2012 Ryder Cup: Catastrophe in Chicago

Catastrophe. Collapse. Choke. Miracle. Failure. Revenge. Stunner.

Any of these words could be used to describe what happened today (Sunday) at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, Illinois. Some would be more fitting than others, depending on whether you were rooting for Team USA or pulling for Team Europe. Either way, today is a day that will be remembered in not only golf history, but sports history altogether. And I'm 100% positive I'll be only one of millions talking about what just happened. I just wanted to give my 2 cents about this ridiculous day. So, let's get started shall we?

As you may have known, this Ryder Cup saw total domination by the Americans the first 2 days. USA looked like the Europe of the past decade, while Team Europe totally looked like a typical struggling American Ryder Cup squad that constantly got beat down since the turn of the century. USA led by a score of 10-6 after 2 days, an eerily similar score the Brookline Cup in '99 which saw the USA make up that deficit and win the cup in shocking fashion. Still, they were only 4 1/2 points away from Ryder Cup lore...

That's when crazy stuff started to happen. Captain Olazabal totally front loaded his Sunday Singles squad to go out and get points. And guess what? Unlike most of the previous 2 days, that's exactly what they did. They took their American counterparts down and quickly tied up the score, 10-10. Even an almost late-to-tee-time Rory McIlroy was able to win against the hot-handed Keegan Bradley without too much drama.

Honestly, my dad and I couldn't believe what we were seeing. Suddenly, football took a backseat and golf was the main item on tv until the end. We were either going to be in for a really close Ryder Cup that we enjoyed due to a USA win, or we were going to see one of the most historic collapses in the history of the world. Unfortunately, we got the latter.

Once the score reached 10-10, it was game on for both teams. Things got tight, and it was a true race to the number. In this case, it was 14.5 for the USA to win the cup and 14 for the Europeans to retain it. The latter matches that everyone seemed to brush off because they weren't supposed to matter became the matches we all were intrigued about.

It might have taken a while, but Dustin Johnson got the first point of the day for the US by defeating Nicolas Colsaerts of Belguim. A little while after that, Zach Johnson (no relation), snatched a clutch point by taking down 2010 Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell. The USA once again had a comfy lead, and again, it seemed like they'd escape with a narrow victory.

That was definitely not the case.

I have no clue what happened after that moment. From that moment on, only Jason Dufner was able to grab a full point for the United States. Jim Furyk, who was battling all day with Sergio Garcia, completely gave away even a chance at a half point with two fatal misses on 17 and 18. Point Europe. Lee Westwood looked nothing like the Friday and Saturday version of himself and played superbly against an underperforming Matt Kuchar. Again, point Europe.

Suddenly, tied at 13 all, it came down to 4 cats who haven't even won a point in this Ryder Cup. Woods, Stricker, Kaymer, and Molinari had the weight of their teams and countries on their backs, as their matches were going to be the deciders.

It inevitably came down to Kaymer and Stricker, as they were the group ahead of Woods/Molinari. Tied going into 17, that's where the move was made. Kaymer safely made par, while Stricker, who had been struggling with his putting all week, hit another poor one and made bogey. This ensured a half point for Europe, who were only 1 point away from keeping the Cup. Stricker struggled towards a par on 18, and Kaymer ended the drama with a clutch 6 footer for par on the final hole to ensure European elation. Definitely made sense that the guy with the most question marks heading into Sunday and with the least amount of playing time earned the clinching point.

After this, the Europeans celebrated crazily, and it was clear that on the 18th fairway, Tiger Woods was completely dejected. Still only a part of 1 winning Ryder Cup team (Brookline '99), this week definitely epitomized his entire year. In position to become a hero again, but getting stopped by his own random poor play, someone having the weekend of their life, or just simple bad luck.

This Ryder Cup is clearly going into history, for all reasons imaginable. For the Seve connection. For the Brookline revenge. For the Colsaerts barrage on Friday. For the Poulter takeover Saturday. For all the ups and downs that went down in a 3 day span. Whether you're American or European, if you watched this Ryder Cup, you'll always remember what a memorable and ridiculous one this was, good or bad.

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Ryder Cup: Final Day Preview

Wow. What a wild and crazy wild cup this has been. Anything from Ian Poulter and Keegan Bradley looking miles better than anyone else, to Tiger Woods being 0-3 despite playing 2 matches superbly. This Ryder Cup has had it all, and so far, the Americans hold a 10-6 lead. But, as many saw in '99, it ain't over until it's over. Tomorrow's Sunday Singles will ensure who comes home with the trophy. Read below to get our predictions of who takes the Cup!

Matches begin at 12:03 PM on NBC

Match 1: Bubba Watson vs. Luke Donald

- Here we go. Starting off the Ryder Cup finale with a perfect match up. The guy who revs up the crowd before his round and swings with their pure energy, versus the hometown man that lives less than 30 miles away. This is a critical point for both sides, as it could help wrap up the competition for the USA, or spark a European comeback. With that said, I think Donald takes the match here. He's too motivated to prove himself after a mediocre showing so far this week.

Match 2: Webb Simpson vs. Ian Poulter

- Another big match. You have the hottest player on Europe right now (Poulter) looking to grab some early momentum. On the other side, you have Webb who has been playing very nicely and always loves a tough challenge (see 2012 U.S. Open). In this battle, I think Ian Poulter wins 3&2. He's just way too hot for anyone to beat him right now. It's just one of those weeks.

Match 3: Keegan Bradley vs. Rory McIlroy

- Ahhh, the match of the day. Keegan has been dubbed the "American Sergio" while Rory is now hailed as the successor to Tiger Woods. So it's basically sorta kinda Tiger vs. Sergio in a way. That makes it awesome. The way both have been battling this week will make it more awesome. Get ready to see a ton of this match tomorrow, because NBC will definitely show this as much as they can. And with the way Keegan is playing, I really think he wins it in a nail biter.

Match 4: Phil Mickelson vs. Justin Rose

- Another juicy matchup. Two great players that have had top quality weeks. Their point contributions have been vital to their respective teams. Their possible point contribution here might be of utmost vitality. To me, this matchup is so even, I think they are going to halve the match.

Match 5: Brandt Snedeker vs. Paul Lawrie

- This pairing should definitely favor the rookie Brandt Snedeker. He's had a partner in Jim Furyk that has definitely helped him cope with the magnitude of a Ryder Cup. He's also going up against a player that has been relatively quiet all week. I see Brandt winning 4&3, and not looking back.

Match 6: Dustin Johnson vs. Nicolas Colsaerts

- Oh boy. Get your binoculars for this match, because it's going to feature some HUGE hitting. I think these guys should just have a driving contest and determine the winner from there, because that's what many of us will be interested in seeing. It honestly is going to come down to who can get and keep their putter hot, and right now, I see Dustin doing that.

Match 7: Zach Johnson vs. Graeme McDowell

- ZJ has been a quiet force with Jason Dufner this week, and it has really helped him play solid golf. Graeme, on the other hand, has had his up and downs. He does know how to play his best under pressure, however, and that is why I see G-Mac winning this clash of 1-time major champions.

Match 8: Jim Furyk vs. Sergio Garcia

- Jim has had an OK Ryder Cup, winning one match and losing the other with Brandt Snedeker by his side. He's going to have to bring up his game to another level Sunday though, because he'll be facing Sergio Garcia, who just came off of a big win in the fourballs session on Saturday. With what's at stake, I don't see Sergio losing this match up. It just means too much to him to not give it his all on Sunday.

Match 9: Jason Dufner vs. Peter Hanson

- This is going to be a pairing of the emotionless. Dufner and Hanson look so calm on the course it's scary. They both strike the ball nicely and obviously can keep their emotions in check. I think this one will be tight throughout, but I see Dufner squeaking out a point by making a few more putts than Peter.

Match 10: Matt Kuchar vs. Lee Westwood

- I don't have a ton to really say for this match. Matt has been solid and steady while Lee has been all over the map this week. I'll take Kuchar in a landslide, 5&3.

Match 11: Steve Stricker vs. Martin Kaymer

- I also don't have a lot to say for this match either. Two golfers that haven't been playing great as of late and haven't gotten a point. Kaymer has only played one match so far, the fewest on either side. I guess I just gotta go with Steve here.

Match 12: Tiger Woods vs. Francesco Molinari

- Theeee anchor match. This could mean everything; this could mean nothing. Both players are pointless so far, so that means they'll still want to fight and earn a point. However, I think Tiger wants to way more than Francesco. Tiger's played great golf this week and hasn't been rewarded. He's basically due for a point this week, and this is where it should come. I see him winning 3&2.


Well, there you have it folks. I have the USA winning the session, 7.5-4.5. This means I have them winning the Ryder Cup by a score of 17.5-10.5. How do you think they'll fare? Let us know in the comments, and enjoy Singles Sunday!

Ryder Cup: Day 2 Preview

Well, Day 1 started off very nicely! And with it finally in the books comes day 2 of the 2012 Ryder Cup. Currently, the USA leads the Europeans 5-3. Continue reading to see who we think will do some damage in tomorrow's morning sessions.


Type - Foursomes



Match 1 (8:20 AM ET):

Simpson/Watson vs. Rose/Poulter - This one right here is a juicy matchup. Arguably two of the best combinations of either team, I really feel that this match will produce some excellent golf. Simpson and Watson feed off of each other as well as Rose and Poulter do. Because of that, I think they'll end up halving the match.

Match 2 (8:35 AM ET):

Bradley/Mickelson vs. Westwood/Donald - Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson are one of the best Ryder Cup duos I've seen in a long time. Period. They go so well together it's nuts. With the way they're playing as a team, it's hard to see Lee and Luke really giving them a fit. I think the Americans take this one 2 up.

Match 3 (8:50 AM ET):

Dufner/Z. Johnson vs. Colsaearts/Garcia - This is another toss up match. You have the sneaky good team of Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson going up against Nicolas Colsaearts (who obviously was the MVP for Europe on Day 1) and the passion filled Sergio Garcia. Here I have to lean on the USA to get the job done, however. I see them winning 1 up in a hotly contested match throughout.

Match 4(9:05 AM ET):

Furyk/Snedeker vs. McIlroy/McDowell - In the morning anchor match, here is a rematch of the opening to this year's Ryder Cup. And as close as it was last time, I don't really think it'll be close here. McIlroy is just too much and too good to lose in an important Day 2 session. I see Team Europe wins here 3&2.

HTWD Preview: 2012 Ryder Cup

Well folks, we are finally at Ryder Cup week! USA vs Europe in one of the most highly anticipated Ryder Cups in recent memory. Take a look at this Ryder Cup edition blog below to see how we think things will go down in Medinah. Matches start tomorrow!

Winning Team and Overall Score:

JJ: Yeeeeee its finally here! RYDER CUP time! I'm so excited; I hope team USA can get some revenge on the Europeans! I think with the home crowd backing them, the United States squeak by Europe in an epic weekend. With 28 possible points, I think the USA takes it, 15.5-12.5.

Bernardo: Now that the FedEx Cup points race has come to a completion we focus our attention on the Ryder Cup. This year it will be hosted on home turf, favoring the USA squad to possibly pull off a 14.5-13.5 win over Europe. 

MVP - Team USA:

JJ: I really think USA's MVP is going to be Tiger Woods. He's motived now that he isn't "clearly" the best golfer in the world, and with a subpar Ryder Cup record, he really wants to go out and prove he still has the swagger he's had for his entire career.

Bernardo: This a tough one due to the late season performance. I'm siding with Brandt Snedeker, who is coming off one of his biggest wins and has exhibited some consistency this year. This is his first appearance in a Ryder Cup, it will definitely be one to remember. 

MVP - Team Europe:

JJ: I'm going with the guy who didn't play at all last Ryder Cup cause he wasn't in the right frame of mind for that moment - Sergio Garcia! Now resurgent and at his favorite event in the world, I feel that the Spaniard is going to do some serious damage to the USA this week.

Bernardo: The European team is stacked with some great golfers, but like in any sport you gotta pick a favorite and I'm going with Rory Mcllroy. He currently is probably one of the hottest player in the game of golf besides a few notables. Winning two playoff events isn't easy, he also won the PGA and the Honda this year, followed by a dozen top 10s. 

Overall Rookie of the Week:

JJ: I gotta go with Brandt Snedeker here. First off, he won the TOUR championship and the FedEx Cup. Nuff said? He also is putting lights out and is in front of a home crowd. He should definitely fare well in this environment.

Bernardo: Looks like my MVP choice will also be receiving the title of Rookie of the Week. His year long performance to make it to the Tour Championship and win the FedEx Cup is highly admirable and should produce some exciting golf. 

LVP - Team USA:

JJ: Unfortunately, I'm going to go with Jim Furyk. He hasn't had the best of luck this year (Olympic Club, WGC Bridgestone, TOUR Champ.), and I don't think he's set up for a good 3 days. Hopefully I'm wrong.

Bernardo: Every member of the USA team is a valuable asset, but I believe Keegan Bradley will have a tough due to this being his first appearance at the Ryder Cup. 

LVP - Team Europe:

JJ: Lee Westwood. Why, you ask? Go look at his performance last week. If that isn't a bad omen, then I don't know what is.

Bernardo: I'm going with Nicolas Colsaerts, merely on a gut feeling and lack of publicly in the States.

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TOUR Championship: Smooth and Snedy

Rory. Tiger. Phil. Nick. Brandt.

Any one of those 5 mentioned above had the easiest path to Fed Ex Cup glory this week; a win would automatically give them the 10 million dollar prize with no questions asked. Anything else, and scenarios would have to kick in.

Surprisingly enough, it wasn't Rory or Tiger who took home the money. Or Phil. Or even Nick Watney. It went to Brandt Snedeker, who had made a nice run in the playoffs with sneaky good finishes each week.

As this week went on, separation of contenders and pretenders continued. Watney and Mickelson were never factors, while Rory and Tiger didn't keep up with the leaders. Brandt stayed smooth and steady all week, and came up huge on Sunday, winning by a few shots.

This definitely should bode well for the Americans in next week's Ryder Cup. Snedeker, being a captain's pick, certainly proved his worth to Captain Davis Love III. He also just showed the Europeans that he can come up in the clutch if he has too. Should be super fun to watch.

Congratulations Brandt!

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HTWD Picks of the Week: The TOUR Championship

JJ: Ahh, the final pick of the week session. Lemme begin this piece with congratulating Bernardo for another stellar picking season. He kicked my butt yet again, and now I have to pay up by buying the dude dinner. Oh well, until next year! But for now, we must pick a golfer for the TOUR Championship, and I'm going to go with Mr. Louis Oosthuizen. He's put together a very steady season starting with the Masters, and continuing on with this nice little playoff run. Hopefully he could end his season nicely with a win and a cool 10 million dollars. Bam!

Bernardo: This week I'm going with Jason Dufner who has a mathematical chance of winning the FedEx Cup. Dufner already has two wins this year and a handful of great finishes. If Dufner is able to finish within the top 10 this week, it would definitely be one of the best scenarios to end the season. In summation this is our final pick of the year and thanks to all that followed along. 

Already used: 

JJ: Jonathan Byrd, Keegan Bradley, Bryce Molder, Ryan Moore, Brandt Snedeker, Phil Mickelson, K.J. Choi, Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Charl Schwartzel, Nick Watney, Bubba Watson, Johnson Wagner, Hunter Mahan, Aaron Baddeley, Matt Kuchar, Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott, Ernie Els, Graeme McDowell, Dustin Johnson, Padraig Harrington, Bud Cauley, Jeff Overton, Steve Stricker, Vijay Singh, Rickie Fowler, Tiger Woods

Bernardo: Martin Laird, K.J. Choi, Bill Haas, Ben Crane, Matt Kuchar, Dustin Johnson, Aaron Baddeley, Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Brandt Snedeker, Webb Simpson, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Jim Furyk, Bud Cauley, Bubba Watson, Hunter Mahan, Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler, Robert Karlsson, Lee Westwood, JB Holmes, Brendon De Jonge, Frederick Jacobson, Zach Johnson, Padraig Harrington, Ernie Els, Bo Van Pelt, Steve Stricker

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U.S. Open: King Murray...Finally!!!

For the past 5 years in the tennis world, we have come to know and love a great triumvirate of all time greats. That would be Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. Together, they have dominated tennis for the past half decade. If one of them wasn't in a final, it was a sure thing the others would be. Men's tennis hasn't this type of stranglehold on the Grand Slams by only 3 players. Many have even dubbed this age the "Golden Era" of tennis, as we may never see 3 of the greatest players of all time play at the same time like this ever again.

Well, tonight, that changed. The "Big Three" will now virtually turn into a "Big Four", and the triumvirate will turn into some square-shaped power struggle. This is because, finally, Andy Murray of
Scotland has joined the party and won a grand slam. Yes, he is now the newly crowned champion of the U.S. Open. He did so by defeating Novak Djokovic in a 5 set thriller, winning 7-6 (10), 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2.

While Murray almost blew his 2 set lead, his mental grit at the end to break Djokovic is what pulled him through. The brutal wind conditions really affected both players from the start, and Murray handled it better from the get go. However, it definitely seemed that he got tense and started pushing balls back in the 3rd set, as he realized what was at stake. In the 5th set, he went 180 and went back to the form that won him the first 2 sets.

With this historic victory, Murray becomes the first Brit to win a major title since Fred Perry, which dates to over 50 years ago. He now has a GS title and an Olympic Gold to his name this year, clearly putting him in the running for a possible Player of the Year award. With the way he's played as of late, who knows? But then again, with the season not totally over, a frustrated Djokovic and disappointed Federer may have something to say about that.

Congratulations, Andy!

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BMW Championship: Rory's Year? Part 2

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For the second week in a row Rory Mcllroy is champion of a FedEx Cup playoff event. Rory’s impressive play this week, clearly reveals why he currently is ranked World #1. Winning back-to-back during a pressure filled week is something to be admired.

Rory got the the job done with rounds of 64,68,69, and 67. He finished 2 shots ahead of Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson, who came close to reaching him after carding a handful of birdies. 

Now as we enter the fourth week of the playoffs, Rory looks to be the favorite in the race of obtaining the FedEx Cup along with a 10 million dollar paycheck. The top 5 players in the points list as we enter the Tour Championship are Rory Mcllroy, Tiger Woods, Nick Watney, Phil Mickelson, and Brandt Snedeker.

What’s next: Next week will definitely be filled with number crunching and predictions to select a possible FedEx Cup Champion. If Rory is able to win, this will be a great bullet point on his resume when being compared to Mr.Woods. 

HTWD Picks of the Week: BMW Championship

JJ: Kevin Stadler! Dude sits currently at 32, and will need another solid week to crack the top 30 for the Tour Championship. Surprisingly enough, he's made some big moves so far. With top 10s in both of the other events so far, he's having one of the strongest FedEx Cup Playoffs so far. Let's see if he can continue that solid momentum this week at the BMW.

-VS-

Bernardo: The FedEx Cup Playoffs continue as we enter the third week of competition. This week I'm going with Sergio Garcia, who as of recently has been playing some sublime golf. With a reduced field of 70, which is filled with many great players, will make the task of reaching the top 30 circle difficult. I believe Sergio still has some good golf left in him, especially as we near the Ryder Cup so this week should be in his favor.  

Already used: 

JJ: Jonathan Byrd, Keegan Bradley, Bryce Molder, Ryan Moore, Brandt Snedeker, Phil Mickelson, K.J. Choi, Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Charl Schwartzel, Nick Watney, Bubba Watson, Johnson Wagner, Hunter Mahan, Aaron Baddeley, Matt Kuchar, Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott, Ernie Els, Graeme McDowell, Dustin Johnson, Padraig Harrington, Bud Cauley, Jeff Overton, Steve Stricker, Vijay Singh, Rickie Fowler, Tiger Woods

Bernardo: Martin Laird, K.J. Choi, Bill Haas, Ben Crane, Matt Kuchar, Dustin Johnson, Aaron Baddeley, Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Brandt Snedeker, Webb Simpson, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Jim Furyk, Bud Cauley, Bubba Watson, Hunter Mahan, Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler, Robert Karlsson, Lee Westwood, JB Holmes, Brendon De Jonge, Frederick Jacobson, Zach Johnson, Padraig Harrington, Ernie Els, Bo Van Pelt, Steve Stricker

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The Deutsche Bank Championship: Rory's Year?

As we come down to the final 2 playoff events for this PGA Tour season, we have a better understanding of who the real candidates are for player of the year. And, after the way things turned out this week, there are really 2 candidates left.

That would be the winner of this week's event, Rory McIlroy, and Tiger Woods. After we witnessed Louis Oosthuizen blow a three shot lead and fail to atone for it on the final hole, Rory claimed victory this Labor Day weekend for his 3rd PGA Tour victory this season. Tiger tried to make a final round charge, but came up short and ended up in solo third.

As Rory and Tiger made charges, Louis completely stalled. He was absolutely awesome yesterday, and today, once he got going, it was far too late. That's what cost him the tournament and the big(ger) paycheck.

Rory now stands at No. 1 in the FedEx standings, No. 1 in the world, and No. 1 on the money list. Should he now be considered the best in the game? The player of the year? We shall see soon enough.

Personally, if Tiger were to win the FedEx and play well in the Ryder Cup, then it's a toss up between the two. Right now, it looks like Rory is king. But that's why, as the old saying goes, "it's not over until it's over"...

Stay tuned!

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