Europe win The Ryder Cup - 2014

Congratulations to the European Team for winning the Ryder Cup, at Gleneagles, Scotland.

Two years ago, the European Team staged (what is regarded by many) the biggest ever come back in sporting history.
So this time, as favourites, they were expected to win.
But, as we know, being favourite doesn't mean victory.

Early on today, in the singles, many of the European players were down in their matches.
From having a 10-6 lead at the start of the day, things were looking a bit grim.
But, in true fighting spirit, the European players fought back to win the cup.

getting to be par for the course eh Rik......:)

I'm sure you know, Steve, that it's as simple as you say.

But, I love the golf reference you made! ;))

did you get to see any of it [other than on TV], I know you are a golfer

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Originally Posted by handrawn

did you get to see any of it [other than on TV], I know you are a golfer

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Sadly, I wasn't able to go to Scotland to watch.

Yeah! I still play golf. And when I was younger, I played to a pretty reasonable standard.
But, nowhere near the standard of the professionals you might have been watching in the Ryder Cup.

Grim? As your graphic clearly shows it was equal for the first few matches. Rose & McIlroy had to come from behind but they were the only times I nearly had doubts :)

Poor show by Phil Mickelson criticizing Tom Watson's captaincy I thought. He may well have a point about Azinger's RC as captain but airing it at the press conference directly after the event was not good. Think they should make him captain in 2 years time so we can all see how easy it is! :D

I have a lot of respect for Phil Mickelson. I probably still do. But, I do not agree with what he did.
He wasn't the captain, and he was not in charge of making the decisions.
To criticize the captain, in public, is pretty poor show.
I don't think you would have seen a European player doing that. Well, I hope you wouldn't have.

I'd rather we celebrate a great performance by the European team.

So would I, they all played great! :)

I wonder who the next European captain will be?
What are your thoughts?

Faldo ... to give the US a chance? ;)) The most mentioned is Darren Clarke, though he has suggested Colin Montgomerie.

Faldo was (and probably still is) a great golfer. I mean, really great. Some his performances in the Ryder Cup were awesome.
But, as a Ryder Cup captain, he was pretty bad.

Colin Montgomery has already done it, and I think if you wanted to do it again, you would do it straight after.
I think Colin is happy with what he did and will not do it again. If he does, I would be extremely surprised.

It's become quite an event. It's a huge event now. Compared to only just 30 years ago.

The whole thing changed when Tony Jacklin was made captain.
He said that if they wanted him to be captain, then things would be done his way.
So, he made the players feel special - flights by Concorde, plush hotels, nothing was to be too much trouble etc...
He made the players feel that they wanted to play for Europe. It was an honour. Something to be proud of.

So, now it is the event it has become.

Both sides want to win, desperately.
Whereas, at one stage, the event was fading into history.

So, we can all thank Tony Jacklin.

Yeah, before him the "job" was just a frontman, PR role really.

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Originally Posted by zaphodeist

Faldo ... to give the US a chance? ;)) The most mentioned is Darren Clarke, though he has suggested Colin Montgomerie.

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Snicker all you want. The USA still has an impressive historical points lead. Been a poor showing of late, though. One thing is for certain, it will cycle back through wins and losses.

Mike

It will. Years of USA winning every time and it will turn again.

What probably will not happen, any more, is the thrashing one side used to get. Namely the GB & Northern Ireland team
That's why it was widened to Europe. But, even then it was more or less one-sided.
Until Tony Jacklin decided that the players should rightly be treated as special. The would be accompanied by wives and girlfriends. It will be an atmosphere where the players want to be.

So, now we have a proper competition.
The matches will be more even, win lose or draw.
And that can only be a good thing.