By Art Spander
Special to NewsdayNEWPORT, Wales -- It turned out to be a "Wales" of a sporting event, a battle of holed putts, frayed nerves and delightful suspense that ended with the winners ecstatic, the losers proud and the crowd soaked in sprayed Champagne and satisfaction.
Europe won the 38th Ryder Cup Monday, as it figured to when it entered the extended final round with a lead but not the way it figured to, the United States alive until the final two holes of the final match.
America dominated the singles on a morning and afternoon at Celtic Manor, when the weather was as beautiful as it was awful the previous three days, winning six of the 12 and tying two.
But Europe hung on for a 14 1/2-13 1/2 victory, keeping its impressive home streak -- four straight victories on this side of the Atlantic, and six in the last seven matches here -- and reclaimed the prize the United States gained two years ago in Kentucky.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, who won the Wales Open on this course in June and a week and a half later became the first European in 40 years to win the U.S. Open, got the deciding points for the Cup.
The U.S. team entered the day trailing 9 1/2-6 1/2 after a horrible third session Sunday, when it was outscored 5 1/2-1/2 in six matches. But with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson finally performing as expected and Steve Stricker performing as well as ever -- and rookie Rickie Fowler making birdies on the last four holes to get a half -- the U.S. team tied it 13 1/2-13 1/2.
Only the McDowell-Hunter Mahan match remained. McDowell's lead had been trimmed to 1-up when Mahan made his only birdie of the day on 15. A half in the match would have enabled America to retain the Cup. It wasn't to be.
McDowell rammed in a clutch birdie at 16, then Mahan, feeling the pressure, stubbed his chip at the par-3 17th, which McDowell parred to clinch the 3-and-1 win. The celebration was almost instantaneous.
Thousands rushed McDowell and his teammates, who didn't find security until they were led to the clubhouse balcony where, waving flags -- from Germany, Spain, England, Ireland and the European Union -- they showered the fans with magnums of Moët.
"I never felt as nervous on a golf course as I did out there," McDowell said. "The U.S. Open felt like playing the back nine with my dad at Portrush compared to that."
It was a Cup for the U.S. team too full of "could-haves'' and "what-ifs." Mickelson lost three team matches. If he had gotten even a half in any (two with Dustin Johnson, one with Fowler) the Cup would have belonged to America.
"This is my eighth Ryder Cup," Mickelson said, "and I want to try and be a leader, and the best way is through play. When I don't win any of my first three points, I felt more disappointment than I've ever felt."
Mickelson won his first four holes Sunday, and beat Peter Hanson, 4 and 2. Dustin Johnson birdied 11, 12, 13, 14 and beat Martin Kaymer, 6 and 4. Woods, trailing Francesco Molinari, won five straight holes (9-14) for a 4-and-3 victory.
It was exciting. It simply wasn't enough.
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