33RD RYDER CUP: A ROUGH RYDER FOR THE AMERICANS.Byline: Brad Townsend Dallas Morning News The chant, ``Ol Ol . . .'' was all too familiar to the U.S. players. It's a European tradition, a victory hymn of sorts, sung when a sporting event is well in hand. The fact that Europe's fans were celebrating at all surely was humiliating hu·mil·i·ate tr.v. hu·mil·i·at·ed, hu·mil·i·at·ing, hu·mil·i·ates To lower the pride, dignity, or self-respect of. See Synonyms at degrade. enough, but the fact they did so Saturday, with Europe leading 10-6 and a full day of competition remaining at The Country Club, certainly magnified the indignity in·dig·ni·ty n. pl. in·dig·ni·ties 1. Humiliating, degrading, or abusive treatment. 2. A source of offense, as to a person's pride or sense of dignity; an affront. 3. . The Europeans, behind veterans Colin Montgomerie Colin Stuart Montgomerie, OBE (born June 23, 1963) is a Scottish professional golfer often referred to by his nickname 'Monty'. He has had one of the finest careers in European Tour history, having won a record eight Order of Merit titles including a streak of seven consecutively and Jesper Parnevik Jesper Bo Parnevik (born March 7, 1965) is a Swedish professional golfer. He is the son of the Swedish entertainer Bo Parnevik. Parnevik was born in Stockholm, Sweden. and precocious 19-year-old Sergio Garcia, have put the Americans in an almost insurmountable hole entering Sunday's 12 singles matches. ``I think it will be a disappointment if we didn't win , because a four-point lead is a reasonable lead,'' European captain Mark James said. ``But we're under no illusions. We know that the USA is going to fight back hard tomorrow.'' The Americans should have no illusions, either. A comeback today, averting an unprecedented third straight U.S. Ryder Cup Ryder Cup Biennial team golf event first held in 1927. It was originally played between teams of golfers from the U.S. and Britain; since 1979 players opposing the U.S. have been chosen from all of Europe. The trophy was donated by the British seed merchant Samuel Ryder. defeat, is not impossible, but it's highly improbable. In 32 previous Ryder Cups, only four teams have trailed entering Sunday and rallied to win. The biggest deficit on any of those occasions was two points. As the defending champion defending champion n (SPORT) → defensor/a m/f del título defending champion n (Sport) → champion(ne) en titre , Europe only needs a tie (14 points) to retain the Cup. The U.S. needs 14-1/2 points to wrest wrest tr.v. wrest·ed, wrest·ing, wrests 1. To obtain by or as if by pulling with violent twisting movements: wrested the book out of his hands; wrested the islands from the settlers. away the Cup. That means the U.S. must earn at least 8-1/2 points today. Granted, the U.S. did rally from a 10-1/2-5-1/2 deficit before falling 14-1/2-13-1/2 in '97, but the Americans looked whipped Saturday night. ``I'm a big believer in faith,'' vowed U.S. captain Ben Crenshaw Ben Daniel Crenshaw (born January 11, 1952) is an American golfer. He was born in Austin, Texas. He attended and played golf at Austin High School and the University of Texas before turning professional in 1973. , wagging his finger in front of the media Saturday night. ``I have a good feeling about this. That's all I'm going to tell you.'' But good vibes and good golf haven't been good enough thus far. Not with the Parnevik-Garcia tandem forging a 3-0-1 record in best-ball and alternate-shot matches. Not with Montgomerie and partner Paul Lawrie Paul Stewart Lawrie (born 1 January 1969, Aberdeen) is a Scottish professional golfer who is best known for winning The Open Championship in 1999. Career outline teaming for 2-1/2 points. Not with America's (and supposedly the world's) best player, Tiger Woods  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled. , going 1-3 this week, a combined 2-6-1 in his two Ryder Cup appearances. And not with little-known, 35-year-old Ryder Cup rookie Miguel Angel Jimenez earning one victory and two halves for good measure. And not with the Americans' continued inability to match Europe's penchant for making big back-nine putts. After he and Lawrie pulled out a 2-and-1 victory over Woods and Steve Pate Stephen Robert Pate (born May 26, 1961) is an American professional golfer who has played on both the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. Pate was born in Ventura, California. He attended UCLA and was a member of the golf team. on Saturday afternoon, Montgomerie reveled in what he did not hear: American fans cheering. ``It's silent,'' Montgomerie said. ``Great. That's the best thing we can do - silence the crowd by outplaying them.'' Although each team earned four points Saturday, the Europeans had reason to believe they had won the day. Just when it seemed the U.S. might pull within 9-7 or perhaps even an 8-8 tie entering Sunday, Europe summoned some late-hole heroics and quelled the uprising. At several points, Europe trailed in all four afternoon best-ball matches. As evening approached The Country Club, the U.S. had won one best-ball match to close to 8-5 and led on the 16th hole of another. The other two matches were all square through 16 and 14 holes, respectively. But that's when Garcia, then Jimenez, then Montgomerie foiled the Americans. First it was Garcia, the youngest player in Ryder Cup history, draining an eight-foot birdie on No. 18 that allowed the Europeans to halve the match against Davis Love III Davis Milton Love III (born April 13, 1964) is an American professional golfer. Love was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He attended the University of North Carolina before turning professional in 1985. and David Duval David Robert Duval (born November 9, 1971) is an American professional golfer and former World No. 1 who competes on the PGA Tour. Background and career Amateur career Duval was born in Jacksonville, Florida. . Just when it appeared the U.S. would pull to 8-6, it was 8-1/2-5-1/2. ``That putt at the last is the biggest I've made so far in my professional career,'' Garcia said. ``I hope to make a bigger one tomorrow.'' This is the first Ryder Cup since 1977 in which another swashbuckling swash·buck·le intr.v. swash·buck·led, swash·buck·ling, swash·buck·les To act as a swashbuckler, as in a movie or play. [Back-formation from swashbuckler. Spaniard, Seve Ballesteros, is not present as a player or captain. But James swears Garcia is Ballesteros' reincarnation. ``He's a live wire,'' James said. ``Sergio's personality, he's very charismatic, like Seve is, and he's definitely a force that this team has felt positively.'' DAY 2: A CLOSER LOOK A look at Saturday's second-day matches in the Ryder Cup, played at The Country Club (7,033-yard, par-71). FOURSOMES (alternate shot) Hal Sutton Hal Evan Sutton (born April 28, 1958) is an American golfer and captain of the 2004 American Ryder Cup team. Sutton was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was a promising golfer at the Centenary College of Louisiana, named GOLF magazine and Jeff Maggert (U.S.) def. Colin Montgomerie and Paul Lawrie, 1-up Montgomerie and Lawrie suffered their first loss, thanks mainly to some clutch shots at the end by Maggert. Maggert's 25-footer put the Americans ahead on No. 17, and he closed out the Europeans with a 7-iron to within a foot on the 18th hole. The putt was conceded, and the U.S. team had won its first point of the day. Darren Clarke-Lee Westwood (EUR EUR In currencies, this is the abbreviation for the Euro. Notes: The currency market, also known as the Foreign Exchange market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average volume of over US $1 trillion. ) def. Jim Furyk-Mark O'Meara Fresh off their victory Friday over Tiger Woods and David Duval, the ``Spice Boys'' made only one mistake, a bogey on the third hole. O'Meara, playing his first match of the Ryder Cup, and Furyk failed to make a single birdie, while Westwood and Clarke took command by reaching the tough 12th hole in two and making par. Tiger Woods-Steve Pate (U.S.) def. Miguel Angel Jimenez-Padraig Harrington, 1-up Woods and Pate won the first three holes and appeared ready to make this a runaway. But the Europeans came back and the match was even until Woods made a 25-footer on No. 14 for eagle that put the Americans ahead for good. Still, the match wasn't decided until the 18th green, when Pate hit an iron close and needed only to two-putt to win. Jesper Parnevik-Sergio Garcia (EUR) def. Payne Stewart-Justin Leonard, 3 and 2 The Swedish-Spanish alliance never trailed. The turning point came at the par-5 ninth, where Leonard and Stewart took bogey to fall two holes down. Parnevik hit it stiff on No. 10 for birdie, and Europe made it three straight holes with a par on the 11th. Stewart and Leonard didn't make a birdie until the 13th hole, but by then it was too late. FOUR BALL (Best Ball) Phil Mickelson and Tom Lehman (U.S.) def. Darren Clark and Lee Westwood, 2 and 1 Mickelson's 130-yard wedge shot that ended up on the lip of the hole gave the Americans a 3-up lead. Clark and Westwood didn't win a hole until Westwood sunk a birdie on No. 16 to keep the match alive. Westwood had a chance to force the match to the 18th hole, but his 10-footer for birdie on 17 hit the lip and stayed out. Davis Love III and David Duval (U.S.) tied Jesper Parnevik and Sergio Garcia The match of the day, featuring the theatrics the·at·rics n. 1. (used with a sing. verb) The art of the theater. 2. (used with a pl. verb) Theatrical effects or mannerisms; histrionics. of Garcia and Parnevik and even some jumping and fist pumping from Duval. Love nearly made a double eagle on No. 9, and Parnevik pitched in for an incredible par on 12. It was Garcia, though, who holed a 7-footer on the 18th hole to salvage a tie for the European team and send Garcia and Parnevik into another gleeful glee·ful adj. Full of jubilant delight; joyful. glee  ful·ly adv.glee Miguel Angel Jimenez and Jose Maria Olazabal (EUR) tied Justin Leonard and Hal Sutton If the group in front of them could make a halve entertaining, this one was just badly played. Jimenez played virtually alone, with Olazabal hitting tee shot after tee shot into the rough and trees. He still managed a halve, though, mainly because Sutton and Leonard made only one birdie each - including a tee shot on the par-3 16th by Sutton that finished 3 inches from the hole. Colin Montgomerie and Paul Lawrie (EUR) def. Tiger Woods and Steve Pate, 2 and 1 This match was even at the turn, and Montgomerie put the Europeans up on No. 10 when he nearly holed his approach. The Europeans conceded the 12th hole after failing to make par, and the Americans had a chance to go ahead when Woods hit an iron to within 8 feet on No. 14. Woods, though, missed his eagle putt and Montgomerie made a 15 footer In a document or report, common text that appears at the bottom of every page. It usually contains the page number. on the next hole to go 1-up. Lawrie followed it with a tee shot to within two feet on the next hole for another win. elebrate Parnevik's chip from the rough. Charles Krupa/Associated Press BOX: Day 2: A closer look (see text) CAPTION(S): photo, box PHOTO (1 -- color) European Ryder Cup players Jesper Parnevik of Sweden, right, and Sergio Garcia of Spain, c |
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