Gleneagles grades
Paul McGinley: Possibly the star of the show at Gleneagles, despite the fact he never hit a ball
They were the team that flowered in Scotland, the group who held off the US for a third straight edition of the Ryder Cup to seal glory at Gleneagles.
The foundations for success were laid in the foursomes on days one and two, with the hosts moving themselves into a 10-6 lead heading into Sunday's singles. While there was the occasional scare on the final afternoon, in the end the margin of victory was emphatic enough - 16½ -11½ to those brilliant boys in blue!Â
As the dust settles on another victory for Europe, it's time to assess how the players performed. Here we grade the 12 men who made sure Paul McGinley got his hands on the trophy on Sunday evening, as well as the captain himself...
Rory McIlroy = B+ (3 points from 5 matches)
Before the event, US skipper Tom Watson identified McIlroy as the “stud†that his team would be looking to take down, but rather than being intimidated such comments, the world No. 1 seemed to relish the additional status afforded by his rivals. Although good-natured, his pre-match “FBI†barb to Phil Mickelson (in response to the American’s “we don’t litigate against each other†dig) showed that he was willing to stand his ground both on and off the course. Although he wasn’t at his very best over the opening couple of days, with his new driver misbehaving at times, he was always a certainty to play in all five sessions and made some important contributions. But it was in the singles that he stamped his mark on the match, a blistering start which saw four birdies and an eagle in his first six holes blowing away Rickie Fowler and paving the way for an emphatic win which saw him put Europe’s first point on the board on Sunday.
Henrik Stenson = B+ (3 from 4)
The Swede missed out on the previous two Ryder Cups meaning his last taste of the event came in defeat at Valhalla back in 2008. He looked like a man determined to put that right at Gleneagles and forged a rock-solid partnership with Justin Rose over the first couple of days. The duo â€" who oozed confidence and authority throughout - were entrusted with the task of getting blue on the board in the top matches on both Friday and Saturday morning and duly delivered, Stenson providing an excellent foil for the inspired Englishman. A tight back meant he was rested ahead of the singles and, although he was narrowly defeated on the final green by Patrick Reed in a feisty affair, the Swede played a major role in Europe’s success.
Victor Dubuisson = B+ (2½ from 3)
Enigmatic, Mysterious, Arrogant… Dubuisson had been called many things ahead of the match, mainly because the media had struggled to get a handle on the 24-year-old who remains notoriously guarded around the press. Renowned as something of a loner, there were fears Europe might struggle to integrate the lavishly-talented Frenchman into a team environment, but Paul McGinley pulled off a masterstroke by buddying him with Graeme McDowell. As well as stylish and resounding wins in both their foursomes outings, it was a delight to watch the affinity and bond that developed between the two. Long off the tee, a magician’s touch around the green and confident with putter in hand, Dubuisson has all the tools to become a huge force in the game and McDowell left nobody in any doubt with his assessment: “This kid is the next superstar in Europe. He might be the best kid I’ve played with since Rory McIlroy, and that says a lot.†Dubuisson always appeared to have the presence and force of personality to take the event in his stride, he emerged with his reputation handsomely enhanced.
Jamie Donaldson: Produced a shot of supreme quality to gain the point that secured the trophy for Europe
Jamie Donaldson = A (3 from 4)
While charisma and chic are so much a part of Dubuisson’s appeal, there is something refreshingly honest and straightforward about another of Europe’s rookie stars. Having served a lengthy apprenticeship on the European Tour â€" he was still battling away on the second-tier Challenge Tour as recently as 2007 - Donaldson has certainly earned his shot at the big time. His pairing with veteran Lee Westwood proved another inspired call, a couple of ‘no frills’ characters who brought the best from each other and had a good laugh doing so. In making the team the Welshman took his consistency to a whole new level and was able to reproduce that form at Gleneagles. After two wins from three alongside Westwood, it was left to Donaldson to strike the killer blow for Europe in the singles and he did so in memorable style, conjuring one of the shots of the week from the 15th fairway to prompt a handshake from the captains and celebrations from everyone in blue.
Sergio Garcia = B (2½ from 4)
It was something of a mixed week for Garcia with patchy form interspersed with moments of brilliance… and an untimely spat with Sir Nick Faldo thrown in for good measure. While the mercurial Spaniard might not have been at his very best, he gave everything for the European cause which, given his bond with the late great Severiano Ballesteros, seems to mean more to him now than ever. Put out alongside McIlroy in Europe’s marquee pairing for both sessions on day one, Garcia struggled for long spells but still contributed when it mattered â€" a marvellous second to the last from thick rough helping to snatch a half-point in Friday’s foursomes and maintain European momentum. He and McIlroy resumed their partnership to good effect in Saturday’s foursomes before Garcia ended on a high by edging out Jim Furyk in Sunday’s singles.
Justin Rose = A* (4 from 5)
Europe’s outstanding performer and a leader throughout. His victory at the US Open last year seems to have taken both his game and confidence on to a new level and the Englishman now has the aura of a man who believes he should be rubbing shoulders with the game’s elite. His body language alone was probably worth a point for Europe, from the moment he confidently strode to the first tee on Friday morning to lead off in the top match with Stenson, to the expressive (and numerous!) celebrations as he produced shot after brilliant shot during the quite awesome Saturday fourball victory over Bubba Watson & Matt Kuchar â€" Rose looked like a man totally at ease in golf’s most nerve-wracking cauldron. Even after falling four down to Hunter Mahan in the singles he kept his composure to rescue a half and has now cemented his status as one of the cornerstones of the European team.
Martin Kaymer = B (2 from 4)
After that putt at Medinah two years ago, Kaymer came up with another magical moment at Gleneagles as he chipped in from off the green to bring down the curtain on a 4&2 singles win over Bubba Watson in spectacular style. The German’s partnership with Thomas Bjorn over the first couple of days had promised much, but after racing out into early leads the duo only had a solitary half-point to show from their two outings. However, it said much of Kaymer’s standing in the eyes of captain McGinley that he was asked to replace the ailing Stenson and partner Rose in Saturday’s foursomes â€" the duo becoming the only European twosome to take something off America’s impressive rookie pairing of Jordan Spieth & Patrick Reed.
Thomas Bjorn = C (½ from 3)
Back in Ryder Cup action after a 12-year hiatus, the Dane was only able to contribute half a point from his three matches. That said, alongside Kaymer he did come against arguably America’s two strongest pairings in Jimmy Walker & Rickie Fowler on the Friday and Jordan Spieth & Patrick Reed on the Saturday. On both occasions the European duo rather ran out of steam after strong starts, while Bjorn also had the misfortune of bumping into an inspired Matt Kuchar in Sunday’s singles. But while his on-course contribution may not have been decisive, Bjorn looked to provide an assured and selfless presence, accepting his reduced role and buying into the team ethic that served Europe so well.
Graeme McDowell: Sent out first on Sunday by his skipper and duly delivered a singles victory
Graeme McDowell = A (3 from 3)
While it perhaps wasn’t a surprise that Bjorn was only used three times by McGinley, the same could not be said of McDowell. A hero of victory at Celtic Manor, the Northern Irishman has built a reputation as something of a match-play specialist and looked primed for a heavy workload. But it became clear that his captain had earmarked McDowell for two very specific roles that he wanted him to focus on; mentoring Dubuisson and leading his team out in the singles. While admitting on Sunday he would have liked to have been more involved over the first couple of days, it is to McDowell’s credit that he left his ego at the door and accepted his skipper’s wishes to benefit the team and their plan. Ultimately both he and McGinley were rewarded with three points from three outings with G-Mac showing all of his fighting qualities to battle back from three down to clinch a momentum-building victory over Jordan Spieth in the singles.
Stephen Gallacher = C- (0 from 2)
It was a feel-good story when captain McGinley selected Gallacher as one of his three wildcard picks, meaning the Scotsman got the chance to not only make his Ryder Cup debut on home turf but also feature at a course just 35 miles from where he resided. He had shown his qualities to his skipper with with a superb late, but ultimately unsuccessful, run for automatic qualification, turning around a disastrous start at the Italian Open to fall narrowly short of victory in Turin. However, he failed to make the cut in his final European Tour start before the cup, and his dream quickly turned to something of a nightmare on the opening morning when he was beaten 5&4 by rookies Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed when paired with Poulter in the fourballs. The partnership simply never worked, and the local favourite was then given a watching brief until Sunday’s singles. It looked like a point could be coming his way on the final day when he led early on against Phil Mickelson, only for the American to turn things around on his way to securing a 3&1 triumph. It meant Gallacher finished as the only European with an ‘0’ next to his name in the final reckoning, though it will still be a week he will never forget.
Ian Poulter = C (1 from 3)
The hero of Medinah two years ago, Poulter was forced to accept a rather more marginalised role this time around. Concerns over his form heading into the event proved well founded and ‘Europe’s Postman’ failed to make a single birdie during his opening fourball outing with rookie Stephen Gallacher as the Europeans crashed to a heavy defeat against Spieth & Reed. In fairness to the Englishman he did not hide and, despite struggling once again in tandem with McIlroy, he still came up came up with a couple of trademark moments at the business end of their fourball contest on Saturday to help rescue a valuable half against Fowler & Walker. A battling half against Webb Simpson in what was a scrappy match on Sunday preserved his unbeaten singles record in the event, but Poulter’s Ryder Cup legend lost some of its sheen at Gleneagles and he will perhaps not be the shoo-in wildcard selection should he require a pick once again in two years’ time.
Lee Westwood = B (2 from 4)
Having been paired with a Ryder Cup stalwart on his debut back in 1997 (when captain Seve Ballesteros opted to send him out alongside Nick Faldo in Valderrama), Westwood found the boot was on the other foot at Gleneagles. He was selected play alongside rookie Jamie Donaldson, and the 41-year-old from Worksop duly helped deliver points on both the Friday and Saturday afternoon in foursomes action. The Englishman dove-tailed well with the Welshman as they twice recorded victories over Matt Kuchar, who was paired with Jim Furyk on Friday and then alongside Zach Johnson on the second afternoon. They were, however, beaten in Saturday’s fourballs session, while Westwood was also seen off by Jimmy Walker in the singles. Still, by then Europe had already sewn up the victory and a 50 percent strike-rate helped ‘Westy’ justify his selection as a wild card by skipper McGinley. Once again he has been able to enjoy success against the United States and his career haul in the competition now stands at 23 points, with only Bernard Langer and former playing partner Faldo ahead of him on the all-time list.
Paul McGinley: Made all the right moves in his battle against his hero, Tom Watson
Paul McGinley â€" A*
Although he did not play a single shot, it could be argued that Europe’s skipper emerged as the star of the show at Gleneagles. Success or failure as a Ryder Cup captain is often about the intangibles and unmeasurables, but McGinley was pitch perfect from the word go. From press conferences to his precision planning, the Irishman did not put a foot wrong and exuded a potent mix of humility and confidence that his team bought into. Indeed, his opposite number appeared rather outdated in his methods by comparison, Tom Watson relying on a mixture of bluster and battle cry to try and motivate his troops. But the six-time major champion cut an increasingly furrowed and weary figure as the week wore on, his increasingly arbitrary decisions put in stark contrast by the bigger plan espoused by every member of the European camp.
That all of his players were lining up to praise McGinley in the aftermath of victory spoke volumes for the European supremo, with his attention to every last detail highlighted time and again. McGinley acknowledged he was going head-to-head with his golfing idol when he and Watson were confirmed in their roles, and while the American’s status as one of the game’s great players will survive this defeat, McGinley will have the satisfaction of knowing he emphatically outfoxed his hero in their captaincy duel. This is a triumph that, in all likelihood, will come to define McGinley’s golfing career and that fact in itself should explain just how impressive he was. We’ll leave the last word to his star performer, Justin Rose: “He was a brilliant captain, but didn’t over-captain and that was really important because obviously the European team are on a great run right now. He just tried to implement everything that has been working and refine a few bits and pieces. He had a plan. Everything was on point, everything had a message, everything tied in the whole week long and you’ve got to give him credit for that.â€
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