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We're two-thirds through the 37th Ryder Cup and the Americans are holding onto a 9-7 lead heading into the Sunday singles matches. The Europeans trailed 5 1/2 - 2 1/2 after Day 1, and 7-5 after the Saturday morning foursomes, and despite cutting into the lead, nobody had the U.S. a) being competitive, and b) two full points up on a European team that won the last two events without much effort.
But this is different -- so far, at least -- and maybe it's because the Americans have rallied around not having Tiger, or perhaps a revitalized Justin Leonard, outta-nowhere performances from Steve Stricker or Hunter Mahan, or clutch ball-striking from Boo Weekley have all been the catalyst. Whatever, captain Paul Azinger has to be ecstatic about the team's predicament, and, if nothing else, the U.S. will be spared a Saturday night Ben Crenshaw "I have a good feeling about this" pep talk.
Now, though, the Americans have to play with the lead, which puts the pressure squarely on their shoulders, a position they are not familiar with in the Ryder Cup.
As for the Europeans, captain Nick Faldo suddenly looks much less insane after sending Oliver Wilson out in the morning foursomes while benching Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia. Wilson and Henrik Stenson (or "Stevenson" if you're the starter) won 2 and 1 over Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim.
And Ian Poulter, considered to be a questionable captain's selection -- particularly with Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie not making the team -- has proven everybody wrong, earning three points in three matches. And in the process, becoming arguably the biggest d-bag on a golf course that also includes Weekley's "raise the roof" antics. (Or, as Shane so eloquently put it: "Memo to Poulter: you can't look intimidating with frosted spikes.") No small feat, that. But, hey, when you're striping every drive, nailing every approach shot and draining every putt you look at, you've probably earned that right.
Whether it's enough, well, we'll know more in about 18 hours.
Sunday's singles pairings:
12:03 p.m. - Anthony Kim, United States, vs. Sergio Garcia, Europe.
12:14 p.m. - Hunter Mahan, United States, vs. Paul Casey, Europe.
12:25 p.m. - Justin Leonard, United States, vs. Robert Karlsson, Europe.
12:36 p.m. - Phil Mickelson, United States, vs. Justin Rose, Europe.
12:47 p.m. - Kenny Perry, United States, vs. Henrik Stenson, Europe.
12:58 p.m. - Boo Weekley, United States, vs. Oliver Wilson, Europe.
1:09 p.m. - J.B. Holmes, United States, vs. Soren Hansen, Europe.
1:20 p.m. - Jim Furyk, United States, vs. Miguel Angel Jimenez, Europe.
1:31 p.m. - Stewart Cink, United States, vs. Graeme McDowell, Europe.
1:42 p.m. - Steve Stricker, United States, vs. Ian Poulter, Europe.
1:53 p.m. - Ben Curtis, United States, vs. Lee Westwood, Europe.
2:04 p.m. - Chad Campbell, United States, vs. Padraig Harrington, Europe.
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