stops with âOllieâ. How a Ryder Cup Captain, who held such an emotive meeting with his team the night before, could allow this was baffling.
A Ryder Cup Captain should always have his team assembled at all times. It is after all only three days every two years. Players support each other when not playing so they should be assembled together on the morning of play.
Colin Montgomerie should really have directed his comments at Olazabal and the Vice Captains when, on hearing about McIlroyâs late arrival, âMontyâ told a reporter: âThat is quite ridiculous at this level. Itâs quite unbelievable for the world number one.â
*********************************
Luke Donald may have been Europeâs first player on the tee in the final days play, but it was the second man out, Paul Lawrie, who got Europe off to the perfect start and won them their first point. The Scot thumped Brandt Snedeker 5 and 3.
He was 4-up on the American with four holes left to play and he won it at the 15 th to be 5-up with just three holes left. It was also his second singles win from two played after hammering Jeff Maggert 4 and 3 in 1999 where he also enjoyed a foursomes and fourball win with Monty.
Donald held off Bubba Watson 2 and 1 to secure Europeâs second point in a row. The score was 10-8 and Europe were right back in it. But there were still a lot of matches out on the course that were too close to call, which meant the US still held a big advantage.
Two games were done and dusted and all eyes now turned to Rory versus Keegan Bradley. The two âIrishmenâ had contrasting fortunes over the previous two days. Keegan won three out of three points. Rory won two and lost two.
There was nothing to separate them past the halfway stage but Bradley was just not in the same form as previously. It was noticeable that he was struggling very badly with his irons.
Rory won back-to-back holes on 13 and 14 to go 2-up and the Northern Irishman finished the tie on the par-three 17th hole with a par. Incredibly the Europeans were now just a point behind trailing 10-9.
Attention now turned to âMr Ryder Cupâ, as some were now calling him. Ian Poulter was at it again. He was involved in a titanic duel with former US Open champ Webb Simpson and as only to be expected, it went right to the wire.
However, as he shook hands with Simpson earlier that day to begin âMatch Number Fourâ, he had to endure more taunts from the crowds again. Let Paul Hayward of the London Telegraph describe his walk to the first tee:
The Chicago crowd knew how to taunt Ian Poulter. âMajor winner, major winnerâ, they chanted, as Webb Simpson, Americaâs US Open champion arrived on the first tee for their singles match. They mocked Poulterâs record in the big four stroke-play events as there was no mud they could throw at him with regard to Ryder Cups.
The American responded to the crowds urgings and was 2-up through six holes. Then another taunt cried out: âHey Ian, where are your coloured shoes?â
But what the crowds failed to realise was that they were only fuelling his fire. They may have felt that they had a new âColin Montgomerieâ to target, a new âMrs Doubtfireâ, and so they just could not contain themselves.
Poulter blotted it all out and he just focussed on the job against Simpson. So much so that when he birdied the 14 th , he refused to concede the Americanâs five-foot birdie attempt on the same hole.
Incredibly, Ian Poulter, who went on a birdie blitz with Rory the previous day to haul Europe back from the brink of near certain defeat, then repeated the dose. Lightning struck the same bolt twice.
Unbelievably he birdied 14, then 15 and 16 to draw level, and then he won the 17 th to take the lead and the 18 th to close out a 2-up victory. Five birdies in a row! The Europeans on the side lines lifted him in the air.
With Europe now level at 10-10, Jose
A Ryder Cup Captain should always have his team assembled at all times. It is after all only three days every two years. Players support each other when not playing so they should be assembled together on the morning of play.
Colin Montgomerie should really have directed his comments at Olazabal and the Vice Captains when, on hearing about McIlroyâs late arrival, âMontyâ told a reporter: âThat is quite ridiculous at this level. Itâs quite unbelievable for the world number one.â
*********************************
Luke Donald may have been Europeâs first player on the tee in the final days play, but it was the second man out, Paul Lawrie, who got Europe off to the perfect start and won them their first point. The Scot thumped Brandt Snedeker 5 and 3.
He was 4-up on the American with four holes left to play and he won it at the 15 th to be 5-up with just three holes left. It was also his second singles win from two played after hammering Jeff Maggert 4 and 3 in 1999 where he also enjoyed a foursomes and fourball win with Monty.
Donald held off Bubba Watson 2 and 1 to secure Europeâs second point in a row. The score was 10-8 and Europe were right back in it. But there were still a lot of matches out on the course that were too close to call, which meant the US still held a big advantage.
Two games were done and dusted and all eyes now turned to Rory versus Keegan Bradley. The two âIrishmenâ had contrasting fortunes over the previous two days. Keegan won three out of three points. Rory won two and lost two.
There was nothing to separate them past the halfway stage but Bradley was just not in the same form as previously. It was noticeable that he was struggling very badly with his irons.
Rory won back-to-back holes on 13 and 14 to go 2-up and the Northern Irishman finished the tie on the par-three 17th hole with a par. Incredibly the Europeans were now just a point behind trailing 10-9.
Attention now turned to âMr Ryder Cupâ, as some were now calling him. Ian Poulter was at it again. He was involved in a titanic duel with former US Open champ Webb Simpson and as only to be expected, it went right to the wire.
However, as he shook hands with Simpson earlier that day to begin âMatch Number Fourâ, he had to endure more taunts from the crowds again. Let Paul Hayward of the London Telegraph describe his walk to the first tee:
The Chicago crowd knew how to taunt Ian Poulter. âMajor winner, major winnerâ, they chanted, as Webb Simpson, Americaâs US Open champion arrived on the first tee for their singles match. They mocked Poulterâs record in the big four stroke-play events as there was no mud they could throw at him with regard to Ryder Cups.
The American responded to the crowds urgings and was 2-up through six holes. Then another taunt cried out: âHey Ian, where are your coloured shoes?â
But what the crowds failed to realise was that they were only fuelling his fire. They may have felt that they had a new âColin Montgomerieâ to target, a new âMrs Doubtfireâ, and so they just could not contain themselves.
Poulter blotted it all out and he just focussed on the job against Simpson. So much so that when he birdied the 14 th , he refused to concede the Americanâs five-foot birdie attempt on the same hole.
Incredibly, Ian Poulter, who went on a birdie blitz with Rory the previous day to haul Europe back from the brink of near certain defeat, then repeated the dose. Lightning struck the same bolt twice.
Unbelievably he birdied 14, then 15 and 16 to draw level, and then he won the 17 th to take the lead and the 18 th to close out a 2-up victory. Five birdies in a row! The Europeans on the side lines lifted him in the air.
With Europe now level at 10-10, Jose
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