The year 2012 was one to savour in Britain. It was the year that the mod-on-two-wheels, Sir Bradley Wiggins, was crowned the Tour De France champion. The year that the nation bathed in Olympic glory, taking home a treasure chest of gold in the process. And it was the year that Europe’s elite golfers pulled off the most incredible recovery since Lazarus himself to retain the Ryder Cup.
The Miracle of Medinah, as it’s now known, has become one of the classics in the Ryder Cup’s illustrious 87-year history, held aloft among the likes of the War on the Shore, the Battle of Brookline and 1989’s face-off between Ballesteros and Azinger. It captured everything that is glorious about the biennial clash of the golfing gods - the excitement, the thrills and the heartbreak.
As the 2014 Ryder Cup draws near, the world is on its knees praying that another miracle comes to pass on the brisk Ochi hills of Gleneagles. And to celebrate the Cup’s momentous return, FTAdviser has partnered with Old Mutual Wealth to give you the chance to take a slice of the action. If you can pick a fantasy golf team to conquer all, you and three friends could win a round on the PGA Centenary course itself.
In the first part of a two-part series, we recount the drama of two years ago in Illinois and see how this year’s sides are shaping up for the greatest game modern golf has to offer.
Seve’s tribute
Before we delve into the drama of Medinah, let’s rewind to 2010. The European side, captained by Colin Montgomerie, had just snatched the Ryder Cup out of American hands, snagging its fourth consecutive home win as Graham McDowell held his nerve on the fair greens of Celtic Manor. It nudged the Old Continent ahead of its American foes, with eight wins to the US’ seven in the modern format.
But the 2012 Ryder Cup was a particularly poignant one for the Europeans - it was the first since the death of Seve Ballesteros, the legend that wove fury and fire into the tournament’s fibre. Fitting, then, that compatriot José MaríaOlazábal should captain a European side bedecked in Seve’s Sunday blue and whites as it attempted to honour the man in the championship he so loved.
After the first two days in Illinois, however, it seemed that tribute would never come. The US dominated the fourballs on the opening day, grabbing three out of the available four points to take the Friday at 5-3. Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson led the charge, dismantling the uneasy partnership of Paul Lawrie and Peter Hanson, while the Mac attack - Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, purporting to be Europe’s powers - were brushed aside by the wily Phil Mickelson and the steady swing of Keegan Bradley.
And things went from bad to worse for Olazábal on day two. Fired up by the fervour of the Chicagoan crowd, who hollered, whooped and cheered in the way that only the Americans can, the US continued to dominate. Bubba Watson’s imperious reign with Webb Simpson marched on, this time destroying Justin Rose and Francisco Molinari as America gobbled up five of the eight points up for grabs, ending the day 10-6 ahead. Recovery for the Europeans looked impossible, creating a narrative that seems only exclusively written for the Ryder Cup.
