It was never really in question after day one. The Americans led the Ryder Cup competition wire to wire, something they haven’t been able to do in more than a decade…and here they were without the number one player in the world, Tiger Woods. After the individual match play yesterday, Team USA prevailed 16 1/2 to 11 1/2.

It wasn’t that the European team played badly. They didn’t. The Americans just played better and with more heart, especially the younger and older members of the team. Particularly noteworthy was Kenny Perry’s performance. Born and raised just miles away from Valhalla Golf Club where the competition was held, Perry played the tournament of his career and his brilliant short game was rewarded with cheers and autograph requests from his hometown crowd. You’d have thought yesterday that he WAS Tiger Woods (and maybe just for yesterday, he was.)

Also impressive was Chad Campbell, at 34 years old one of the youngest member of the team and a coach’s pick. Campbell went head-to-head with Padraig Harrington yesterday in the one-on-one matches and never flinched, despite the fact that Harrington has one two majors this year and Campbell has yet to win one–ever.

Much has been made today, especially by the British press, about the role of the captains–Paul Azinger for the Americans and Nick Faldo for the European team. Was Faldo responsible for the European loss. Not really. No more than Azinger was responsible for the American win. In the end, it just came down to who wanted to win the most and last weekend, it was the Americans.

^{(Photo © Newscom)}

Post from: Green Posse

The Ryder Cup players are also decided upon. Team USA Captain, Paul Azinger added Steve Stricker, JB Holmes, Hunter Mahan, and Chad Campbell as his picks to round out the roster. They will join automatic qualifiers, Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry, Jim Furyk, Anthony Kim, Justin Leonard, Ben Curtis, and Boo Weekley.

The Ryder Cup competition begins next week at Kentucky’s Vahalla Country Club.

For more about the 2008 Ryder Cup, see:

• European Ryder Cup Team Complete
• How the US Ryder Cup Team is Chosen

Post from: Green Posse