The US earned its first lead going to the final day of the Ryder Cup since 1995 by holding off Europe’s comeback on a gripping Saturday.
The Americans took a 9-7 lead into the final round of 12 singles, giving them a fighting chance to finally wrest away the gold chalice from Europe.
“The golf has been incredible,” US captain Paul Azinger said. “My stomach is just churning.”
PHOTO: EPA
The Europeans missed a chance to close within a point when Robert Karlsson missed a 12-footer for eagle at the 18th hole in the final better-ball match of the day. Karlsson and Henrik Stenson halved their match with Phil Mickelson and Hunter Mahan.
Ian Poulter’s eyes nearly popped out of his sockets after making a 30-inch birdie putt that looked like 30 feet. Poulter arrived as a controversial captain’s pick, but he was the only European to play all four matches and he delivered three vital points.
American Steve Stricker showed why his selection for his first Ryder Cup was easy. His match looked like a lost cause until Stricker escaped from the weeds and sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a halve.
One minute the US looked as if they might build their largest lead in nearly 30 years. The next minute, it looked as though they might not have the lead at all.
“It’s a bumpy road at times, isn’t it, to get to a victory,” European captain Nick Faldo said. “So you come off the road a bit, and we’re back on the road again now.”
Europe has built overwhelming leads in the last two Cups, practically icing the champagne on Saturday. But not this time.
The Americans needed five and a half points from the 12 matches yesterday to win the Ryder Cup for the first time since 1999. The intensity should return quickly, with Anthony Kim and Sergio Garcia leading off, two explosive players in their 20s.
Faldo put two of his strongest players at the end — Lee Westwood in the 11th match against Ben Curtis, and double major winner Padraig Harrington as the anchor against Chad Campbell.
The entire US and European teams huddled on the grassy slopes surrounding the 18th green at Valhalla as the final match trudged up the fairway, the ninth time in two days that a match came down to the final hole.
Mahan, unbeaten in all four matches in his Ryder Cup debut, hit his approach to the collar of the green for an eagle attempt from 20 feet. Karlsson followed with a second shot in the par 5 that settled 12 feet behind the hole.
Both narrowly missed. Both teams exhaled.
“That’s an unbelieveable two days,” Poulter said. “I think we got a huge piece of momentum today, and the guys are pumped — proper, proper pumped. This is what the Ryder Cup is all about.”
Some of the American rookies found that out.
Boo Weekley toned down his celebration until after his great shots, and there were plenty. Kentucky local JB Holmes delivered a putt that put the US team up over Westwood and Soren Hansen, but Weekley stole the show.
He holed a 25-foot putt off the back of the 14th green for a 2-up lead, then hit a bunker shot to 2 feet on the next hole.
Asked where he would rank that shot among the top 10 of his career, Weekley replied, “I reckon No. 9. I done had eight holes-in-one.”
They won on the 17th hole when Westwood failed to extend the match with a 15-foot birdie.
It was the first time in six years the Englishman lost a Ryder Cup match, an unbeaten streak of 12 matches that left him tied with Arnold Palmer.
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