and Luke Donald, 4-up on Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker after nine holes overnight, rattled up three consecutive birdies before completing a crushing 6&5 foursomes win over the heavyweight American duo.
Northern Irishmen Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy then collected Europe's second point of the day by beating Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan 3&1 in their foursomes.
With the Ryder Cup about to make its first Monday finish ever at a saturated Celtic Manor in Newport, south Wales, Europe was up in three and down in one in the four fourball matches on the course.
Westwood gave the British partnership a major lift when he drained a 40-foot birdie putt at the 10th before he and Donald went on to inflict the biggest defeat of Woods's Ryder Cup career.
The world No. 1's previous worst result was a 5&3 defeat by Colin Montgomerie and Bernhard Langer at Valderrama in 1997 when Mark O'Meara was his partner.
"That putt Westy holed on 10 was just magnificent," Donald told reporters. "I can't even put it into words. It was amazing to see that go in and to go 5 up just gave us a huge boost.
"It was nice to go out there and show they are beatable," he added. Woods and Stricker had never been beaten as a team, winning four matches at last year's Presidents Cup and their first two in Wales.
"They didn't play as well as they wanted to, and the other guys played well," US captain Corey Pavin said. "It happens. It happens to the best of 'em."
World No. 3 Westwood, a talismanic figure for the European team this week, said: "When you're playing Tiger you just seem to up your game a little bit. We played great today. That was some scoring in foursomes combinations."
Westwood and Donald were 5 under after 13 holes in the alternate-shot format at Celtic Manor.
With blue numbers dominating the board overnight, European captain Colin Montgomerie had urged his team to maintain momentum on the third day and his players were delivering.
Padraig Harrington and Ross Fisher were 2-up on Jim Furyk and Dustin Johnson after 14 holes while Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez were 1-up on Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton after 13.
Overton, however, produced one of the most memorable celebrations of the week when he holed out from the fairway to eagle the par-four eighth, his ball spinning back into the cup from three feet.
The jubilant American immediately yelled: "Yeah, c'mon, yeah, yeah, c'mon, wow!" before slapping hands with his partner Watson and adding: "C'mon, yeah!"
In the bottom fourball match, Britain's Ian Poulter and German Martin Kaymer were 1-up on Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler after 12 holes in a tight contest.
The Americans, who had trailed in all six matches overnight, managed to reverse momentum in the fifth encounter where Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar were one up on Italians Edoardo and Francesco Molinari after 13 holes.
Weather-permitting, the concluding 12 singles will start at early this morning.
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