By Michael Arkush
The last five Ryder Cup matches, let’s face it, have left us a bit unfulfilled, to put it mildly.
Since 2014, the margin of victory in the Ryder Cup has been at least five points, the Europeans capturing three of the five routs.
So, while we hope for a more entertaining three days in next month’s affair at Bethpage Black, here are five Ryder Cup matches that have stood the test of time.
The putt on the final hole would, in all likelihood, have found the bottom of the cup. It was only about 2 feet long and Tony Jacklin, the reigning British Open champion, was at the top of his game.
Still, it’s a good thing we will never know.
That’s because Jack Nicklaus, in the last match of the day, picked up Jacklin’s coin in a gesture of sportsmanship that became known as “The Concession.”
The event ended in a tie, allowing the U.S., as the defending champ, to retain the Cup. And allowing Jacklin, who halved the match with Nicklaus, to avoid the slightest chance of a miss that would have haunted him. Forever.
Can you imagine a player on either squad making a similar gesture at Bethpage Black?
Of course not.
The Europeans, coming off their victory in 1985, their first since 1957, beat the Americans again – on their own soil for the first time ever.
With Jacklin as captain, Europe took a five-point lead heading into the singles. The Americans, with victories by Mark Calcavecchia, Payne Stewart, Scott Simpson, and Tom Kite, staged a rally. If only Ben Crenshaw could have kept it going.
But Crenshaw broke his putter when he slammed it to the ground after a three-putt on the sixth hole of his match to Ireland’s Eamonn Darcy and had to use a sand wedge and one-iron from then on. He wound up losing the match 1 down.
Has any golfer in history, even in major championships, ever faced more pressure than Germany’s Bernhard Langer did on the final hole of his match with Hale Irwin?
Make his 6-footer, Team Europe wins.
Miss it, Uncle Sam wins.
Langer missed, enabling the United States to capture the Cup for the first time since 1983. He went on, remarkably enough, to capture the German Masters a week later in a playoff over Australia’s Rodger Davis.
Of course, in addition to the Langer putt, the 1991 Ryder Cup (the War by the Shore) stands out for the Calcavecchia collapse. The 1989 British Open champion blew a 4-up lead over Colin Montgomerie with four holes to go.
The tears in his eyes said it all.
The Americans trailed by four points heading into the singles. Everyone thought it was over.
Everyone but Crenshaw, the U.S. captain.
“I’m a big believer in fate,” he told the press. “I have a good feeling about this.”
Lo and behold, the United States captured the first six singles matches on the way to a stunning one-point triumph.
There were many heroes on that unforgettable Sunday, none bigger than Justin Leonard who rallied from four down with seven holes to go against Jose Maria Olazabal. On 17, Leonard knocked in one of the most memorable putts in Ryder Cup history, a 40-footer for birdie. When Olazabal failed to match him – after the 17th green was cleared of the celebrating Americans – the rally was complete.
It was Team Europe’s turn to stage a remarkable comeback. On U.S. soil, no less.
Heading into the singles, the Americans were up 10-6, and with a lineup that included Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Jim Furyk, it was game, set …
And disaster.
The Europeans won the first five singles matches – and eight of 12 overall – to defeat the U.S. by a point in what became known as the Miracle at Medinah. The match between Justin Rose and Phil Mickelson was particularly captivating. Rose, two down with five holes to go, knocked in a 50-footer for a birdie on 17 and a 15-footer on 18.
The winning point was secured by Martin Kaymer – remember him? – who converted a 5-footer to beat Steve Stricker 1 up.