Ryder Cup fallout: We knew that was coming

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Here’s a shocker: The British Press is blistering European Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo for his decisions on Sunday as the U.S. won the Cup back from Europe.

Tops among the vitriol was the premise that Faldo’s ego got in the way as he put his heavy-hitters -- Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell -- at the back of the lineup in Sunday’s singles matches, meaning the outcome would already be decided by the time their matches were completed. Obviously, the papers said, Faldo needed to front-load his lineup to ensure that the Euros got off to a lead.

I’m not sure whether that’s the way he should have done it, but I am sure of one thing: If Faldo had put the most successful golfers first and put his struggling golfers at the end, and the U.S. still won the Cup, you can bet your last British pound that Faldo would have been pilloried for failing to put any strong golfers in positions to win what could have been critical late matches.

--Mike James