Team Europe 16 1/2 – USA 11 1/2
I am sure I was not alone on Sunday afternoon in fearing USA would overhaul Team Europe as simply whilst there was litttle to choose between the best on either side.
The Americans had greater depth.
If a European rookie like Ludwig Aberg was paired against a serial major winner like Brooks Koepka the young Swede would suffer as he duly did.
I gained some succour from Europe having points in the bank and the odds on a Europe victory had narrowed to 1-40.
That Europe won by 5 points disguised how close Sunday singles proved.
I was delighted that Justin Rose won the Concession award as most epitomising the spirit of the Ryder Cup reflected by the great Jack Nicklaus conceding Tony Jacklin’s putt in the 1969 Ryder Cup.
That contest was not played in a sporting spirit.
Team captain of then Great Britain and Ireland Eric Brown forbade his team from looking for the opposition’s golf balls whilst the US captain Sam Snead braided Nicklaus for the concession.
Yet it was the concession that the 1969 Ryder is remembered.
The sporting and likeable Justin Rose ar 43 the oldest player in the event was a worthy recipient.
Betting wise my tickle on the Europeans was successful but I missed out on my speculative bets on final scores of 15-13 and Victor Hovland as top point winner.
A pattern is now emerging of overwhelming victory by the home team.
Europe clearly benefited from a course lay-out more suited to their game but 9 of the 12 American players declined to come over to experience it.
Indeed Zach Johnson and his lieutenants’ “prep” was inferior to Luke Donald ‘s and his vice captains’.
In sport Americans tend to lay more importance to analytics but Eduardo Molinari the Europe stats guru proved the more adapt.
The next Ryder Cup will be contested in Beth Page New York in 2025.
LIV might well be resolved by then, releasing Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson for the Americans.
The conveyor belt of college golf will surely produce talented young golfers for both teams.
The European trio of Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stensen may not be good enough by then, but the core of the European side – Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Victor Novland, Matt Fitzgerald, Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry should all be a available along with Scandinavians Ludwig Aberg and the Hojgaard twins.
Europe has other young talent too like Adrian Meronk omitted controversially but correctly for Shane Lowry and winner of the Italian open on the Marco Simone course.
Luke Donald will surely be captain.
I agree with Tom Hollingworth on the sky coverage.
Sir Nick Faldo is becoming the Geoff Boycott of golf analysts: far too ready to criticise, drawing on his superior expertise and technique.
A great golfer?
No doubt about it, only Henry Cotton might surpass his achievements as an English golfer, but Seve Ballesteros did much more for European golf as player and captain of winning European teams.
My memory of him was being simply everywhere on the Valderrama course in his golf buggy egging on the team.
As a pairing he and Jose Maria Olazabal were invincible and it was great to see his protégé as vice captain playing his part.
Sky let themselves down with too many advertising breaks.
With the Ryder Cup in the balance and with Shane Lowry, Robert Macintyre , Tommy Fleetwood and Sepp Straka still out there, no one wanted to hear about the qualities of Rolex or how Barclays offers such a superb service for the umpteenth time.
I switched on Radio 5 Live to keep abreast.
