U.S. again masters Presidents Cup, so why not the other one?
MONTREAL -- Now we begin with the whys, the wherefores and, most predictably, the why-nots.
You know, all over again.
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| Laid-back Jack leads the Americans over the Internationals; could he do it vs. Europe too? (Getty Images) |
Déjà vu is a French term, of course, and here in the most Francophile-filled city outside of Europe, the Americans were again left trying to explain why they can routinely hold their own against a seemingly superior International team, yet get annually trounced in the Ryder Cup.
If there were a logical answer, they'd bottle it, stick a cork in it like a fine French wine and whip it out next year in Louisville, when the Euros will come back intent on delivering another paddling. If only next year could be similarly painted in red, white and sacre bleu.
The Americans are 3-0-1 this decade against an International team that seemingly features comparable or greater firepower, but the U.S. has only once sniffed the Ryder Cup trophy since 1993, when the team staged a near miracle on the final day in Boston eight long years ago.
For the next 51 weeks, they'll be hearing the same tune, like an annoying television ditty you can't get out of your head. They'd like to put an X on the whys.
"A lot of people ask us that all the time," U.S. veteran David Toms said, patiently. "I have no idea why we won, other than we played better. At the Ryder Cup, we always put a lot or pressure on ourselves, and that doesn't add up to good golf."
The math this week was impressive, especially in alternate-shot competition, where the Americans won 10½ of the 11 available points in a format in which they have frequently been drilled. Beyond that indisputable statistic, the explanations were like trying to catch the course's fluttering maple leaves.
"It's just a sports anomaly," American Stewart Cink said.
Maybe the victory was attributable to the low-key captaincy of Jack Nicklaus, who allowed players to pick their dance partners. Perhaps it's the mildly different format, which requires players to tee it up more often than in the Ryder. Maybe it's because the Americans led impressively after the first session and weren't climbing uphill, which has not often been the case. The U.S. had lost four of the past five opening alternate-shot sessions at the Presidents Cup.
"It's very disappointing because we felt like we were good enough to compete and they dominated from the start," South Africa's Trevor Immelman said.
This week's victory in Canada, the first time the U.S. has won the Presidents Cup on foreign soil, might someday be hailed as a step in the right direction. Maybe it'll expunge some deep-seated demons. Heck, even Nicklaus won something in the Great White North after finishing second in the Canadian Open a staggering seven times in his personal career.
