Ryder Cup (Credit: Ryder Cup)
U.S. golfers nearly staged a miracle rally in New York, only to see Europe clinch yet another Cup in the final holes
We almost witnessed a miracle last weekend! A miracle that even golf fans might have ignored or missed.
While most of you were enjoying a beautiful Sunday either playing golf, living life, or watching the Eagles, The Ryder Cup was being played in what seemed to be a foregone conclusion. There was almost a comeback of epic proportions that just fell short. But to be honest, it never should have been so close.
While most golfers love playing golf, I actually like watching the best golfers just as much as playing the sport. This year’s Ryder Cup was two days of watching brilliant golf but at the expense of the United States. Honestly, if you’re a fan of America, you really should be required to watch the Ryder Cup. Other than the Olympics, no other sporting event captures the spirit of nationalism and patriotism like the Ryder Cup. I’d even argue that the Ryder Cup is more dramatic and intense than the Olympics. It certainly doesn’t last as long.
In a sport steeped in civility and decorum, the Ryder Cup brings out the best and worst in Americans and Europeans. It is a golf battle between the 12 best US and European players every 2 years, alternating continents. For 2 days, the national teams compete as two-man teams in morning and afternoon matches. On day three players go head-to-head in match play.
This year the Ryder Cup was played at Bethpage Black Golf Course in Farmingdale, New York. This is the ultimate hacker’s dream of a public course. For only $70, on the weekend, you can play Bethpage! Of course, you must camp out in your car overnight, know someone from New York state, and do some kind of satanic ritual … but it is still affordable!
The Europeans were the current Ryder Cup champs after humiliating the US team in 2023 in Rome, Italy. Homefield advantage is a big thing in the Ryder Cup, as the fans can get rowdy and obnoxious at this event. Apparently, the Italian fans were quite rambunctious between Cappuccino's and Cannoli’s. But this year the Cup was just outside of New York City, the world capital of obnoxious! How could the U.S. lose in New York??
Well, the Europeans simply played lights out during the first two days of the Cup. Interestingly, the first two days consist of “team” competitions, where it is two-on-two in alternating shot format and best ball format. Don’t ask me to explain how these formats work, just know that the Europeans seem to thrive in these formats. I don’t think there is any secret as to why the Europeans dominate the team format, they just played lights out this week.
The Ryder Cup is all about call and response. One player hits a great shot, and his opponent can either do better or worse. Every time a player counters with a better shot, pressure is applied to their opponent. The Euros were relentless on Friday and Saturday, nailing greens, and making ridiculous putts long and short. When the US had moments to apply pressure, the Euros always seemed to respond. Their constant, and somewhat annoying, ability to respond made the US team look average. The reality was the US team played well, but the Euros played exceptionally for the first two days.
By the time we got to Sunday, the Euros had a commanding 7-point lead, 11 ½ to 4 ½. The first team to 14 wins, with a tie going to the team that had won the Cup the tournament prior, in this case the Europeans. The largest deficit ever overcome in the 98-year history of the Cup is 4 points. To come back from 7 down seemed utterly impossible.
While the United States may currently be a dysfunctional bunch of people bickering constantly on social media, there is one thing we are not … quitters. At least not 12 of our best golfers. I thought I would comfortably watch the Eagles game without the Ryder Cup distracting me. Well, I thought wrong, because by the third quarter of the Eagles game there was a major comeback brewing in New York.
One match after another had the U.S. creeping closer to one of the greatest comebacks in sports history. With 12 individual matches to play on Sunday, the U.S. would need to win at least 8 of them. One after another, U.S. players would sink key putts and make great shots, and suddenly by 4:30 I was at the edge of my seat. The first two days of the competition were marred by excessive heckling. With little to cheer for, the US fans resorted to heckling and name-calling, instead of finding more creative ways to support our team. The U.S. team finally gave fans something to cheer for on Sunday, and the heckling died down.
Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. On the 18th hole, Ireland’s Shane Lowery was captured by the spirits of Friday and Saturday and nailed his approach shot to within 5 feet. After Russell Henley came just 2 inches short of winning the hole with a birdie, Lowery sank his putt and erupted into glee like a giant pudgy leprechaun. The Europeans silenced the New York crowd and once again lifted the Cup.
This is now the 11th time out of the last 15 Ryder Cups that the Europeans have won since 1995. In the last 30 years, the U.S. has not won on European soil, but the Europeans have won here 4 times. The crazy thing is that most of the European players live most of the year in the U.S., they’re practically American. Maybe that’s the reason they continue to dominate in the Ryder Cup … or maybe they are just better golfers than the US Team. In the end, the European team won 15-13. Don’t be fooled, though, it really wasn’t that close, but we had fun while it was.
(The Back Nine is a biweekly op-ed column submitted to North Penn Now, courtesy of Edward Levine. The views expressed are his own and are not representative of North Penn Now/Fideri News Network or Montgomery County.)
