JUST-IN TIME; DRAMATIC WIN FOR AMERICANS.Byline: Joe Concannon The Boston Globe Ben Crenshaw's U.S. team of superstars, which had been embarrassed by a European team seemingly out of its class when the competition began Friday morning, stormed out of oblivion in splendid sunshine at The Country Club Sunday, rallying from a seemingly insurmountable four-point deficit to stun the Europeans and regain the 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. . As Crenshaw cren·shaw also cran·shaw n. A variety of winter melon (Cucumis melo var. inodorus) having a greenish-yellow rind and sweet, usually salmon-pink flesh. [Origin unknown.] wept, Justin Leonard Justin Charles Garrett Leonard (born June 15, 1972) is an American professional golfer. Leonard was born in Dallas, Texas. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. put the British Open touch on his majestic ride when he made an impossible 45-foot putt to send his teammates into the biggest Boston joyride since Paul Revere Revere, city (1990 pop. 42,786), Suffolk co., E Mass., a residential suburb of Boston, on Massachusetts Bay; settled c.1630, set off from Chelsea and named for Paul Revere 1871, inc. as a city 1914. approached the Old North Church. Trailing 10-6 entering Sunday's play, the Americans won eight of 12 singles matches (including the first six of the day) and halved another as they rode a wave of momentum to a 14-1/2-13-1/2 victory. Trailing Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal by four shots in the ninth match, Leonard won four holes in a row starting at the 12th and made the putt heard 'round the world on 17th to send the U.S. team of seemingly uninspired robots into ecstacy. They cried. They cheered. They cried. ``I've never seen such an indomitable in·dom·i·ta·ble adj. Incapable of being overcome, subdued, or vanquished; unconquerable. [Late Latin indomit spirit of these guys,'' said Crenshaw. ``This is so indescribable. We knew what we had to do. We are together.'' The Europeans, who had won the last two Ryder Cups at Oak Hill and Valderrama, carried a 6-2 lead out of Friday's foursomes/four-ball matches and the teams played evenly the following day. No team has come back from such a deficit. The Europeans needed just four points to retain the cup that was first put into competition by Samuel Ryder Samuel Ryder (March 24, 1858 – January 2, 1936) was an English entrepreneur and golf enthusiast. He originated the idea of selling garden seeds in "penny packets" and built a very successful business on the concept. at Worcester CC in 1927. They could only come up with 3-1/2. This was a U.S. team torn apart by the issue of money, but it was talent, emotion and genuine feeling that led to this triumph of triumphs and one of sport's greatest comebacks. 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. , who had been criticized for his Ryder Cup comments regarding compensation, roared to a 5-and-4 victory over European stalwart 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. . ``I was sick and tired of everybody saying we weren't a team,'' said Duval. Said Phil Mickelson Philip Alfred Mickelson (born June 16, 1970) (nicknamed "Lefty" for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed), is an American professional golfer. He is one of the leading players of his generation, having won three major championships and a total of 32 , ``We not only won, we dominated. We won big in the first four matches.'' This was truly American golf in its highest form. Tom Lehman Thomas Edward Lehman (born March 7, 1959) is an American professional golfer. Lehman was born in Austin, Minnesota but Alexandria, Minnesota is credited as his official Minnesota hometown. beat Lee Westwood Lee John Westwood (born 24 April 1973) is an English professional golfer. Career outline Born in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, Westwood began to play golf aged 13 with a half set bought by grandparents. of Great Britain Great Britain, officially United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, constitutional monarchy (2005 est. pop. 60,441,000), 94,226 sq mi (244,044 sq km), on the British Isles, off W Europe. The country is often referred to simply as Britain. 3 and 2; 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 , who became one of America's heroes, beat Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland 4 and 2; Mickelson was a 4-and-3 winner over Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden; Davis Love whipped Jean Van de Velde Jean Van de Velde (born 29 May 1966 in Mont-de-Marsan, Landes) is a French golfer who is known mainly for his loss at The Open Championship in 1999. Van de Velde turned professional in 1987 and his rookie season on the European Tour was 1989. of France 6 and 5, and Tiger Woods won three holes in a row to close out the front side en route to a 3-and-2 win over Andrew Coltart of Scotland. Duval made it six straight. There were some eyebrows raised when European captain Mark James sat down Sandelin, Van de Velde van de Velde: see Velde, van de. and Coltart in the first four matches and then sent them out to play matches No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5. By the time Dubliner Padraig Harrington kept the European hopes alive and eventually beat Mark O'Meara 1 up, time was drawing short. Steve Pate beat Spain's Miguel Angel Harrington 2 and 1, and Leonard did his thing before losing the 18th hole to halve the match. Payne Stewart, who set his sights on the Ryder Cup in January and won the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, bowed to European's iron man Colin Montgomerie on the 18th hole. Jim Furyk had already handed Spanish teen-age sensation Sergio Garcia his first defeat (3-1-1) in five matches with a 4-and-3 win. Scotsman Paul Lawreie, who won the British Open at Carnoustie when Van de Velde let it slip out of his hands, was decisive in a 4-and-3 win over Jeff Maggert. Since players outside Great Britain have been eligible for the Ryder Cup, the Europeans have a 4-3-1 edge, and the point total is 98-98 in the last seven. RYDER CUP CARDS FINAL SCORE: U.S. 14-1/2 EUROPE 13-1/3 Match 17 434 444 345 444 454 344 Westwood 434 443 246544 444 3xx Lehman 434 333 345 444 354 3xx Lehman def. Westwood, 3 and 2 Match 18 434 444 345 444 454 344 Clarke 335 544 345 445 544 4xx Sutton 424 443 345 444 554 2xx Sutton def. Clarke, 4 and 2 Match 19 434 444345 444 454 344 Sandelin 435 443 344 655 354 xxx Mickelson 434 344 344 544 444 xxx Mickelson def. Sandelin, 4 and 3 Match 20 434 444 345 444 454 344 Van de Velde 533 443 445 445 5xx xxx Love 434 433 345 334 4xx xxx Love def. Van de Velde, 6 and 5 Match 21434 444 345 444 454 344 Coltart 534 343 445 444 444 3xx Woods 534 343 334 444 444 3xx Woods def. Coltart, 3 and 2 Match 22 434 444 345 444 454 344 Parnevik 435 445 454 444 34x xxx Duval 424 344 345 434 44x xxx Duval def. Parnevik, 5 and 4 Match 23 434 444 345 444 454 344 Harrington 344 334 343 444 564 344 O'Meara 433 444 335 444 464 345 Harrington def. O'Meara, 1-up Match 24 434 444 345 444 454 344 Jimenez 434 543 254 545 464 34x Pate 434 444 244 544 444 44x Pate def. Jimenez, 2 and 1 Match 25 434 444 345 444 454 344 Olazabal 434 443 344 455 554 343 Leonard 524 544 346 554 443 334 Olazabal halved with Leonard Match 26 434 444 345 444 454 344 Montgomerie 533 433 345 444 455 343 Stewart 533 444 434 445 444 344 Montgomerie def. Stewart, 1-up. Match 27 434 444 345 444 454 344 Garcia 434 443 345 554 454 xxx Furyk 434 344 334 543 454 xxx Furyk def. Garcia, 4 and 3 Match 28 434 444 345 444 454 344 Lawrie 524 344 334 545 554 xxx Maggert 534 444 345 545 464 xxx Lawrie def. Maggert, 4 and 3 FINAL STANDINGS Fourball Foursomes Singles Total Team W-L-H W-L-H W-L-H W-L-H U.S. 1-4-3 3-4-1 8-3-1 12-11-5 Europe 4-1-3 4-3-1 3-8-1 11-12-5 CAPTION(S): 4 Photos, box PHOTO (1 -- color) Tee Party - Europe has no answer as Americans retake re·take tr.v. re·took , re·tak·en , re·tak·ing, re·takes 1. To take back or again. 2. To recapture. 3. To photograph, film, or record again. n. 1. the Ryder Cup. (2 -- color) Hal Sutton celebrates the U.S. victory. Spain's Sergio Garcia (above) and his European teammates had no response for the charging Americans. (3 -- 4 -- color) U.S. Ryder Cup team members Justin Leonard, right, and Tiger Woods celebrate, top; bottom, team members pose with the trophy after their dramatic come-from-behind win. Dave Martin/Associated Press Box: Ryder Cup Cards (see text) |
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