91热爆

Cup fever takes grip

• Rob Hodgetts - 91热爆 Sport golf writer
• 22 Sep 06, 01:27 PM

K CLUB 鈥� How can you not be gripped by this?
The have epitomised what the Ryder Cup is all about. Two matches were seemingly home and hosed, three up with holes running out.

But four men, two from each team, found the inspiration to mount a fightback against overwhelming odds.

Was it sensational golf? No, but who cares. It was drama, and that's what we like.

Europe鈥檚 Padraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie were hit by a Tiger Woods revival, after his ragged start, and found themselves three down after 12 to Woods and Jim Furyk.

But maybe heeding the advice of team psychologist Jamil Qureshi on how to deal with a downward spiral, they clawed it back to one down at the 16th before eventually surrendering at the last.

I must confess when Jim Furyk鈥檚 approach to the green on 16 span back into the water, I let out an involuntary yelp of delight, and a not-so-muffled 鈥測essss鈥�. The guy from the New York Post across the way stared me down, and I gave myself a quick and visible dressing down. He's massive, you see, although I'd back myself in a foot race.

But if it鈥檚 like that in the restrained confines of the media centre, imagine how the fans out on the course are going to react later in the week, swept up by the building emotion and with something slightly stronger 鈥� though not necessarily in greater quantities - than coffee coursing through their veins.

On the other side of the coin, Stewart Cink and rookie JJ 鈥減lump Sergio Garcia鈥� Henry (I鈥檓 going to labour that one until someone acknowledges it), mounted a sensational comeback after slumping to three down after nine.

Their opponents Paul McCasey (as Ian Woosnam called him yesterday) and Europe鈥檚 beanpole rookie Robert Karlsson looked impregnable. And European fans, as someone more diplomatic than me would put it (I'd have just said "we") must have cashed that point in.

But a blitz of four birdies on the back nine from Henry, who could be a bit of a find, helped the Americans escape with a moral victory, though Europe will be relieved not to have lost a whole point.

The inspired Spanish pairing of Sergio Garcia, my pick for leading points scorer, and Seve鈥檚 faithful lieutenant Jose Maria Olazabal were never behind, though they only really stamped their authority on it when they reached three up at 15 before winning 3&2.

In the final match, the buddy act of Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood were embroiled in a tense battle with Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco - there was only ever one hole in it, and only ever in Europe's favour.

Plenty of American supporters were following this one, but the home fans gave Clarke a fond reception as he sealed the match on 18, bringing a tear to his eye and a quivering lip.

European captain Ian Woosnam has rung the changes in every pairing for the afternoon foursomes, meaning all his players will have tasted action by the end of the day.

Paul McGinley joins fellow Dubliner Harrington, a good move and one designed to pump up McGinley鈥檚 confidence and ensure plenty of vocal home support.

David Howell and rookie Henrik Stenson combine in a new pair, a solid partnership of length and stability.

Westwood leaves Clarke for the first time this week to join Monty against Mickelson/DiMarco, while Luke Donald, who was very disappointed to miss out in the morning, makes his first bow this year with the effervescent Garcia, in what could be a formidable foursomes pairing.

鈥淲e gelled well two years ago so I鈥檓 looking forward to it,鈥� said Garcia, who will take on Woods and Furyk.

For the Americans, Chad Campbell and exciting birdie-maker Zach Johnson get their first start against the Irishmen, and Henry, perhaps surprisingly given his form, is replaced as Cink鈥檚 partner by the steady Toms, leaving just Vaughn Taylor and Scott Verplank left to play a match.

There's nothing in it at this stage. And all the evidence so far would suggest that's the way it's going to stay until Sunday afternoon.