Monday, October 3, 2016
USA regain the Ryder Cup from Europe with convincing 17-11 victory at Hazeltine
Every Ryder Cup point is equal but some are more equal than others and the moment Rory McIlroy succumbed to defeat against Patrick Reed at the final hole in Match No1 yesterday you could almost feel the air escaping the European balloon.
Three points down overnight, they needed a fast start from their inspiration and valiantly though the Emperor of Europe fought against Captain America and the 50,000 wild fans backing Reed, McIlroy – like his team – eventually fell short.
A titanic match ended for McIlroy in a shoot-out at the final hole; Reed held his nerve from four feet to take it.
Without the lift that mega-point could have brought, Europe could not defy the odds again like they had in Medinah four years ago. Over three days – after their flying start on a Friday morning redwash – Davis Love’s side were the better team overall.
The American captain had made a big play of uniting his disparate band and at Hazeltine they performed as a true team. Every one of his men won a point.
HERE'S A FULL BREAKDOWN OF RESULTS AT HAZELTINE
Europe had their individuals amongst them Sergio Garcia whose halved match against Phil Mickelson was a showstopper, but across the board they could not match the Americans.
Captain Darren Clarke’s tactic of sending out his big guns first bore some fruit, Henrik Stenson posted the first point of the day in the second match and Thomas Pieters, the find of this Ryder Cup, took his tally to four points to become the best European rookie of all time.
But the final-hole defeats for McIlroy and Justin Rose proved too much as his later men were predictably picked off by the deeper American side.
The Ryder Cup, as it should be, was encapsulated in one moment yesterday. All hell was breaking loose around the eighth green with Reed trading blow for blow. Some of the most intoxicating golf imaginable, decorated further with a to-and-fro of shh-ing, finger-wagging and fist-pumping between this Ryder Cup’s two rock stars, had reached a crazy summit on the eighth green.
McIlroy had just holed a 60ft bomb that prompted a guttural scream and a roar of ‘I can’t hear you’ at his tormentors in the wild Hazeltine crowd.
Reed, as McIlroy had done at the previous hole, followed him in with a 20ft birdie of his own. The noise level was off the scale as, hole halved, the two met, exchanged knowing smiles and tapped knuckles in a show of mutual appreciation. The Ryder Cup as it should not be was seen too often elsewhere at Hazeltine.
Fans entering the course yesterday were greeted by scoreboard messages asking them to report unruly behaviour to security. ‘Keep Minnesota nice!’ was the directive at the bottom.
Too late. Minnesota will be remembered for being the nastiest contest since Brookline.
The setting, by the banks of Lake Hazeltine, was beautiful, the course a lush, green expanse but for McIlroy – targeted because of his threat level to the USA – Danny Willett – picked out for his brother’s prophetic words on American golf fans and ending his debut pointless – and Garcia – selected for being Garcia – it was a walk in an ugly jungle.
Minnesota is the home of Spam, and plenty of what was heard over the three days of the Ryder Cup from the state’s rowdy sports fans has been equally unpalatable.
Home support is a totally acceptable part of a Ryder Cup; personal abuse for the opposition is not.
The incidents prompted the PGA of America to issue a plea for an improvement in standards yesterday. The plea fell on deaf ears. Several unruly fans were ejected. McIlroy, like Garcia was forced to back off shots because of catcalls. No blame should be attached to the American team.
Reed may not be everyone’s cup of tea with his stomping and shouting but the confrontational Texan recognises what is over the top at a Ryder Cup.
He and Spieth signalled their displeasure when Henrik Stenson was catcalled as he was lining up an important putt on Saturday afternoon.
Assistant captain Bubba Watson stepped in on more than one occasion when the flak was flying.
But it seemed the cocktail of all-day alcohol and desperation for an end to America’s run of defeats were just too much for some of the vast crowd.
Sunday, October 2, 2016
Friday, September 30, 2016
Friday, February 13, 2015
Louis van Gaal dismisses Paul Scholes' criticism and declares 'It's NOT interesting'
LOUIS VAN GAAL says he is not concerned by continual criticism from former Manchester United stars like Paul Scholes.
But admits he is still struggling to find his best team and right formation eight months after taking over as United manager.
Despite only one defeat in 18 matches, Van Gaal has come under fire from Scholes, in particular, for United’s lack of attacking flair.
After the poor display against Burnley at Old Trafford on Wednesday, Scholes said: “At times, United’s football is miserable.”
But Van Gaal insists he is not worried about the negativity surrounding the club but is concerned by the lack of progress on the pitch under his management.
He said: “I don't worry about it [the criticism], it's not so interesting I think because he [Scholes] is one of the fans, I hope, and fans can criticise. That's what I have to say about that.
“I am used to it and I think all the players are used to it because they are not first time professional football players. Maybe some players are not affected, most of the time it does not affect me or the players.”
As for United’s struggle to find their best form he insists the 4-4-2 ‘diamond’ system he has used in recent games is the best - although far from perfect.
“I have played now already five or six systems and I am looking still for the balance,” he added. “This system is more attractive than the others and it enables me to play with more attacking players.
“That's the reason I am using it. In spite of the fact that we are looking for the balance, our results are not bad and our defensive organisation is not bad, we also score a lot of goals. So, I cannot say that I am very disappointed about that.
“I have given my opinion and am always honest. When it is bad, it is bad, and when it is good, it is good. I think in the second half against Burnley we were the better team and created chances and overall we have created more chances than they did.
“Football is all about creating chances, we created more than Burnley so we have deserved to win. When you look at the statistics that I am looking, for our process, then I am disappointed that we play in that way. Next match we can show that we are still in our process and positive, when you see that it's not bad I think.
“But we have to keep working on it now during the season - normally you have to do it pre-season. “
United’s FA Cup trip to Deepdale on Monday is their third tricky away tie at a lower division club in succession after trips to Yeovil and Cambridge but Van Gaal says that’s what he loves about the competition.
“It is fantastic,” he said. “We have to play a lower team for the third time. In these ties you know the world is against you, the environment is against you because everyone is with the underdog.
“The chance to survive in the competition is higher [than playing a Premier League team] because you are playing against lower qualities. But you still have to beat the team with better motivation in other circumstances and in the atmosphere where everyone is against you.”
Phil Jones (ankle) will miss the game while Michael Carrick has suffered a setback in his recovery from a calf muscle injury. But Daley Blind should have recovered from his head knock and Luke Shaw has completed a one-game ban.
Louis van Gaal dismisses Paul Scholes' criticism and declares 'It's NOT interesting'
But admits he is still struggling to find his best team and right formation eight months after taking over as United manager.
Despite only one defeat in 18 matches, Van Gaal has come under fire from Scholes, in particular, for United’s lack of attacking flair.
After the poor display against Burnley at Old Trafford on Wednesday, Scholes said: “At times, United’s football is miserable.”
But Van Gaal insists he is not worried about the negativity surrounding the club but is concerned by the lack of progress on the pitch under his management.
He said: “I don't worry about it [the criticism], it's not so interesting I think because he [Scholes] is one of the fans, I hope, and fans can criticise. That's what I have to say about that.
“I am used to it and I think all the players are used to it because they are not first time professional football players. Maybe some players are not affected, most of the time it does not affect me or the players.”
As for United’s struggle to find their best form he insists the 4-4-2 ‘diamond’ system he has used in recent games is the best - although far from perfect.
“I have played now already five or six systems and I am looking still for the balance,” he added. “This system is more attractive than the others and it enables me to play with more attacking players.
“That's the reason I am using it. In spite of the fact that we are looking for the balance, our results are not bad and our defensive organisation is not bad, we also score a lot of goals. So, I cannot say that I am very disappointed about that.
“I have given my opinion and am always honest. When it is bad, it is bad, and when it is good, it is good. I think in the second half against Burnley we were the better team and created chances and overall we have created more chances than they did.
“Football is all about creating chances, we created more than Burnley so we have deserved to win. When you look at the statistics that I am looking, for our process, then I am disappointed that we play in that way. Next match we can show that we are still in our process and positive, when you see that it's not bad I think.
“But we have to keep working on it now during the season - normally you have to do it pre-season. “
United’s FA Cup trip to Deepdale on Monday is their third tricky away tie at a lower division club in succession after trips to Yeovil and Cambridge but Van Gaal says that’s what he loves about the competition.
“It is fantastic,” he said. “We have to play a lower team for the third time. In these ties you know the world is against you, the environment is against you because everyone is with the underdog.
“The chance to survive in the competition is higher [than playing a Premier League team] because you are playing against lower qualities. But you still have to beat the team with better motivation in other circumstances and in the atmosphere where everyone is against you.”
Phil Jones (ankle) will miss the game while Michael Carrick has suffered a setback in his recovery from a calf muscle injury. But Daley Blind should have recovered from his head knock and Luke Shaw has completed a one-game ban.
Andy Murray's intelligence, Roger Federer's volley, Novak Djokovic's backhand - what makes the Perfect Player?
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