WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2014 SPORTS When losing hurts worse than winning

GLENEAGLES: Jim Furyk is the only player in the Furyk offered a sound piece of reality for whoev- “The high of winning comes and goes,” Mahan and the pressure was even greater as a captain’s last 25 years to experience both ends of emotion in er winds up in that position Sunday at Gleneagles. said. “You win, it’s great, you move on. But you pick who didn’t win a point all week. He tries to that moment the Ryder Cup is over. He knows how “Losing hurts worse than winning feels good,” he remember your losses. You remember the bad shots think back to that 10-foot par putt he made on the empty it feels to lose the decisive game. And he has said. Losing is lonely in the Ryder Cup. Americans more than the good ones. The Ryder Cup has a 18th hole that swung all the pressure over to Martin been soaked in a celebration of champagne. Oddly know that all too well. “You feel like you’re stranded longer effect. When you lose, it’s hard to stop and Kaymer. The most vivid memory is Kaymer making enough, both happened in the same match. in the ocean,” Hunter Mahan said. Mahan was lost in move on to the next thing. his 6-foot par putt to clinch another victory for It was in 2002 when Paul McGinley made an 8- a sea of Europeans just four years ago at Celtic “I remember winning in ‘08. It was great. It felt Europe. “Unfortunately, someone has to make the foot par putt for a half-point against Furyk that won Manor. He never imagined the Ryder Cup would awesome,” he said. “But losing lingers.” Bernhard last out,” Stricker said. “You end up playing the game the Ryder Cup. Pandemonium broke out on the come down to the 12th and final singles match Langer showed the strength of his mind when he of what-ifs and what-could-have-been.” 18th green at The Belfry. European captain Sam because it happens so rarely. He was down one hole missed a 6-foot putt at Kiawah Island in 1991 in the Stricker said he talked with Tiger Woods about Torrance was close to tears. McGinley was mobbed to Graeme McDowell, needing to square the match final match that allowed the to win. In coping with the loss. Woods didn’t win a match that by his teammates. for the Americans to retain the cup. That’s when one of golf’s great bounce backs, Langer won the week, either. Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Webb “I’m trying to go over and shake hands,” Furyk McDowell hit 6-iron to 15 feet and made the birdie following week in the German Masters. Simpson all gave up late leads. But it stuck with said. “Sam Torrance had a bottle of champagne in to go 2 up with two holes to play. It’s one thing for players to lose as individuals. Stricker, who said he was struggling to accept the his hand and he was spraying everyone. He had his Too much is made of Mahan flubbing a chip Losing the decisive match in the Ryder Cup brings loss two months later. back turned to me. He saw someone come up from short of the green on the 17th because he probably an element of guilt. There are 28 points available “Even as a kid in baseball, your team is losing 7-3, behind and he turned and sprayed me - and then would have had to hole the chip to have any over three days, and all anyone remembers is the two outs in the bottom of the ninth. You don’t want he realized it was me. He immediately put the bot- chance. But it made losing feel worse, and that one point that is the difference between losing and to be the guy who ends the game,” Furyk said. “And tle down and said, ‘Oh my god, Jimmy, I’m so sorry.’ I much was clear when Mahan broke down trying to winning. that’s how the Ryder Cup is. It just (stinks) to be in said, ‘Sam, look, it’s OK. You all deserve to celebrate. talk about it. “I took it hard,” Furyk said. “I was upset by the fact that spot.” But he wouldn’t mind another opportuni- I know it was an accident. You all have a good time Mahan played a vital role in the American win at it was my point. When I look back, we had 28 points ty, even if the pain of losing can be just as great as tonight.’” Furyk eventually got his day. Valhalla in 2008 by making a 70-foot birdie putt on to be won. I know it was my fault. No one on the the glory of winning. Six years later, he defeated Miguel Angel the 17th hole in singles, which secured a half-point team is thinking that. No one in the media is think- “It’s cool to be in that position. How many guys Jimenez on the 17th hole at Valhalla that clinched at a time when his team badly needed it. He was ing that. No one is thinking that - except the person get that chance?” Furyk said. “When you do some- victory for the Americans. The winning putt was looked upon as a scapegoat two years later. And in that position. It wasn’t Hunter’s fault. But he’s thing good, it’s a boost of confidence. When you do conceded, so the celebration wasn’t as sponta- while it’s unfair to say it was his fault, he just hap- going to feel bad because you’re stuck in that spot.” something not so good, I promise you learn a hell of neous, though it felt just as good. pened to be in the last match. Steve Stricker was in that spot two years ago, a lot from it.” — AP Bears ground Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD: Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears needed to claw back from a big deficit last week. On Monday night, they had to hang on against the New York Jets. “It was quite a game,” Bears coach Marc Trestman said after a 27-19 vic- tory that wasn’t sealed until the final moments. Even after spotting the Bears a 14-0 lead with early mistakes, the Jets had one last opportunity to tie, getting into Bears territory on Geno Smith’s 51-yard pass to Greg Salas. But Jeremy Kerley came down out of bounds in the back of the end zone after making a leaping grab of Smith’s desperation fourth-down heave from the Bears 9. Cutler then took a knee three times to seal the victory for the Bears (2-1). “We just have to ride this momentum,” Cutler said. Last weekend, the Bears rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat the 49ers in Green Bay. They never trailed in this one, but they had a hard time putting away the Bradley Wiggins rides in this file photo. Jets (1-2). “It’s not so much that teams are beating us,” Jets linebacker Demario Davis said. “We’re beat- Wiggins aims to ing ourselves, and you can’t do that in this league.” New York was coming off a disappoint- ing 31-24 loss at Green Bay in which it blew an dethrone Martin 18-point lead. Smith was 26 of 43 for 316 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions - and Jay Cutler in action in this file photo. nearly had a few others in this one. Kerley fin- PONFERRADA: Olympic champion Bradley This year he hasn’t managed quite so ished with seven catches for 81 yards, and become a major factor in the Bears’ offense. his right ankle, but returned in the second half. Wiggins is confident he can dethrone much success but he did win one at the almost came up with a diving grab off a tipped He leads the team with 20 catches and is tied reigning three-time titlist Tony Martin Tour of California, which helped him to pass in the end zone on the final drive. with Marshall with four TDs - and came in with a UPSET WITH REFS: After an ill-timed timeout when the world championship timetrial overall success. “There were some plays you wish you could little extra motivation. call last week, the Jets took issue with two more takes place in Ponferrada on Wednesday. And Wiggins rode like a beast in have back,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. The Jets “I felt a little disrespected,” Bennett said, incidents involving referees. A video review Twice in the last three years, Wiggins has Sunday’s team timetrial event in also scored just one touchdown in six trips into adding that he watched a video in which Ryan reversed a call late in the half on which the Jets finished runner-up to Martin at the world Pontferrada for Sky. The British outfit had the red zone. praised the Bears receivers and referred to him might have taken the lead. Cutler was sacked by timetrial event, with those defeats coming lost two of their six man team before the Cutler threw two touchdown passes to simply as “a big dude.” David Harris and lost the ball, but was declared either side of the Briton’s victory over the halfway mark while both Kanstantsin Martellus Bennett and Ryan Mundy returned an down by contact. A review showed Cutler had German at his home Games in London. And Siutsou and Dario Cataldo were struggling interception 45 yards for a score. Cutler finished INJURIES: The Jets lost wide receiver Eric fumbled, but Davis’ return to the end zone was having been chastened by the time gap and missing turns at the front, yet they 23 of 38 for 225 yards and Alshon Jeffery caught Decker in the first half to a hamstring injury; he negated because the whistle had blown. “It Martin put into him last year, Wiggins missed out on a medal by just two seconds. eight passes for 105 yards for the Bears, who got was questionable for the game with tightness in could’ve been a game-changing play, but the believes he’s in a better position to chal- And it was Martin’s Omega-Pharma Quick- a 45-yard field goal from Robbie Gould to make the hamstring. Decker said he pulled himself out referee blew the whistle,” Harris said. lenge the German this time around, partic- Step team that denied them. it an eight-point game with 3:10 remaining. when he couldn’t get it loosened up. “What can you do? What else is new? It seems ularly after his timetrial success at the Tour Yet given the power in their line-up- Here are some other things to know from the Defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson like we’re playing against two teams out there of Britain earlier this month. which included Paris-Roubaix winner Niki Bears’ victory over the Jets: also left with an injured right knee, but Ryan did- sometimes.” The Jets were also unhappy with a “This year’s course probably suits me a Terpstra and former world champion Tom n’t think it was serious. Bears fullback Tony pass interference call on Darrin Walls that helped little bit better than it did against Tony last Boonen-and the fact they finished with five QUICK START: The Bears wasted no time get- Fiammetta injured a hamstring and safety Chris set up the Bears’ second touchdown. “I thought I year, and there’s also an element of the riders, the gap was surprisingly close. ting on the scoreboard. On New York’s second Conte hurt his left shoulder. Neither returned. had perfect coverage,” Walls said. “If anything, I unknown with where he’s at right now,” Martin certainly wasn’t happy with his play from scrimmage, Smith didn’t see Mundy Marshall left in the second quarter after injuring thought it was offensive pass interference.”— AP said the 2012 Tour de France winner. showing or his form. “It’s always a nice test lurking in the flat as he floated a screen pass to “Tony’s been so dominant all year and this for your condition, for data and for the Chris Johnson. Mundy stepped in front of the race will be about whether he’s sustained individual timetrial,” said Martin after the toss and ran it back for a touchdown. NFL standings that form. He won the time trial at the team event, which is competed by profes- After the Jets stopped the Bears on three Vuelta but he didn’t look as convincing sional teams rather than national unions, plays on their first offensive series, rookie Jalen American Football Conference National Football Conference there as he did at the Tour. like the rest of the world championships. Saunders dropped Patrick O’Donnell’s punt at AFC East NFC East “It’s one of those things though, it’s so “My feeling was OK but I’m still not 100 per- his 40 and it was recovered by the Bears’ Ahmad W L T OTLPF PA PCT Philadelphia 3 0 0 0 101 78 1.000 unknown. I thought I’d be closer to him last cent. I still have to analyse now with the Dixon. Cutler threw deep down the right sideline Buffalo 2 1 0 0 62 52 .667 Dallas 2 1 0 0 77 69 .667 year but he put 42 seconds into me, so you team and trainer how to prepare the next to Jeffery one play later, and cornerback Darrin New England 2 1 0 0 66 49 .667 NY Giants 1 2 0 0 58 77 .333 can’t predict what other riders are going to days: if I should take it a little easy or train a Walls was called for pass interference to put the Miami 1 2 0 0 5 83 .333 Washington 1 2 0 0 81 64 .333 do.” Last year, Martin actually beat Wiggins bit harder.” Regardless of what condition ball at the Jets 7. NY Jets 1 2 0 0 62 72 .333 NFC North by 46sec, although that was 30sec less than Martin is in, Wiggins says he is right on Three plays later, Cutler rolled right and AFC North Detroit 2 1 0 0 61 45 .667 the incredible gap the German achieved in form. found Bennett in the back of the end zone to Cincinnati 3 0 0 0 80 33 1.000 Chicago 2 1 0 1 75 62 .667 2011. “I feel with the form I’m in, I should be in make it 14-0 - and get the MetLife Stadium Baltimore 2 1 0 0 65 50 .667 Minnesota 1 2 0 0 50 56 .333 As Wiggins said, Martin has been peer- the ball park, and we’ll see where we are on crowd booing. Pittsburgh 2 1 0 0 73 72 .667 Green Bay 1 2 0 0 54 79 .333 less this year in timetrials, winning one the day. “In the back of your mind you build Cleveland 1 2 0 0 74 77 .333 each at the Tour and Vuelta as well as a yourself up mentally and I’m telling myself GENO WATCH: The calls for Michael Vick AFC South NFC South number of others, including two at the Tour there is a chance I could win it.” It won’t just might start to intensify - even though it’s just Houston 2 1 0 0 64 50 .667 Carolina 2 1 0 0 63 58 .667 de Suisse and one each at the Tour of the be about those two, though, with three games into the season. Smith passed for Indianapolis 1 2 0 0 95 78 .333 Atlanta 2 1 0 0 103 72 .667 Basque Country and Tour of Belgium, not American Tejay Van Garderen, Wiggins’s Sky the second-most yards of his career, but he’s got Tennessee 1 2 0 0 43 69 .333 New Orleans 1 2 0 1 78 72 .333 to mention his national championships. teammate Vasil Kiriyenka of Belarus, and five turnovers in three games. “I’ve got to do a Jacksonville 0 3 0 0 44 119 0 Tampa Bay 0 3 0 0 45 95 0 However, Wiggins has beaten Martin Canadian Svein Tuft all in the mix. better job to give us a chance to win games,” AFC West NFC West several times in races against the clock, The men’s race will be run over 47.1km, Smith said. Denver 2 1 0 1 75 67 .667 Arizona 3 0 0 0 66 45 1.000 particularly in his golden year of 2012 more than 10km shorter than last year’s. San Diego 2 1 0 0 69 49 .667 Seattle 2 1 0 0 83 66 .667 when he triumphed in timetrials at the Tour The women’s event is a 29.5km timetrial UNDERRATED BENNETT?: While most of the Kansas City 1 2 0 0 61 65 .333 San Francisco 1 2 0 0 62 68 .333 (two), Criterium du Dauphine, Paris-Nice with Dutch reigning champion Ellen van attention is on Chicago’s big wide receivers in Oakland 0 3 0 0 37 65 0 St. Louis 1 2 0 0 56 85 .333 and Tour de Romandie. Dijk the favorite. — AFP Jeffery and Brandon Marshall, Bennett has also Lisa clinches women’s world time-trial gold

PONFERRADA: German pro- rential downpour that also affected New duced a stunning ride to win the women’s Zealand’s , last year’s runner- world time-trial title in Ponferrada, north- up, who could only manage ninth. western Spain, yesterday. Solovey’s silver medal ensured a dramatic The 26-year-old, junior world champion in return to form for the 22-year-old who came 2005, beat Anna Solovey of Ukraine by 18sec back from a two-year doping suspension a with American another 3sec year ago. Before that she had won back-to- further back. And she admitted it was an back junior time-trial titles in 2009 and 2010. unexpected success. Stevens, the runner-up two years ago, “For me, it couldn’t have been any better so made up for the disappointment of finishing I’m very happy right now,” she said. “I’m still fourth last year, missing out to teammate surprised right now, I can’t believe it. The by just four hundredths of a world championships have their own rules; second. sometimes there are people who you don’t Earlier in the day, another German took see the whole year who only prepare for this gold as Lennard Kamna won the junior men’s one race so they’re not on your plan. “I’m very event, also held over 29.5km. happy and overwhelmed, it needs time for it His winning time of 36min 13.49sec was to sink in.” Last year’s champion more than two-and-a-half minutes quicker finished a disappointing seventh, more than a than his compatriot’s. American Adrien Costa minute off the pace on the 29.5km course. was second, nearly 45sec behind, with But the Dutchwoman, who was last to ride, Michael Storer of Australia third, almost a SPAIN: Germany’s Lisa Brennauercompetes in the women’s time trial at the 2014 UCI Road World Championships in Ponferrada. — AFP was hampered in the closing stages by a tor- minute slower. —AFP