HOW IRONIC that an Irishman should come to Europe’s aid. At a time when the economy has cast a shadow across a continent, Graeme McDowell – a son of Ulster – proved that sport, however temporarily, has the capacity to uplift as he emerged as the hero in Europe’s 14½-13½ win over the United States in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, outside Newport, in Wales yesterday.
McDowell, winner of the US Open championship at Pebble Beach in June, was cast in the role of anchorman on the European team by captain Colin Montgomerie.
And the 31-year-old embellished a splendid history of Irish golfers holing the winning putt in this most famous of all team events by delivering the match-winning point in his match with American Hunter Mahan.
For the first time in its history, the Ryder Cup stretched into a fourth day due to inclement weather. Yesterday’s conclusion was played out in sunshine, in which McDowell – one of three Irish players on the team, including Rory McIlroy and Pádraig Harrington – was the strongman positioned in the final singles and enabled Europe to regain a trophy last won at The K Club in 2006.
In comparing the Ryder Cup win to his US Open success, McDowell remarked: “I really can’t compare this to Pebble Beach, this is another stratosphere.”
McDowell’s contribution – maintaining a strong tradition of Irish players holing the winning putts in the Ryder Cup – was decisive in ensuring Europe won the trophy for a fourth time in five stagings dating back to the 2002 event at the Belfry near Birmingham in England.
But it came at a cost to Irish bookmaker Boylesports, which had promised to refund all single bets on the event should an Irishman hole the winning putt. It is estimated to have cost the bookmaker €100,000.