Westwood Is Mr Consistent

RyderCup 19-21 September, 2008 Europe 09 Westwood is Cup flashpoints ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ How passions boiled over THUNDER BOLT drop IN aplace where he could reach the green. Mr Consistent It actually found abunker,but Ballesteros MEETSHIS MATCH went IN the water and lost. Not for nothing was American Tommy Bolt He could not help noticing that when Payne By Mark Garrod record –the 12-match undefeated stretch Arnold given the nickname ‘Thunder’, and when he Stewart and Mark Calcavecchia also failed to Palmer had during his cup career. was drawn to play Scottish hard man Eric make the carry with their drives shortly The 35-year-old also knows that, with 151 /2 Brown IN the singles at Lindrick IN 1957 afterwards they were not allowed to do what EE WESTWOOD made nothing of it at the points to his name already from his five appear- everybody knew there could be fireworks. Azinger had done. time, and one wonders if anybody watching ances, Nick Faldo’srecord of 25 is attainable. Former Masters champion Jimmy Demaret L was even aware of it. “I’ve looked at the statistics and joked when the pair were late to the tee that he THE WARONTHE SHORE But as the 2006 Ryder Cup match ended he that is agoal,” he said. had last seen them “standing at 50 paces The 1991 match at Kiawah Island created had just set arecord –the most successful Ever since he made his debut as throwing clubs at each other”. enough electricity to light the world. The Gulf wild card IN the history of the event. Faldo’spartner at Valderrama IN 1997, Brown reckoned Bolt deliberately played Warwas on at the time and when Corey Pavin Threeweeks earlierThomasBjorn had Westwood has never been rested from a slowly after going three down, and Steve Pate took to wearing gone ballistic about his omission from the session. so sent his caddie to the camouflage caps what was side, labelling Ian Woosnam “the “No wonder Ialways look tired on clubhouse. He returned with a meant to be purely sport had most pathetic captainI’veever the Monday after –nothing to do chair. too much of aconfrontational seen. The man is barmy”. with the parties,” he said. After the ill-tempered match, atmosphere. Attention focused on how Westwood has looked to the which Brown won 4&3, there Alocal disc jockey thought it Woosnam would react, but just manor born right since that first was no shaking of hands and fun to call members of the as important was how West- appearance. Not normally abad Bolt’sonly words were that he European team IN their rooms wood, the player chosen sufferer from nerves, he admits had not enjoyed it. “I don't IN the early hours, and the instead, would react. he got them that week, but IN suppose you did,” replied his tension was such that the match Brilliantly,was the answer. what proved to be Faldo’slast opponent. “Because even you Ballesteros at badly needed to stay free of Westwood had been selected match as aplayer,they came knew when the games were Kiawah Island controversy.But it was not. not only because he had won back from an opening morning drawn that you never had an Ballesteros and Jose Maria twice at the KClub, but also defeat to win their next two earthly hope of beating me.” Olazabal took on Azinger and Chip Beck IN because he was seen as the perfect games. ‘YOU CAN HAVE THE HOLE the opening foursomes two years on from the partner for Darren Clarke amonth “Nick was superb IN how he took acrimony between Ballesteros and Azinger. after the Ulsterman’swife some of the pressure offme, and I AND THE GODDAMN CUP’ On the seventh tee, Ballesteros noticed Beck Heather died of cancer. learned alot from him there. He was THE 1969 match at Royal Birkdale is had changed the type of ball the Americans The emotion of it all might one of my heroes growing up, and it remembered for Jack Nicklaus’ sporting were using. It could have meant loss of hole have been too much, but the pair was just great playing with him.” concession of aputt to Tony Jacklin to bring under the rules, but nothing was done until won both their games against Faldo also had Westwood to thank about atie. But things were rather different the captain Bernard Gallacher spoke to officials. America’stop two partnerships – for making him the event’sleading day before. “Wemade amistake, but we certainly first Phil Mickelson and Chris points-scorer of all time. A10ft putt by Bernard Gallacher and Brian Huggett played weren’tcheating,” said Azinger,towhich DiMarco, then Tiger Woods and the rookie IN the first series of four- Dave Hill and Ken Still IN the fourballs, and Ballesteros replied: “It has nothing to do with Jim Furyk. somes took Faldo past American Billy on the very first green Huggett asked Hill to cheating. Cheating and breaking the rules are And while Clarke was rested Casper. stop moving, and Still to stand further away. two different things.” for the foursomes, Westwood Boosted by the confidence of knowing On the next green Still shouted to his caddie Coincidentally or not, the Americans, who teamed up with Colin Mont- he could cope with the Ryder Cup caul- not to hold the flag for Gallacher,but things were ahead at the time, lost the match, with gomerie for two halves and IN the dron, he became aprolific winner around really got out of hand on the seventh. Hill Beck saying that Ballesteros’ constant singles got the better of DiMarco the world IN the following 12 months. missed aputt and holed out, but Gallacher told coughing had bothered him and Azinger again. It has not all been plain sailing since, him he had putted out of turn. labelling him “the king of gamesmanship”. Five games, four points. The but even when he was struggling horri- Still picked up Gallacher’s ball-marker and Ballesteros later stated: “The Americans were Worksop golfer was, jointly with bly with his game IN 2002 he rose to the said: “You can have the hole and the goddamn 11 nice guys and Paul Azinger”. Sergio Garcia, Europe’stop scorer occasion of aRyder Cup delayed for a cup.” He and Huggett started shouting at each PEOPLE ARE ON THE GREEN, –just as they had been with 4 1 /2 year because of the terrorist attacks of other walking up the next fairway,and the points of five IN Detroit two years September 11. crowd jeered the Americans’ every move. THEYTHINK IT’S ALL OVER earlier. Now Faldo is back as Westwood’scap- At the green Gallacher this time conceded From an American standpoint it was the Unbeaten therefore IN his last tain rather than his partner and he will be Still’sputt so that Hill, who had achance to greatest comeback IN the history of the contest. 10 games, Westwood will have the only too pleased if he closes IN on his cup win the hole, could not see the line. That From aEuropean standpoint the event had just chance at Valhalla to beat another record. brought more comments from witnessed its most shameful Still, who delighted IN the fact scenes. his partner still made the putt, Winning had come to mean Garcia puts smile on Euro faces while Hill allegedly told so much that Justin Leonard’s Gallacher: “If you say one 45ft birdie putt on the 17th hole IF Nick Faldo wants to know understand exactly what three losses. At the KClub in more word I’m going to wrap at Brookline IN 1999 –after he what Sergio Garcia might Karlsson means. 2006, Garcia won both his this one-iron around your had been four down earlier and bring to the Ryder Cup party Further proof comes from fourball and foursome head.” the team had been four points in Kentucky,heneed only listening to the 28-year-old matches (with Jose Maria behind overnight –sent the ask any of his team-mates Spaniard himself. Olazabal and Luke Donald, GOING BATS AT home camp into delirium. over the past decade. Garcia says: “I just love respectively) on day one. THE BELFRY Leonard at Nobody could really have They areall of one mind, the Ryder Cup. Icould not On day two he paired up Seve Ballesteros had already Brookline objected to the wild although perhaps the best live without it. It’samazing. with Olazabal again, and helped Europe win at home and celebrations if the putt had been description of his “I’m just very lucky,Iget they won both their matches away when he came up against feisty debutant for victory.ALL it had done, though, was put contribution comes from an really good team-mates all against Phil Mickelson and Paul Azinger IN the lead-offsingles at The the United States on the verge of victory. unemotional Swede. the time, and Ijust go out Chris DiMarco in the Belfry IN 1989. Jose Maria Olazabal still had aputt to keep “He’sjust abig laugh to be thereand help them alittle foursomes and fourballs. The American had been warned to be on his everything alive, but he had to wait to take it around,” says Robert bit, and that’show it works.” It looked odds-on that guard for something out of the ordinary,and because of all the commotion –and missed it. Karlsson, ateammates at the The greatest evidence of Garcia would become the on the second green Ballesteros asked to In asport which places so much importance KClub in 2006.

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