MEDINAH, Ill. — Maybe the late Seve Ballesteros had something to do with it, particularly on the 17th hole, where Justin Rose made a 35-foot putt from nowhere to trigger the demise of Phil Mickelson, and on the 18th green, where Martin Kaymer made a knee-knocking par to win the Ryder Cup.
But what happened at Medinah Country Club yesterday will go down on this side of the Atlantic as one of the biggest choke jobs in American sports history. The 2012 U.S. Ryder Cup team will carry that stigma with it for all eternity.
Congratulations to European captain Jose Maria Olazabal for getting his revenge for what happened at Brookline 13 years ago. And give his European team credit for its dogged determination and improbable win, 141/2-131/2. But to say the Americans were simply out-played yesterday would be too simplistic.
There’s no question they were out-played. The Europeans ignored the American crowd and their improbable odds and raised their game. They were bold and courageous. They played for pride. They played for Seve and for all of Europe.
But the Americans came up small when the Europeans came up great. They arrived at Medinah cocky and over-confident. They played to the crowd instead of playing golf. It was cute when Bubba Watson implored the fans to cheer when he teed off. Then he went out and got whipped by Luke Donald 2 & 1 in the first match, putting the first blue flag on the board.
U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson folded under the pressure of the tenacious Ian Poulter and Ryder Cup rookie Keegan Bradley proved no match for Rory McIlroy, who didn’t even need to warm up to beat him. Rose flat out beat Mickelson with clutch putts on the final three holes, but FedEx Cup champ Brandt Snedeker was a no show in losing his match to unheralded Paul Lawrie, 5 & 3.
There was nothing clutch about the Americans yesterday. Apparently, they believed all they had to do was show up to win.
“We’re all kind of stunned,” said U.S Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III. “We know what it feels like now from the ’99 Ryder Cup.”
The Europeans now own the greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history, even though they rallied from the same 10-6 deficit the Americans did at Brookline. This was more impressive because the Europeans did it on American soil in front of a stunned American crowd.
If there was an ultimate goat it was Steve Stricker, who finished 0-4 in his matches. He missed an 8-footer on the 18th hole Saturday that would have halved a four-ball match with Sergio Garcia and Donald. His miss gave Europe a point and belief it had a chance in singles. Yesterday, he missed a putt for par at the par-3 17th. It left Kaymer only needing to make par at the 18th to reclaim the Cup.
All the heroes are on Europe’s side, particularly Poulter, who woke up a sleepy European team with his electric play on Saturday. Rose was clutch, too. His 35-footer on 17 was the equal to Justin Leonard making his 45-footer on the 17th at Brookline.
Olazabal was Leonard’s opponent that day. Yesterday, the Spaniard tasted revenge.
“It means a lot for not just me but for all of Europe and those 12 wonderful men and vice captains,” Olazabal said. “This one is for the whole of Europe.”
The Europeans wore the silhouette of Seve Ballesteros on their sleeves. But their inspiration came from within. “I think the boys understood believing was the most important thing,” Olazabal said.
The Americans were perceived to be stronger in singles. Individually, they were deeper and more talented. But when the blue flew up on the board early, the Europeans were inspired while the Americans shriveled. Jim Furyk bogeyed the last two holes to lose his match to Garcia. Matt Kuchar never led against Lee Westwood. Stricker was 2-over on the back nine against Kaymer. Tiger Woods, whose match didn’t matter, made just one birdie.
It was an American joke. An American choke.
george.willis@nypost.com