Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 2 OcTOber 2018
U.S. has European way figured out except for winning

By DOUG FERGUSON The celebration was on,
AP Golf Writer and it sounded familiar.
SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVE- "It's difficult to talk about it
LINES, France (AP) — This is because it means so much
no time for the Americans to me over the years, and I
to panic about the Ryder did not play well this year,"
Cup. said Mickelson, who built
The goal that came out of his year around winning
the Ryder Cup Task Force the U.S. Open to complete
in late 2014 was to have the career Grand Slam and
a winning record over the winning the Ryder Cup on
next 10 matches. So even European soil, neither of
after another thorough which he had ever accom-
beating by Europe at Le plished."
Golf National, the Ameri- That remains the case.
cans still have 16 years be- In the U.S. Open, he is re-
fore deciding if they're on membered for whacking a
the right path. moving ball with his putter
One week in the suburbs out of frustration at Shin-
of Paris felt like they were necock Hills. In the Ryder
going in circles around the Cup, he is remembered los-
Arc de Triomphe. US team captain Jim Furyk attends the trophy ceremony after the European team won the 2018 ing the match that officially
They had the strongest Ryder Cup golf tournament at Le Golf National in Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines, outside Paris, France, gave Europe the points it
team based on the nine Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. needed to win.
players who had experi- "This could very well, realis-
ence winning major cham- a 10-6 lead that was too Americans after another Mickelson also got shut out, tically, be my last one," he
pionships. They had the much for the Americans to loss. playing only two matches said. Mickelson is an easy
strongest team considering overcome on a golf course Tiger Woods went 0-4, shut at Le Golf National and los- target, but some of his
all 12 were among the top with tight fairways and thick out for the first time in his ing them both, giving him a words are worth heeding.
25 players in the world rank- rough, and before more eight appearances in the record of 18-22-7. He gave credit to Europe,
ing. than 50,000 people ready Ryder Cup. The second one stung the and how could he not?
They didn't stand a chance to celebrate any shot that "That's four points to the Eu- most because it was the Molinari and Tommy Fleet-
against Europe, which reg- hit the green. ropean team," Woods said. official cup-clincher for Eu- wood were unbeatable,
istered a 17½-10½ victory. Europe dominated the sin- "And I'm one of the contrib- rope. becoming only the second
Only four times since 1979 gles, just like they did nearly uting factors to why we lost Francesco Molinari, the star tandem since this format
has the Ryder Cup been every session. Even the lone the cup. And it's not a lot of of these matches, capped began in 1979 to win all
decided by seven points session the Americans won fun." off his 5-0 week by beating their team matches. Euro-
or more, and Europe won required a little luck when He now has a 13-21-3 re- Mickelson in singles. Mick- pean captain Thomas Bjorn
three of them. Tony Finau's tee shot hit the cord in the Ryder Cup and elson had to win the last used his wild-card selec-
Starting with the Friday af- wooden plank on the edge briefly tied the record for three holes to earn a halve, tions on Henrik Stenson and
ternoon sweep of the four- of the water at the 16th most losses in Ryder Cup and instead hit his tee shot Sergio Garcia, neither of
somes sessions, Europe won hole and plopped down 3 history. The good news for into the water on the 16th whom had won a tourna-
eight consecutive match- feet away. Woods is that Phil Mickelson and immediately removed ment this year. They com-
es at one point and built It's easy to criticize the was still on the golf course. his cap. bined to go 6-1. q

Novak Djokovic credits

hike with turnaround

The Serbian tennis great sion in Belgrade. "The fi- a pause to recharge your
went from winning all four nals in Queens, the titles batteries."
Grand Slam tournaments at Wimbledon, Cincinnati However, Djokovic said
in a row in 2015-16 to a and the U.S. Open. ... In he was planning to play in
two-year drought of ma- May, who would have Shanghai next week, with
jor titles while bothered by thought I would be in this the goal of possibly over-
an elbow injury. That all position."Following those taking Rafael Nadal at the
changed at Wimbledon in big wins, Djokovic has top-ranked player by the
July, when the 31-year-old taken some time to rest. end of the year. To do that,
Djokovic won his fourth title He even pulled out of this he may end up playing in
Team Europe's Novak Djokovic hits a return to Team World's
Kevin Anderson at the Laver Cup tennis event, Saturday, Sept. at the All England Club. He week's tournament in Bei- Basel, Switzerland, and Vi-
22, 2018, in Chicago. followed that with a third jing to recuperate further. enna, Austria, before the
Associated Press U.S. Open championship, "The U.S. Open was physi- Paris Masters.
bringing his total to 14 ma- cally and mentally one "I have to see whether I'll
By DUSAN STOJANOVIC this year, and he credits jors. of the most demand- get a wild card from the
Associated Press a mind-cleansing hiking "After the trip in nature, ing Grand Slams for me," organizers," Djokovic said.
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) trip with his wife after the everything came togeth- Djokovic said. "When you "But first, I want to play my
— Novak Djokovic put French Open with the ex- er," Djokovic said Mon- win a Slam, it's like climbing best in Shanghai, and then
his career back on track traordinary turnaround. day after a training ses- Mount Everest. You need we'll see."q