Deja P.U.
On sodden Irishturf, the golf division of the booming European Union won the Ryder Cup for thefifth time in six meetings. The victors dominated the day with 12 players whorefer to matches as games. The twelvesome included three native sons, fiveBrits, two hug-happy Spaniards and two Swedes, shepherded by a Welshman wholooks like your grandmother and who filled out lineup cards like Joe Torre.
SinglesSmackdown
What used to be a U.S. specialty is now a Euro domain
U.S. | W-L-T | BEFORE | AFTER | ANALYSIS |
WOODS | 3-2-0 | Wants last shot--like Mike | Sometimes a hero | After winning five in a row he was running on empty |
MICKELSON | 0-4-1 | Be happy that he's on your side | - | Could Winged Foot hurt his confidence so much? |
FURYK | 2-3-0 | Be happy that he's on your side | Where's Chris Riley? | Dumping the shot in the water on 18 was a killer |
CAMPBELL | 0-1-2 | Sometimes a hero | Sometimes a hero | I would've played him in all five matches |
TOMS | 0-3-1 | Sometimes a hero | Calling Dr. Phil | He played well, but his partners were anchors |
DIMARCO | 0-3-1 | Be happy that he's on your side | Where's Chris Riley? | Our match-play king fell flat. He's overrated |
TAYLOR | 0-1-1 | Calling Dr. Phil | Where's Chris Riley? | Had good moments; didn't see much action |
HENRY | 0-0-3 | Sometimes a hero | Be happy that he's on your side | One guy who showed some spine on closing holes |
JOHNSON | 1-2-1 | Calling Dr. Phil | Calling Dr. Phil | Gave us more than we hoped--one hot match |
WETTERICH | 0-2-0 | Where's Chris Riley? | Where's Chris Riley? | Tell me again how he got on the team? |
CINK | 1-1-3 | Sometimes a hero | Be happy that he's on your side | My MVP, for stuffing Sergio in singles |
VERPLANK | 2-0-0 | Be happy that he's on your side | Be happy that he's on your side | Not using him in foursomes was a mistake |
LEHMAN | - | Be happy that he's on your side | Be happy that he's on your side | Got team to bond, not that it mattered |
EUR. | W-L-T | BEFORE | AFTER | ANALYSIS |
MONTGOMERIE | 1-1-2 | Loves to kick American butt | Seve says second is for losers | Beatable in majors, unbeatable in singles |
HOWELL | 2-0-1 | Steady as she goes | Seve says second is for losers | Didn't play his best yet never lost. Good partner |
STENSON | 1-1-1 | Owns home in Florida | Seve says second is for losers | I heard a TV guy say he's going to win majors |
GARCIA | 4-1-0 | Steady as she goes | Seve says second is for losers | He'll be defined by his great Ryder Cup play |
CASEY | 2-0-2 | Steady as she goes | Seve says second is for losers | Walk-off ace the coolest thing I've seen in golf |
KARLSSON | 0-1-2 | Owns home in Florida | Seve says second is for losers | U.S. TV only wanted to talk about his height |
HARRINGTON | 0-4-1 | Steady as she goes | Seve says second is for losers | Played like crap but promoted Ireland well |
DONALD | 3-0-0 | Steady as she goes | Seve says second is for losers | The next Nick Faldo rode Sergio's coattails some |
MCGINLEY | 0-1-2 | Steady as she goes | Seve says second is for losers | Classy move conceding putt to Henry on 18 |
OLAZABAL | 3-0-0 | Steady as she goes | Seve says second is for losers | Every time I looked he was making a big putt |
CLARKE | 3-0-0 | Loves to kick American butt | Seve says second is for losers | Even I almost cried when he finished |
WESTWOOD | 3-0-2 | Seve says second is for losers | Seve says second is for losers | Thomas Bjorn can shut up now about this pick |
WOOSNAM | - | Steady as she goes | Seve says second is for losers | Was Woosie a genius, or were his players hot? |
U.S. PRESSURE INDEX KEY
--Wants lastshot--like Mike
--Be happy thathe's on your side
--Sometimes ahero
--Calling Dr.Phil
--Where's ChrisRiley?
EUROPE PRESSUREINDEX KEY
--Seve sayssecond is for losers
--Loves to kickAmerican butt
--Steady as shegoes
--Owns home inFlorida
--Keep a lighton, please
Golf Plus willnext appear with the Oct. 16 Sports Illustrated.
TIGER TRACKER
What kind of cat was he today?
PUSSYCAT
ALLEY CAT
MAN-EATER
MAN-EATER
Woods was among the first Americans to congratulate Clarke, not for defeatingJohnson in his singles match or for the European win but for finding his wayback to golf's main stage after the death of his wife, Heather. There's morehuman being in Woods than we'll probably ever know.
KEY STAT
6
Matches won by the U.S. out of 28. Ouch! Tiger winsmore often playing against entire fields.
New Math
The U.S. reeked, as did the ratings, down 30% from'02, the last Ryder abroad
TIME DIFFERENCE + REPORTS OF EURO ROUT + TAPE DELAY ONFRIDAY-SATURDAY - TIVO  =  RATINGS DEBACLE
PHOTO
ROBERT BECK
 SICKFEELING Henry got a gift half point, a fraction of the lowly 3 1/2 won by theU.S. in singles.
SEVEN PHOTOS
ROBERT BECK (CLINTON, MICKELSON); PGA OF AMERICA (PGA LOGO); SIMON BRUTY (TOMS); PAT DOYLE/CORBIS (PUSSYCAT); CORBIS (ALLEY CAT); DORLING KINDERSLEY/GETTY IMAGES (TIGER)
TEN PHOTOS
ROBERT BECK (WOODS AND WILLIAMS, OPENING CEREMONY, CLARKE AND WESTWOOD, CLOCK, GARCIA); LAURENT REBOURS/AP (WOODS AND MICKELSON); SIMON BRUTY (WOOSNAM); NBC (NBC LOGO); TIVO INC./AP (TIVO)
PHOTO
ERIC GAY/AP (AXLEY)
TROPHY WIFE After a 71 and a win, Axley got a hug from the missus, Cortney.
TWO PHOTOS
DAVID WALBERG (MORGAN); SIMON BRUTY (MONTGOMERIE)
TWO PHOTOS
DAVID E. KLUTHO (JORDAN); JOHN IACONO (BALLESTEROS)