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“Football isn’t a matter of life and death – it’s much more important than that!,” Bill Shankly once famously remarked. Well, I would like to extend it a bit further – “Sports isn’t a matter of life and death, I assure you, it’s much more important than that.” Only sports can provide us with unadulterated excitement with its unscripted drama. It brings out all the human emotions to the forefront and that’s why we love it. For a sports addict, the win of an underdog or the sight of improbable comeback becoming true is the ultimate high. And last year’s Ryder Cup provided one such moment, a moment to cherish for a life-time. When Jose Maria Olazabal’s Team Europe lifted the famous Ryder Cup, there was a sense of disbelief and a sense of pure and unadulterated joy to go alongside it in the Medinah Country Club.
To understand these emotions and excitement we have to go to the start of the day. It was Sunday, the 31st of September 2012, the final day of the 39th Ryder Cup in the greens of Medinah Country Club, Illinois. The Europeans were trailing by 10-6, the Americans required just four and half out of the possible 12 points available that day to complete a routine victory. Never in the 85 years of Ryder Cup history had a lead so large been blown away. But everything was about to change in the most dramatic of fashions.
First, there was the Rory McIlroy story. McIlroy was running late, and if not for the Illinois state police, he would certainly have missed the start of the day. The police used their sirens to get the world no.1 through the Medinah traffic and drop him at the venue with 10 minutes to spare. He hardly hit any practice shot. But when he defeated Keegan Bradley 2-1, the Europeans were just trailing by 10-9, with Luke Donald and Paul Lawrie already having cut the American lead to just two points. And when Ian Poulter went 2-0 up against Webb Simpson, the Europeans were all but there, and the magical comeback was well on its way.
Poulter hadn’t won a tournament since May of 2011 but being the Captain’s pick, he amply justified his selection. But little did he know that this was going to be one of the greatest days in his life. Poulter’s win wasn’t the end though. The Americans came back strongly taking the next point when Dustin Johnson beat the Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts 3-2. The twists and turns didn’t end just there. The European hit back at once when Justin Rose hit a couple of audacious putts to defeat the former world no.1 Phil Mickelson. The tales of leads and comebacks continued till the German Martin Kaymer took on Steve Stricker in the penultimate round of the day. The two teams were locked on 13 points but the pressure on each guy was immeasurable. Kaymer had been out of form all summer and may well have proved a liability. But as they say, trust a German to deliver when you need it the most and deliver, he did. When Kaymer sank a 5-ft putt in the 18th green, the Europeans knew in their hearts that the trophy was theirs again.
By hitting that shot Kaymer not only gave the Europeans a decisive 14-13 lead but perhaps also laid the ghosts of compatriot Bernhard Langer’s miss some 21 years ago to rest. It wasn’t the end though, as Tiger was still to play. All the Americans’ hopes now lied with their once favourite son. The great Tiger Woods took on the not so great Italian Francesco Molinari. Molinari must have been very nervous, but he stayed with Tiger throughout till the final green when the great Tiger Woods did succumb to pressure, hitting a bogey. That was the moment for the Europeans. Tiger and Molinari shared spoils but the Europeans had completed one of the most incredible comebacks in sports history. These 12 men had not only made a whole continent proud, but also the soul of Seve Ballesteros. As Olazabal said, “Seve will always be present with this team.” And that is perhaps the greatness of legends, they not only inspire you when they are alive but they can inspire you long after they have gone as well.
Comeback tales are always fascinating both in life and in sports. And this was one such occasion. David and Goliath match-ups always attract attention, an underdog defeating the favourite always possesses a charm but when two opponents equal in talent and ability take on each other, it’s a contest worth watching. And there is no great entertainment in sports when these contests are filled with twists and turns, with action, drama and emotions. The 2012 Ryder Cup will always be remembered as one of the most fiercely contested tournaments but above all, it will be remembered for the triumph of the never-say-die attitude.
