Cup hopes start to slip away

Sep 21 2008

Sergio Garcia suffered the heaviest defeat of his Ryder Cup career as the United States edged towards a first Ryder Cup victory in nine years at Valhalla.

Trailing 9-7 going into Sunday's 12 singles matches, European captain Nick Faldo gambled by putting Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Padraig Harrington at the bottom of the order, with Sergio Garcia sent out first against Anthony Kim.

But by the time Harrington teed off the American side were ahead in eight of the other 11 matches and Garcia was already heading to a 5&4 defeat in a highly-charged contest.

Robert Karlsson enjoyed an equally comfortable 5&3 win over Justin Leonard, Paul Casey salvaged a half against Hunter Mahan with a birdie on the 18th and Justin Rose then saw off world number two Phil Mickelson 3&2.

However, Kentucky native Kenny Perry beat Henrik Stenson and an inspired Boo Weekley was seven under for the first 10 holes on his way to defeating rookie Oliver Wilson to put Paul Azinger's side within sight of victory.

In the top match Kim was in brilliant form early on, opening with four consecutive threes. But there appeared to be little love lost between the pair, Kim looking unimpressed with Garcia's attempts to get a free drop on the sixth. In the end Garcia took a penalty drop and scrambled for a bogey, but Kim made par to go two ahead and was soon three up when Garcia put two balls into the water on the par-five seventh.

Garcia won his first hole of the day with a birdie on the 10th but promptly three-putted the 11th and 12th and bogeyed the 13th as well to fall five down with five to play. Kim sealed victory on the 14th but was initially so excited he failed to realise and headed off to the 15th tee before being called back.

Casey was in danger of defeat when Mahan holed a massive birdie putt on the 17th to go one ahead, but the American then pushed his tee shot on the 18th into the water and Casey made a superb birdie to grab a deserved half.

Mickelson briefly threatened a comeback when four down with four to play but Rose sealed a 3&2 victory in style with a 30ft birdie putt across the 16th green to inflict a fourth defeat in five singles matches on the world number two.

Soren Hansen was all square with JB Holmes after 15 holes and there was good news lower down with Graeme McDowell two ahead of Stewart Cink and Poulter - winner of three points from four matches this week - four up on Steve Stricker. Westwood was one ahead of former Open champion Ben Curtis but Harrington - who wanted "an ugly match, the uglier the better" - was one down to Chad Campbell after 11 holes.