Monday, September 27, 1999
U.S. makes greatest comeback in Ryder Cup
history
By Jack Saylor
Knight Ridder Newspapers
BROOKLINE, Mass. — Hollywood wouldn't buy the story. .
. . too hokey.
Captain Ben Crenshaw called it fate.
The American superstar golfers finally regained their magic
touch Sunday and ended six years of European oppression with the
greatest Ryder Cup comeback of all time.
The U. S. team, super-hyped by an emotional Saturday night
pep meeting, won the first seven matches, sent the Europeans reeling
and relieved Sam Ryder's coveted piece of bric-a-brac from its
overseas bondages with an amazing 14 1/2 to 13 1/2 victory.
“I never stopped believing — I neverstopped believing
in these guys,” an emotional Crenshaw said. “I'm stunned.
It's the greatest day of my life. You've got to believe in fate.”
The Euros, with seven rookies on their squad, were ready to
make off with one of the biggest heists around here since the
Brinks job, taking a 10-6 lead into the singles matches. But they
ran into a Boston Massacre with Justin Leonard, a most unlikely
hero, firing the biggest arrow into the invaders' hearts.
Leonard had never made a point in two Cup appearances and was
shaping up as Cup goat, four-down to Jose Maria Olazabal with
seven holes to play.
But the doughty Texan won five of the next six holes, and his
45-foot birdie putt at the 17th clinched the last half-point the
United States needed.
“I think it was destined to go in,” Leonard said.
“It's pretty spooky,” Crenshaw said. “Where
Justin made that putt — the 17th — is the same place
where Francis Ouimet made two 20-foot putts in his victory over
two great English players (Harry Vardon and Ted Ray) in 1913.
And Ouimet's house is right across the street. . . . you don't
believe in fate? I do.”
European captain Mark James had no answer for the U.S. onslaught.
“We gave it our best shot,” he said. “The way they
played, tactics wouldn't help. They came out screeching. The number
of putts they holed was quite remarkable.”
“This is incredible, unbelievable,” said Lehman,
a captain's choice for the team, who downed Lee Westwood, 3 and
2.
“Our first goal was to win the first four matches to square
up the points — and we did that,” said Phil Mickelson,
who contributed a 4 and 3 victory over Jarmo Sandelin.
Davis Love III started the landslide singles run by playing
three-under-par in thumping Jean Van De Velde, 6 and 5.
“We had to see something forceful to breed a chain reaction,”
Crenshaw said. “It happened like a dream.”
Lehman and Mickelson followed with victories, and Hal Sutton
pitched in a 4 and 2 triumph over Darren Clarke. That pulled the
Americans into a 10-10 tie.
The snowball never stopped rolling. The 30,000 fans sounded
more like a college football crowd as the usually sedate Country
Club erupted with every European ebb and American flow.
Europeans Jesper Parnevik and teen-age sensation Sergio Garcia,
unbeatable as a team, both tumbled in singles. David Duval drubbed
Parnevik, 5 and 4, and Jim Furyk downed Garcia, 4 and 3. Tiger
Woods took care of Andrew Coltart, 4 and 2.
As the shadows lengthened, it became obvious that the U.S.
would rely for the final half-point from either Mark O'Meara or
perhaps Payne Stewart. Steve Pate, the other captain's choice,
handled Miguel Jiminez, 2 and 1, and Furyk was well in front of
Garcia.
Leonard looked like dead meat, trailing the veteran Olazabal.
O'Meara was in a dogfight with Irish rookie Padraig Harrington
and was tied at the 18th tee before both his tee shot and approach
shot landed in bunkers. He lost to Harrington's par, 1-up.
But here came Leonard. He won the 12th and 13th as Olazabal
bogeyed, then birdie both the 14th and 15th to even the match.
That set the stage for his blockbuster birdie at the 17th.
It mattered little that Olazabal birdied the 18th hole to halve
the match.
And Stewart even conceded Colin Montgomerie's long birdie putt
that insured Monty's 1-up victory, a consolation prize after a
week of grief from U.S. fans.
(c) 1999, Detroit Free Press.
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