The United States came incredibly close to pulling off one of the greatest comebacks in sports history at the Ryder Cup last week, and some would say it was arguably the greatest.
Keegan Bradley made a few questionable choices with his pairings over the first two days at Bethpage Black, and it left his side with too much to do heading into Sunday’s singles.
Consequently, the American team faced a significant challenge on Sunday but put in a maximal effort.
Jose Maria Olazabal was on the European side as one of their vice-captains, and he did not shy away from admitting he felt every bit of pressure during that final day as Team USA began closing the gap.
Jose Maria Olazabal makes claim about US Ryder Cup players after singles matches
Even though the Americans were outplayed over the first two days at Bethpage Black, their response in Sunday’s singles was nothing short of admirable.
This week, Olazabal is competing in the Constellation Furyk & Friends event on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, he reflected on what stood out to him about Team USA during those tense final matches.
“If Shane didn’t make that putt on 18 I think most probably Team USA would have won the Ryder Cup.
“I have to say that they (US players) were maybe the toughest I have ever experienced in my golfing career.
“Especially because we thought, with that cushion, we should have closed the deal well before.
“At that moment it was crucial and that’s why at that moment it all came out, all the tension, all the stress, everybody was very conscious of it, Shane was very conscious of it. That’s why there was the reaction we had.”
US players showed resilience, even as some Bethpage fans crossed the line
The vast majority of fans at Bethpage were well-behaved and contributed to an electric atmosphere.
But unfortunately, a vocal minority went too far, casting a shadow over what should have been a celebration of golf.
European players found themselves on the receiving end of relentless abuse from sections of the crowd.
The usual Ryder Cup banter escalated into outright hostility, and steps need to be taken to make sure it does not repeat.
PGA of America President Don Rea issued an apology for the incidents, but it did not seem to address how serious some of the behaviour were.
- READ MORE: PGA President responds after Ryder Cup remarks criticised as ‘offensive’ by Europe’s star
If there is going to be real progress in preventing a repeat, acknowledging just how bad things got is a crucial first step.
If we see similar scenes at future Ryder Cups in America, there will be no excuse not to take stronger action next time around.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
