Ryder Cup -- End of Day 4

Well, at least we made the Guardian nervous for an hour or so. Here's how things ended:

Westwood (EUR) 2&1 Stricker (USA)
McIlroy (EUR) Halved Cink (USA)
Donald (EUR) 1 UP Furyk (USA)
Kaymer (EUR) 6&4 D. Johnson (USA)
Poulter (EUR) 5&4 Kuchar (USA)
Fischer (EUR) 3&2 Overton (USA)
Jimenez (EUR) 4&3 Watson (USA)
F. Molinari (EUR) 4&3 Woods (USA)
E. Molinari (EUR) Halved Fowler (USA)
Hanson (EUR) 4&2 Mickelson (USA)
Harrington (EUR) 3&2 Z. Johnson (USA)
McDowell (EUR) 3&1 Mahan (USA)

Result of singles matches: Europe 5 - 7 United States

Final Total: Europe 14 1/2 - 13 1/2 United States

To be honest, I think the final result was extremely flattering to the United States. McDowell was never in much danger in his match with Mahan, so there was never a time when you really thought the Americans were going to pull this out. The Europeans were always the better side, they deserved to win, and they did win.

I will say this for the Americans. I predicted Europe would win 17-11, in large part because I thought the Americans would be hopelessly behind going into the singles, and they would throw in the towel. And they were hopelessly behind going into the singles. But they did not throw in the towel. They really did play hard all the way to the end. So I give them credit for that.

But looking back on the results since 1985, you can see why I have developed a severe antipathy toward this event:

1985: Europe
1987: Europe
1989: Tie (Europe retains cup)
1991: USA
1993: USA
1995: Europe
1997: Europe
1999: USA
2002: Europe
2004: Europe
2006: Europe
2008: USA
2010: Europe

So in the last 13 matches, the Europeans have gone home with the cup 9 times. That is simply a dreadful result.