Perseverance in Portugal - Michael Campbell

Michael Campbell has turned the corner, sparking a glimmer of hope in what previously looked like the back-ends of a diminishing golf career. The 43 year old has just notched up his best finish on the European Tour, not to mention his best finish worldwide, since 2008, with a tied for third finish at the Portugal Masters. I cannot remember the last time he shot four sub-par rounds in a golf tournament, like he did this week.

Campbell acknowledges the crowd during his final round

From September 2011 to March 2012, "Cambo" entered 12 events on the European Tour. He missed the cut in every single one. His performance over the duration of those two years just adds to the unfortunate picture. 27 tournaments in 2011 - 19 missed cuts and only 1 top 20. 18 tournaments so far in 2012 -12 missed cuts, and only 2 top 10s and 1 top 20. Michael is currently ranked outside the world's top 600 golfers.

It would of come as no surprise if Cambo decided to wave the white flag, surrender, and give up. I cannot imagine the emotional turmoil he must of gone through. The constant self-doubt that must have come across his mind. Wondering if he would ever rediscover the form that made him the talk of the golfing world in 2005, where he withstood a Sunday challenge from Tiger Woods to win the US Open and rise to a career high 14th in the world.

Better days: Cambo wins the 2005 US Open

However, with his recent string of results, could we be witnessing a Cambo comeback? He has recorded three top 15 finishes in his last 6 events. Hardly anything to worry the world's top golfers, but still, we need to remember that this is something he has not done for a very long time.



Over the last three months, Campbell has been working with swing coach Jonathan Yarwood, who incidently was his former swing coach. They decided to split ties a few years ago, but the recent success of this reunion is a cause for optimism. Michael has recently moved to Spain, from his former home in Switzerland, and now sits 86th on the Race to Dubai. The top 60 on that list will make their way to the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai for the season ending DP World Tour Championship. Cambo has a handful of tournaments left before the tournament begins on November the 22nd. A pair of top 10s will likely catapult him over the top 60 barrier.

In a post-tournament interview after the Portugal Masters on Radio Sport, Cambo stated that he is enjoying his golf again, and that his goal in the final round was to essentially have fun, or "smile" to use his word. From the doldrums of the last 4 years, this newly relaxed and confident Michael Campbell is great to see. He has drawn his inspiration from fellow over-40 golfers such as 2012 British Open winner Ernie Els, and Fiji's Vijay Singh, who earned $1.5 million (US dollars) this season on the PGA Tour.

Michael probably has 4-5 years left to make some noise again on the professional golfing circuit. Are on the verge of something special? Who knows. He was at 150-1 odds to win the US Open in 2005, was completely out of form throughout the first half of that year, and needed a two-metre putt just to qualify. How did that turn out?

Emphatic Europe

It has already been labelled the "Miracle at Medinah."

Only once before in 38 previous Ryder Cups had a team come from 10-6 down to rally for the win on the final day. That was the Americans back in 1999 at Brookline Massachusetts. Today, at the Medinah course in Chicago, in the 39th staging of golf's biennial tournament, the Europeans did exactly that in front of a patriotic American crowd. 

Captain Jose Maria Olazabal lifts the Ryder Cup, fittingly dedicating the win to fellow Spaniard, the late Seve Ballesteros

Trailing 10-6 going into the third and final day, Europe had yet to win any of the four previous sessions on Friday and Saturday. To win, they would have to win 8 out of 12 singles matches, and considering the dominance of most of the American team so far, it seemed near impossible.

Europe team captain Jose Maria Olazabal sent out his big guns early on in the day with the hope of gaining some ground on the Americans. It proved to be a very clever move as they delivered in the best possible way. Luke Donald overcame Bubba Watson 2&1; Ian Poulter once again wore his heart on his sleeve with a 2up win over Webb Simpson; World number one Rory McIlroy - who almost missed his tee time - had a close 2&1 win over the previously undefeated Keegan Bradley; Justin Rose finished with two long birdie putts on 17 and 18 to beat Phil Mickelson 1up; and veteran Scotsman Paul Lawrie downed Fed Ex Cup champion Brandt Snedeker 5&3.

Bang! 5-0 Europe on Sunday so far, and within the blink of an eye the Americans were trailing 10-11.

However unless the Europe's bottom order played their part, the Ryder Cup would be going to the Americans. It looked that way for a little while during the middle of the day, with the two Johnson's, Zach and Dustin, chalking up close wins over Graeme McDowell and Nicolas Colsaerts respectively. USA 12, Europe 11.

In what turned out to be one of the defining moments of this Ryder Cup, Jim Furyk missed a 6 footer for par on the 18th to lose one down to Europe's Sergio Garcia. Jason Dufner cancelled that out for the Americans by winning 2up over Peter Hansen, and the Americans maintained their one point lead: 13-12.

Then the worm turned. Lee Westwood calmly made par on the 16th to beat Matt Kuchar 3&2 to square up the scoreboard, and Martin Kaymer - who had suffered a compete loss of form this year - won the par 3 17th against American Steve Stricker to go dormie 1up, meaning that if Kaymer halved the last, Europe would reach the magical 14 point number and retain the Ryder Cup.

Germany's Martin Kaymer celebrates with Sergio Garcia after sinking the winning putt.

Stricker composed himself to make a clutch 7 footer for par on the 18th, giving Kaymer a 6 foot putt to win the match and, in turn, the Ryder Cup. It never looked like missing, and straight away he turned towards his team mates, jumping into the open arms of Sergio Garcia.


Europe now had an unassailable lead: 14-13, and even if Tiger Woods defeated Francesco Molinari in the final match of the day, it would only put the USA equal on points with Europe, and since Europe won 2 years ago at Celtic Manor, that would not be good enough. Molinari found the green from a fairway bunker while Tiger missed the green from the middle of the fairway, and the matched ended up all square. Final score: Europe 14.5 - 13.5 USA.

Here is a summary of how each individual performed, in terms of their points contribution out of a total possible points. Remember, some played more matches than others. In no particular order:

Europe:                                                           USA                   

Ian Poulter:                          4/4                      Tiger Woods:          0.5/4
Lee Westwood:                   2/4                       Dustin Johnson:      3/3
Justin Rose:                         3/5                       Matt Kuchar:         2/3
Rory McIlroy:                     3/5                       Bubba Watson:      2/4
Graeme McDowell:             1/4                       Jason Dufner:        3/4 
Luke Donald:                      2/4                       Zach Johnson:       3/4
Sergio Garcia:                     2/4                       Steve Stricker:      0/4 
Francesco Molinari:            0.5/3                     Jim Furyk:            1/3
Nicolas Colsaerts:               1/4                       Phil Mickelson:     3/4    
Martin Kaymer:                  1/2                       Webb Simpson:     2/4
Paul Lawrie:                        1/3                       Brandt Snedeker:   1/3
Peter Hanson:                      0/2                      Keegan Bradley:    3/4

A week to forget: Tiger failed to win a point for his team.

Notable mentions: Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson won all three of their matches when paired together. Hence it was very strange that USA captain Davis Love III did not send them out on Sunday afternoon to continue their hot streak. Suprisingly, Tiger Woods did not win a match, and when taking into account his obvious talent, that is dissapointing. Love III selected Dustin Johnson as a captain's pick, and he definitely played his part going undefeated over the three days. However, fellow captain's pick Steve Stricker did not contribute anything, but he was unfortunate to not pick up a half against Kaymer in the singles.

On a side note, it was extremely dissapointing to hear reports on boorish-like behaviour from the American crowds. Not that the European crowds are saints - some of them cheered when American Hunter Mahan duffed his chip shot at the last Ryder Cup - but when I read reports on spectators abusing Justin Rose's late father, Graeme McDowell's partner, cursing the late Seve Ballesteros, and yes, even asking Ian Poulter if his shoes come in men's size, it just makes me sick to be perfectly honest. That is not the sort of things you want circulating at a golf tournament, not to mention to frequent "get in the bunker" or "get in the water" taunts as players hit their shots.


Oh the trouble of selecting that one defining moment. If I had to pick one moment that I thought won Ryder Cup for Europe, it would be Ian Poulter's remarkable performance late on Saturday evening, where partnered with McIlroy, he finished with five straight birdies, including a 15 footer for birdie on the last, to beat the American duo of Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner 1up. If it was not for the Poluter-McIlroy win, Europe would of been 11-5 down before the final day singles, a daunting prospect. Poulter truly embodies the spirit of the Ryder Cup, and arguably expresses his jubilation more than any other player on Europe's team.

Was this the moment that won the Ryder Cup? Poulter celebrates his fourball win on Saturday

Some have suggested that the reasons for the Europeans' continuous success in golf's flagship team event is due to the fact European players - especially while on the European Tour that involves tournaments dispeersed across Europe, Asia and the Middle East - spend more time on the road and in  hotels away from their families, and hence are able to form close bonds with their fellow professionals. This is in contrast with many of the Americans pros, who tend to travel throughout one country - the US - either as individuals or with their partners; but ultimately, spending not as much time away from the course with their golfing buddies as the Europeans do. Not that it is a bad thing to spend time with your close ones, it's just that much more easier to develop some sort of "brotherhood" amongst players as a European plying his trade on the European Tour.

It now means that Team USA has only won 1 Ryder Cup since the new millennium, that was back in 2008. When the teams meet again in two years time at Gleneagles in Scotland, it would be hard to bet against the Europeans winning their third straight Ryder Cup. Especially with guys like Ian "Poults" Poulter firing up a whole continent.