Wednesday 5 October 2016 13:30, UK
The 41st Ryder Cup had all the drama, the quality and the excitement we have come to expect from one of the world's foremost sporting occasions, and Ewen Murray has been reflecting on the best and worst of the week in Minnesota.
The 41st edition of the Ryder Cup had it all. Just when you think Medinah in 2012 and Gleneagles in 2014 raised the bar, alongside comes Hazeltine National which, over the course of three frenetic days, provided the good, the bad and the ugly.
The ugly was a tiny minority, and I emphasise the word tiny, of 50,000 fans who overstepped the line in golfing etiquette. When you have that amount out of people watching a spectacular sporting event along with a fully charged atmosphere, there is always going to a few who will spoil the party.
American fans, whether it be NFL or baseball, basketball or golf, are noisy. They shout and roar. They have huge passion and they support their respected teams and individuals vigorously. Take that away from sport and you lose a lot of enjoyment, and 95 per cent of the fans in Minnesota were genuinely, good golfing fans.
In modern society, it's expected and sadly acceptable for fans to cheer when a putt is missed or a tee shot is errant. One must move with the times or be classed a dinosaur. The thing that is not acceptable is when the antics of the small circle of fools interrupt the golf.
That did happen a couple of times throughout the event and it was dealt with by the 95 per cent who were there to watch two teams go head to head. They singled the idiots out and the security officers escorted them off the property.
Pete Willett, brother of Danny ... oh dear! Why a magazine would interview Pete would be my first question. Secondly, his brother is the Masters champion and will play a fair amount of golf in the United States. What was there to gain in slating Americans and their lifestyle?
Now he knows how much there was to lose. Willett's golf was far from what he's capable of and the next few events in America for him will not be a breeze, but he has a strong mind and a good work ethic. He'll bounce back.
The bad? The performance of some of the experienced players in the European side. With six rookies in the team, the onus was on the experienced players to produce and in Westwood, Kaymer and Rose, they failed. I would say at this point, golf is not a tap and you can't turn it off and on. Westwood had struggled in the run up to the event and some will say this was one Ryder Cup too many.
For Matthew Fitzpatrick and Andy Sullivan, it was perhaps one too early. However, they along with Chris Wood, will be older and wiser in the run up to the 2018 edition in France. The experienced gained in Minnesota will be most valuable to them next time round.
When a captain loses, he's classed as poor. In victory, he's a genius. Darren Clarke's use of Lee Westwood and his resting of an in-form Rafa Cabrera Bello will no doubt be criticised. So, too, will be the omission of Russell Knox, and the fact that five Europeans played in all five sessions will also scrutinised. These may have been his only mistakes and they are easy to point out in hindsight.
Personally, I think Paul Casey would have made a difference, but Darren couldn't pick him as he is not a European Tour member. Russell Knox would have qualified for the side had he played in and performed well at the Wyndham. If Kaymer and Westwood, two of his three wildcards, had excelled, it would have been a different tale. Sadly, they didn't. A lot of ifs and buts, there always is when there's an inquisition.
The good? The big problem here is, where do we start? For Europe, let's begin with Thomas Pieters. The Belgian star was exceptional alongside McIlroy and looked equally comfortable on his own in the Sunday singles. He already is one of Europe's finest players. He will challenge for majors and he will be a Ryder Cup player for many years to come. Give Captain Clarke some credit there, Thomas was his other wild card.
The quality of golf on show over the three days was, at times, outstanding. A week during which the game of golf had lost Arnold Palmer, it seemed the players wanted to play "Palmer style". Shots they are wary of week in week out, they threw caution to the wind rising to the challenge.
The first eight holes of the opening singles match was like one of Spielberg's finest scripts. McIlroy and Patrick Reed going hell for leather, trading blow for blow, putt for putt while trying to outdo one another with their celebrations. Reed copied Rory's bow, Mcllroy copied Patrick's quietening tactics made famous at Gleneagles. Their golf and sportsmanship was brilliant.
Yet it wasn't the match of the tournament. The clash of Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia will be remembered for years to come. Trading birdies from the off, they were both round in an approximate 63. You got the feeling they could have played another round and still they would be all square.
With Phil rolling in a 20 footer at the last, Sergio followed him from a third of that distance to record half a point each. The number 63 features a lot in Mickelson's year. The lip out at Royal Troon for a first 62 in a major and Stenson shooting 63 the final round of the Open to stop Phil winning his second Claret Jug. At Hazeltine, Phil and Sergio served up a Ryder Cup treat.
It was victory for Davis Love III, heaven knows how he felt four years ago at the closing ceremony in Chicago. His team had blown a four-point lead in front of America's loyal fans. The son of one of the most respected PGA professionals in the USA is one of the good guys. His players raised their games and played their hearts out for him. The score flattered the US a touch, but best team won by the Twin Cities.
This win for the United States is good for the Ryder Cup as its their first win since '08, and only their third since 1993. When the European bruises and egos heal, the hype will begin all over again. France has a tough act to follow, but Le Golf National is one of the best courses in Europe. It's just over 700 days to the Friday morning foursomes.
I close with Sunday's final words: The US stars earned their stripes. And yes, it was a glittering show in Minnesota.
