The Waterboy
Jeff Yoder | Sports Co-Editor
This is not a column titled after the 1998 comedy with Adam Sandler. It's a place to take a break from the action, step over to the sideline and let me refresh you with a cold cup of sports knowledge. Every other week, I'll give a response to the professional and college sports worlds' latest controversy.
In the mid '90s, Greg Norman was arguably the world's greatest golfer. Known as the Great White Shark, Norman led the 1996 Masters by six strokes heading into Sunday. Few feared Norman, unlike a great white, because he was notorious for choking in major tournaments. A fourth-round 78 beached the shark five strokes behind Nick Faldo and a green jacket that year.Faldo earned the Masters victory with a 67 that day, but a miracle comeback is only as big as the disastrous choke it's coupled with. Last weekend's 'Miracle at Medinah' was a miraculous victory for the Europeans. For the U.S., it's one of the biggest collapses in golf since Norman's 1996 debacle.
With just singles play remaining Sunday in Medinah, Ill., Team USA led the Europeans at the 2012 Ryder Cup 10 points to six. European superstar Rory McIlroy showed up five minutes before his tee time escorted by an unmarked police car. McIlroy still beat his opponent Keegan Bradley 2 and 1. And so began one of the most frustrating days in front of a television any American golf fan has experienced.
American captain Davis Love III got some hate after the team's colossal meltdown on Sunday. As captain, Love was in charge of making selections for the Ryder Cup team. His selections were not the problem, but his decision to sit Phil Mickelson earned him much of the blame after watching his team fall to pieces. Mickelson later admitted that he asked to sit out Sunday.
Of Love's picks, the only notable golfer left off the roster was Rickie Fowler, and few people disagreed with that choice anyway. Love was feeling confident until Sunday morning, so why did the United States fold like a cheap tent? A group of four normally-dominant American veterans didn't live up to expectations. The foursome spent most of Sunday yelling "Fore!" as they were to blame for the Ryder Cup disaster.
The first of these four is Tiger Woods. Woods is the No. 2 player in the world but simply didn't play like it. End of story.
The usually-reliable Steve Stricker struck out for the tournament, going 0-4 in all of his events.
Jim Furyk was one-up on Sergio Garcia through 16 holes. Furyk threw away the last two holes with two bogeys and Garcia walked away victorious.
Lastly, Brandt Snedeker caved worse than anyone last weekend. Some really bad shots cost him and Furyk their foursome match on Friday, while Snedeker spent Sunday's singles match in the shadow of Paul Lawrie. Yes, the same Paul Lawrie who won the 1999 Open Championship and is currently 43 years old. Lawrie was one of the questionable European picks, but he proved to be a good call as Snedeker made him look like an all-star on Sunday.
Woods, Stricker, Furyk and Snedeker combined for just 2.5 of the Americans' 13.5 points. On Sunday, they collectively won just half a point as the Europeans took the Ryder Cup 14.5 to 13.5. The blame can be laid on a number of different players, but in the end it unfairly falls on the captain.
As a professional, golf is normally an individual sport. Greg Norman can require the heimlich maneuver after putting up a 78 on a Sunday, but he goes home to his mansion worrying only about himself. The Ryder Cup was a team effort last weekend, and even though four team members won't sleep soundly anytime soon, team captain Davis Love III won't be getting much love in future Ryder Cups.
