2012 Ryder Cup: Poulter rallies against surging USA tide
Team USA asserted their dominance on the second day of the Ryder Cup, only Ian Poulter put up any fight.
The US Team have grabbed a ery handy lead going into the final day’s play at the 2012 Ryder Cup. Thanks to a superb morning of golf from the Americans, they lead Europe 10 – 6 with the 12 singles matches to come.
Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley lead the way early in the day by smashing Luke Westwood and Luke Donald 7 and 6 in the foursomes.
The Europeans can thank Ian Poulter that the margin is greater after put on one of the finest golf display’s in Ryder Cup history. Poulter birdied the final five holes to turn a one hole deficit into victory and give them some hope going into tomorrow’s final day.
Nick Sinclair was once again gives us a few extra thoughts on the second day as he walked around Medinah Country Club.
| The very short ‘rough’ at Medinah which is favouring the big hitters like Watson, Johnson and Colsaerts this week. |
Of all the decisions made by US captain Davis Love in the lead-up to the Ryder Cup, the smartest might have been ordering the greenskeepers at Medinah to keep the rough very short (see photos), as is his prerogative as host captain. On every hole, the entire second cut of rough, running all the way to the gallery ropes, looks more like the short two yard wide first cut of rough often seen at other golf tournaments in the US. In doing so, Love has successfully unleashed his army of ‘big dogs’ and taken advantage of the US team’s clear superiority off the tee.
Thanks to Love, guys like Watson, Simpson, Bradley, Johnson and Mickelson have been able to fire away with impunity off the tee on almost every par 4 and 5. Along with the loss of several hundred trees (to disease) over the past few years, the benign rough this week at Medinah means This may also explain why big-hitting Nicolas Colsaerts has the course to his liking.
| ‘If I’m not mistaken, they’re coming from that way’. (Editor’s caption) Former US President George W Bush check’s out the action on day 2 of the Ryder Cup. |
Chicago might be Barrack Obama’s home town, but that didn’t stop former Presidents George W and George H W Bush from paying a visit on Saturday afternoon to support the American team.
| The fabulous 17th at Medinah/ |
US fans were a happy bunch on Saturday, with lots to cheer about. The loudest roar of the day, without question, came late in the afternoon on the dramatic downhill par three 17th when Dustin Johnson sank a 25-foot birdie putt to thwart Europe’s attempted fight back in the afternoon fourballs.
