Ryder Cup 2014 op Gleneagles

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Hij was een van de helden van het ‘Mirakel van Medinah’ twee jaar geleden, ook nu is Nicolas Colsaerts (31) weer op de prestigieuze Ryder Cup. Als tv-commentator voor BBC 5, niet meer als golfer. Want het Amerikaanse sprookje van ‘The Belgian Bomber’ werd een losse flodder.


Toen Colsaerts twee jaar geleden bij zijn debuut op de Ryder Cup, de tweejaarlijkse golfhoogmis, met zijn Europese maat Lee Westwood een zekere Tiger Woods en Steve Stricker tot figurant herleidden, wist ook de wereld waarom Colsaerts deel uitmaakte van het twaalfkoppige Team Europa. En of hij zich zijn intrede herinnert in ‘het mirakel van Medinah’, de Ryder Cup die de Europeanen wonnen. ‘Die eerste afslag was beangstigend: knikkende knieën, bevende handen, de bal wazig zien. Maar dat duurde niet lang. En toen ik shots lukte waarvan je weet dat ze enorm belangrijk zijn, gaf dat een onbeschrijflijk gevoel. Zelfs in de meest gore discotheek die ik ooit bezocht, kreeg ik dat gevoel nooit.’

Dat wil wat zeggen, want ooit was Colsaerts een flierefluiter van formaat. Was, want na de Ryder Cup en bij uitbreiding zijn uitstekende jaar 2012 lag de American Dream te blinken. Als eerste Belg speelde hij de volledige Amerikaanse PGA Tour, de absolute toptornooien in Amerika, confrontaties met de McIlroys en andere Tiger Woodsen van deze wereld.

Aan de vooravond van een nieuwe Ryder Cup is de conclusie simpel: het Amerikaanse avontuur is mislukt. Colsaerts: ‘De ene dag ben je God, de andere zit je in een diepe put. Ik zat op een grote emotionele golf. Het was mijn droom om ooit op de Ryder Cup te staan. Het is logisch dat ik er zelfs een beetje depressief van geworden ben omdat de vraag rees van: wat is nu eigenlijk het volgende?’

Colsaerts heeft het inmiddels over een andere, vertrouwde boeg gegooid: hij krabbelt recht op het Europese circuit. Er lijkt licht aan het einde van de tunnel: vorig weekend werd hij vierde op de Wales Open. Colsaerts mikt op de Olympische Spelen 2016. En hij wil ooit weer de Ryder Cup spelen. ‘Als ik erover nadenk, is de Ryder Cup de enige reden waarom ik golf speel. Het is één lange, emotionele trip.’

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Op zaterdag 27 september 2014 18:20 schreef PippenScottie het volgende:
Europa en foursomes!!

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Op zaterdag 27 september 2014 20:10 schreef PippenScottie het volgende:

[..]

Hoeveel stond de VS twee jaar geleden voor? Ongeveer hetzelfde toch?

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The spectre of discontent in the United States Ryder Cup ranks has increased after Tom Watson revealed he refused a plea from Phil Mickelson to play in Saturday afternoon’s foursomes. Watson’s team is 10-6 down ahead of Sunday’s singles at Gleneagles and Mickelson and Keegan Bradley did not feature at all on day two as the USA team returned only half a point from the foursomes.

“I expected exactly what Phil said to me,” explained Watson of the foursome omission of Mickelson and Bradley. “He said: ‘We can get it done, captain. We want the chance.’ I said: ‘Well, I think the way this golf course sets up, the four teams I put out there gives us the best chance.’ He lobbied again. He texted me, he said: ‘Give us a chance.’ I had to tell him no. I felt that we had the four best teams possible in the afternoon for alternate-shot.

“He [Mickelson] didn’t play very well yesterday. I told him that. I said: ‘You struggled yesterday.’ And whether that was from being tired or the course not being set up exactly for his type of game; I had to make that decision.”

Watson irked Patrick Reed on Friday by refusing to retain his successful partnership with Jordan Spieth for the foursomes, where the US team also struggled. The United States need eight and a half points to win back the Ryder Cup.

The European captain Paul McGinley, though, has warned against a belief that victory is assured. He was expected to show video clips of recent Ryder Cup Sunday turnarounds, at Medinah and Brookline, to his players on Saturday night.

McGinley also expanded on the specific messages of Sir Alex Ferguson, who addressed his players on Tuesday evening. “Alex Ferguson wasn’t just picked out of the blue because I met him by chance or anything like that,” McGinley said. “He was picked for a reason. He was picked as a guy who I’ve obviously always respected, we all do as sports people, for what he’s achieved.

“But he was a manager of a very, very successful football team that played at home very well, had a great record at home, were very good playing with the tag of favourites on and the expectation on them.”

McGinley added: “A four-point lead going into the last round is great. But obviously the big word is complacency. The big word is not conceding momentum; they are the two words. And just being on it tomorrow; that’s the most important thing. This job is far from finished. We’re in great position, but we’ve got a lot of work to do tomorrow.”

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Rory delivers what should be a killer blow to Fowler. The American three putts from the front of 13. Rory, however, has sent his approach to eight feet, and knocks in the birdie putt. He’s dormie five, and Europe prepare to chalk a point up on the board. Unless Fowler can find something very special.

1 UP McDowell v Spieth (14)
Stenson v Reed 1 UP (13)
5 UP McIlroy v Fowler (13)
Rose v Mahan 1 UP (12)
Gallacher A/S Mickelson (11)
4 UP Kaymer v Watson (10)
Bjorn v Kuchar 3 UP (8)
Garcia v Furyk 1 UP (7)
Poulter A/S Simpson (7)
1 UP Donaldson v Bradley (6)
Westwood v Walker 1 UP (5)
Dubuisson A/S Johnson (3)

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McDowell nearly drains a 40-footer that would have put him within touching distance of the match. Spieth doesn’t hit his 15-footer, and that’s a half. He’s dormie two. Much needed wins for Bjorn at 11 and Bradley at 8. Birdie for Mahan at 14 to regain the lead in that to-and-fro battle with Rose. Sergio rattles in a 20-footer for birdie on 9 to secure a half. And Reed can’t salvage the situation at 15; that match is all square now. So much in the balance here!

2 UP McDowell v Spieth (16)
Stenson A/S Reed (15)
5&4 McIlroy v Fowler (F)
Rose v Mahan 1 UP (14)
Gallacher A/S Mickelson (13)
4 UP Kaymer v Watson (12)
Bjorn v Kuchar 3 UP (11)
Garcia v Furyk 1 UP (8)
1 UP Poulter v Simpson (8)
1 UP Donaldson v Bradley (8)
Westwood v Walker 1 UP (7)
Dubuisson A/S Johnson (6)

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Another hole for Mickelson against Gallacher, at 16, who is now two up. Poor Gallacher looks like ending his home Ryder Cup appearance with zero points, and yet he’s not dropped a shot today. In fact, he’s four under for his round; only problem is, the five-time major winner Mickelson is six under! Coming behind them, Kaymer sends his second just to the right of the green, while Bubba finds the far-left corner, miles from the flag.

2&1 McDowell v Spieth (F)
Stenson v Reed 1 UP (F)
5&4 McIlroy v Fowler (F)
Rose v Mahan 1 UP (17)
Gallacher v Mickelson 2 UP (16)
3 UP Kaymer v Watson (15)
Bjorn v Kuchar 3 UP (12)
Garcia A/S Furyk (12)
1 UP Poulter v Simpson (10)
2 UP Donaldson v Bradley (9)
Westwood v Walker 1 UP (8)
Dubuisson A/S Johnson (7)

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News reaches me that Phil Mickelson, who didn't hit a shot on Saturday, has chucked skipper Tom Watson under a bus in an interview with the Golf Channel, I'm sure more details will be out there soon. We still have pipers on stage and no players - as I type, the pipers cease and off they march...

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Golf Channel's Justin Ray: Jim Furyk is now the first player in US history to lose 20 Ryder Cup matches.

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Op zondag 28 september 2014 19:21 schreef chufi het volgende:
En dan heb kje een volkslied ... en dan iets van het songfestifall..

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Phil Mickelson and United States Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson are feuding in the wake of the U.S.'s latest defeat.
Europe destroyed the U.S. on both Saturday and Sunday, easily winning the Cup for the third-straight time. When it was over, Mickelson fired a shot at Watson in an interview with NBC.

Phil said the U.S. had a good strategy in '08 (the last time they won the Cup) and questioned the strategy this time around (via Jason Sobel):

"We had a great formula in '08. I don’t know why we strayed. I don’t know why we don’t go back. What [Paul Azinger] did was great."

The comments came a day after Watson benched Mickelson and his partner Keegan Bradley for both Saturday sessions. Watson told reporters that Mickelson begged him to play in a text message but he decided against it.

From the Golf Channel:

"After informing Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley they wouldn't be playing in the afternoon -- after the pair had already sat out the morning session -- Mickelson was especially persistent in trying to change Watson's mind.

"'He said, "We can get it done, Captain. We want the chance,"' Watson said of Mickelson, who had previously talked the pair's way into playing on Friday afternoon."

Watson was blunt in his reasoning for benching Phil. He told ESPN, "They didn't perform all that well [Friday] afternoon. They really wanted to go today. These are the best pairings for alternate shot."

Read more: http://www.businessinside(...)2014-9#ixzz3EdK32300

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Op zondag 28 september 2014 21:42 schreef beantherio het volgende:
Waarom kan de VS het niet meer winnen? Ik dacht altijd dat zij de beste spelers hadden.