Harmon: McGinley beat Watson

Paul McGinley conquered Tom Watson at Gleneagles

Butch Harmon says Paul McGinley out-captained Tom Watson as Europe retained the Ryder Cup.

McGinley’s men won the biannual event for the sixth time in seven attempts on Sunday, defeating USA 16½ -11½ at Gleneagles after a thrilling set of singles matches.

And Sky Sports pundit Harmon believes McGinley’s knowledge of his players was crucial for Europe, who remain unbeaten on home soil in the Ryder Cup since 1993.

"I’m not saying Tom was bad but McGinley was more in-tune and understood his team better."
Butch Harmon

“McGinley was an outstanding captain and did a much better job of captaining than Watson,” said Harmon. “I’m not saying Tom was bad but McGinley was more in-tune and understood his team better.

“All the European players have made great reference to their captain but you haven’t heard the same from the Americans but whether Tom, at 65, was too old, only they can answer.

"Tom is going to take a lot of flak â€" a losing coach always does â€" but Ryder Cup is about the players and this European team played some phenomenal and unbelievable golf when you look at the scores they were shooting.”

“The Europeans handle things so well with the captains they pick, but they have also found some great new players in Victor Dubuisson and Jamie Donaldson.”

Passion

Jamie Donaldson's superb iron shot on the 15th confirmed Europe's 2014 Ryder Cup victory.

Donaldson’s victory over Keegan Bradley â€" the Welsh rookie won 5&4 after the 2011 PGA Champion conceded on the 15th green â€" sealed Europe’s triumph in Perthshire and sparked wild celebrations.

However, Sky Sports experts and famed Ryder Cuppers Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie were quick to praise the efforts of Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell.

Poulter was convincingly beaten in Friday morning’s fourballs whilst teaming with local lad Stephen Gallacher, but went on to record halves in both Saturday’s fourballs with Rory McIlroy and his singles encounter with Webb Simpson.

McDowell, meanwhile, gelled excellently with debutant Dubuisson to collect two foursomes wins and then produced a stunning comeback to edge Jordan Spieth when he battled the American starlet one-on-one.

“Ian loves the Ryder Cup,” said Clarke. “He would have inspired the other guys by backslapping them, hugging them and saying: ‘Come on!’

“He would have brought real passion and he epitomises the European way of being there for each other. It’s what we do and we seem to be able to form a bigger bond than the Americans.”

Montgomerie added: “All credit to McDowell.

“He had a putt on the eighth [against Spieth] to avoid going four down and birdied it to half the hole before going on to win 2&1 and stop America getting the momentum.

“To do that against a young, hungry, 21-year-old superstar in the making was great from Graeme.”

Relive a scintillating three days at Gleneagles with our special show How the Ryder Cup Was Won, at 8pm, Monday, Sky Sports Ryder Cup (channel 405).