IRELAND: GOLF - Reactions after the Ryder Cup Foursomes on Saturday

Europe, inspired by an irrepressible Sergio Garcia and a hole-in-one from Paul Casey, charged into a 10-6 lead over the United States on Saturday and need only four points from the singles to retain the Ryder Cup. Garcia made it four wins from four matches this week and a remarkable eight out of eight in his foursomes career when he and Luke Donald eased past Phil Mickelson and David Toms 2 & 1 at the K Club. Minutes later Casey used a four-iron at the 213-yard 14th to register the fifth ace in the history of the team event and clinch a 5 & 4 win with David Howell over Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson. It was the first hole-in-one in the competition since Briton Howard Clark achieved the feat at Oak Hill in 1995, and the first ace to win a Ryder Cup match. "And Woosie had said to me that all of the other guys who got to that hole earlier had hit 3 iron and as it turned out it was a perfect 4 iron, which the group decided on. I did listen to him. I knew it was close. It was very well struck, turned it on the wind. I knew it was pretty close, but when the crowd reacted at the back of the green, it was a bizarre moment. Just sort of hands in the air, looked around at Stewart and Zach and that was it and everybody shook hands and thanks very much. Very surreal situation, not actually walking up to a green and putting out or shaking hands on the green. So a fantastic moment," Casey said. Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood halved their match with Chad Campbell and debutant Vaughn Taylor while Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley lost 3 & 2 to Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk. Europe, needing 14 points to retain the trophy, also won the earlier fourballs. Each of the four sessions this week have ended in a 2-1/2 - 1-1/2 triumph for the home side. "I think I'd have stood here a very happy man if I'd have nine and a half points, but I've got ten points now, very pleased. Again, I think I played every single player again, and as I said yesterday, everybody's added a half a point or a point and absolutely delighted for every single one of them. We came here playing as a team, and we're still playing as a team, and that's what we intend to play tomorrow, as a team." "In terms of strength in depth it is the strongest team we have ever had but don't get too excited too quick, you know how strong the Americans are in the singles," said captain Ian Woosnam. Montgomerie said: "I am just proud to be part of such a great team, that's the word being used around the camp." Europe lost seven years ago despite leading 10-6 going into the last-day singles. Woods said that comeback in Brookline would be his team's motivation. Buoyed by Europe's dominant performance in the morning, Garcia and Donald notched up three birdies in the opening nine holes to go two up on Mickelson and Toms in the foursomes. The Americans refused to lie down, rattling in successive birdies at the 12th and 13th to get back to all square. Mickelson and Toms threw away their hard work, however, by bogeying the next two holes. Pouring salt into American wounds, Donald sank a 12-foot birdie putt at the long 16th after the Europeans had visited the trees and the rough. They clinched victory at the 17th, their fourth win in four foursomes matches as a Ryder Cup pair. The defeat piled on the misery for Mickelson. The world number two has mustered only half a point from his four matches this week and has lost eight, halved one and won only one of his last 10 Ryder Cup games. In the morning fourballs, Furyk and an out-of-sorts Woods lost their second successive match when they went down 3 & 2 to Westwood and Darren Clarke. Jose Maria Olazabal equalled Woosnam's all-time fourballs record of 10-1/2 points after combining with Garcia to defeat Mickelson and Chris DiMarco 3 & 2. Casey and Robert Karlsson won the last hole to halve with Cink and J.J. Henry while rookie Johnson, the session's outstanding performer, chipped in at the 17th as he and Scott Verplank triumphed 2 & 1 over Harrington and Henrik Stenson. But even with four point deficit Americans refuse to give up. "What we got to do is get guys out early in the morning. Get leads, get some red up on the board," said Chad Cambell. USA captain Tom Lehman added: "They gonna go out no matter who are they playing against, lay it all on lines, gave it all they have got and they are gonna make our team proud, they are gonna make our wives proud, they are gonna make our country proud and they are gonna give their absolute best." Europe, needing 14 points to retain the trophy, have now won all four sessions.

ITN Source | September 24, 2006

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