Europe rides to a win

America's superstars are routed on their home turf

American Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton may not have realised what he had said, reeling as he was under the European onslaught in the Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills. He said something like "This week, the Europeans were better?" That really sounded like a backhand compliment "" suggesting they are way behind the rest of 51 weeks , or rather 103 weeks since the Ryder Cup comes around every two years "" to a team that has now won four of the last five Ryder Cup contests. Never before in its 77-year-long history has there been such a rout; Europe won by the largest margin ever: 18 1/2 to 9 ½ points.

In fact, with players like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Davis Love III, the Americans should have been odds-on favourites. But the European team spirit, led by veteran Scot Colin Montgomerie and the ebullient Sergio Garcia, whose dream was to play like the former Spanish Ryder Cup star Seve Ballesteros, turned it into a massacre.

The Americans may have the biggest Tour in the world but obviously they are no longer the most dominant. The World's No. 1 is a Fijian, Vijay Singh, and the No. 3 is a South African, Ernie Els. And then there are other good players such as Retief Goosen of South Africa and Canada's Mike Weir, who are all making a big mark in the golf world.

So dominant were the Bernhard Langer-led European team that the Cup was truly theirs before Padraig Harrington sank a 25-foot par putt on the 18th hole of the last match.

Earlier, Lee Westwood ended whatever little hopes the Americans may have entertained with a four-foot par putt on the 18th to beat Kenny Perry with six matches left to be completed. At that stage, Montgomerie was one up on the 18th hole and he went on to win against David Toms with a 4-foot par putt to secure the victory for Europe.

Compared with past records, the US still holds the lead at 24 wins against nine losses and two ties from 35 editions of the contest. But the Europeans have now begun to make Americans look rather disjointed despite the big names. Europe has captured the Cup seven times in the past 10 matches with a collection of players not many people know in the US.

But when the Europeans play, they play like family, cheering each other even as these little-known European players upstage the stars of America. Little wonder then why the 19-inch trophy has been coming to Europe so often.

Montgomerie, one of the two picks allowed to captain was once again sensational. Monty, who has not won in Europe this year but was once the European No. 1 for seven years in a row, has had a turbulent personal life aftre his separation from his wife, Eimaar. But the team rallied around him and he delivered the goods once again by winning the crucial matches. "We came here again as underdogs. It's amazing how well we do," Montgomerie remarked. "I don't know how it happens."

The Americans, of course, have higher world rankings, more Majors and greater star power. But in the Ryder Cup, they were no match.

The European win was the third time on US soil, and they made sure there was no rally like in Brookline five years ago. The Americans stormed back from a 10-6 deficit by putting its best players at the top of the line-up and riding a tidal wave of momentum.

This time Tiger Woods finally did his part, the only player not to lose a hole in an easy victory over Paul Casey. The Americans had early leads in the first five matches as the fans cheered the home team. But as the day wore on, it just did not work. Sergio Garcia made three consecutive birdies to quickly turn the tide against Mickelson. He won the match when Mickelson tried a peculiar shot at a crucial moment, a low punch that rolled into the water on the 16th.

Darren Clarke was two holes behind with three to play when he made an 8-foot birdie on the 16th, chipped in from behind the green on the 17th to square the match and wound up halving his match with Love after both of them missed the par putts.

Westwood also rallied from an early two-hole deficit, winning the 15th with a par to go 1-up, and then holing his cup-clinching putt to seal the victory against David Toms.

Among the Americans, only Chris DiMarco came out with a plus score "" five wins, one loss and one halved record. In contrast, a younger European side had seven players with winning records. Tiger, Mickelson, Davis Love and Jim Furyk had a combined five wins, 12 losses and one halved. They also were the only players in this Ryder Cup to have won a Major.

"I never in my wildest dreams thought we would have a six-point lead (going into the final day)," an ecstatic Ryder Cup captain Langer was quoted as saying. That lead became nine points as the final day ended. While the American superstars are trying to figure out what they need to do to break the European stranglehold, the rumour is that eight-time Major winner Tom Watson may replace Hal.

The Europeans displayed a team spirit that the Americans have seldom shown. That won over even the partisan American fans. Maybe the Americans can now play back and watch the tapes on how Europe blended as a team.