Ryder Cup 2014: Final Grades for Team USA
Here's a shock: For most of the U.S. side in the Ryder Cup 2014 at Gleneagles, the grades weren't very good in their losing effort.
In fact, the team never looked better as a whole than it did in the pre-tournament photo above.
Interviewed on course immediately after Jamie Donaldson retained the Cup for the Euros with a win over Keegan Bradley, U.S. captain Tom Watson pointed to foursomes play as his team's downfall. The U.S. side won just one point in foursomes. The Europeans won seven.
While that may be the difference on paper, the real difference is that few veterans were able to step up for the U.S. Only Patrick Reed brought consistent intensity and quality play—Jordan Spieth to a lesser degree.
Captain Watson made a mistake playing Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson on Friday afternoon. He then made a mistake sitting the duo for both sessions Saturday. His decision to turn off the faucet of emotion and brilliant play from rookies Spieth and Reed by benching them Friday afternoon was questionable at best.
Watson, for his part, didn't do anything as a captain that smacked of brilliant strategy, short of pairing Spieth and Reed, which didn't seem to be his decision anyway.
He gets a C- for his efforts, meaning he was slightly worse than what we would have expected from an average captain.
An "A" in this ranking equates to a player who got points in all his matches, with room for adjustment based on our collective expectations. A "C" earned points about half the time, and an "F" didn't get any points.
How did captain Watson's players stack up? Click through to see.
Patrick Reed
1 of 12
The rookie duo of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed handled Stephen Gallacher and Ian Poulter in their Friday fourball match. Spieth and Reed won six holes to the Europeans' one, and it was Reed displaying a Poulterian level of intensity.
Captain Watson then elected to sit Reed Friday afternoon, for some reason.
The pair were brilliant again Saturday morning, toppling Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer 5 and 3. In the afternoon, Reed and Spieth let Justin Rose and Kaymer off the ropes as the Europeans won the 18th hole to halve the match.
Sunday, Reed faced Henrik Stenson in a battle of quality play and contrasting demeanors. Stenson missed a short putt at the 18th to halve the match, and Reed posted an incredible 3-0-1 record for the competition.
Final grade: A
Phil Mickelson
2 of 12
Phil Mickelson joined forces with his Medinah running mate Keegan Bradley to beat Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy 1 up Friday morning. Looking tired, the pair fell to Victor Dubuisson and Graeme McDowell 3 and 2 in the afternoon.
Captain Watson controversially elected to sit the pair for both matches Saturday.
Rested, Mickelson won his final three holes against Stephen Gallacher to take the match 3 and 1. Overall, Mickelson was 2-1-0 at Gleneagles.
Final grade: B
Jordan Spieth
3 of 12
Jordan Spieth and fellow rookie Patrick Reed, the youngest team in Ryder Cup history, dominated Stephen Gallacher and Ian Poulter in their Friday fourball match. The Americans won six holes to the Europeans' one, and Spieth showed real intensity.
Captain Watson sat Spieth Friday afternoon.
Reed and Spieth nearly beat Justin Rose and Martin Kaymer Saturday. The Europeans, however, won the 18th hole to halve the match. The duo beat Thomas Bjorn and Kaymer 5 and 3 in afternoon play.
Sunday, Spieth wasn't up to the task against stalwart Graeme McDowell, who took over on the back nine to beat the young American.
Spieth's tally for his first Ryder Cup: 2-1-1.
Final grade: B
.jpg?w=256)
Jimmy Walker
4 of 12
Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler, paired in both sessions Friday, halved matches against Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer and the powerhouse team of Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia.
In Saturday fourball, the Walker and Fowler team halved a back-and-forth match with McIlroy and Ian Poulter, but they lost foursomes in the afternoon to Dubuisson and McDowell, 5 and 4.
In a meaningless match against Lee Westwood in Sunday singles, Walker jumped out to an early lead and took down the Ryder Cup veteran.
In his first Ryder Cup, Walker was 1-1-3.
Final grade: B
Rickie Fowler
5 of 12
Playing with rookie Jimmy Walker in both morning and afternoon play Friday, Fowler halved matches against Thomas Bjorn and Martin Kaymer and the duo of Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia.
In Saturday fourball, the pair halved a back-and-forth match with McIlroy and Ian Poulter, which was one of the few bright spots for Watson's squad in the session. In afternoon foursomes, they lost badly to Dubuisson and McDowell, 5 and 4.
McIlroy embarrassed Fowler in the pair's Sunday singles match. Fowler won just one hole against the Ulsterman, losing 5 and 4. Fowler looked outmatched and never got any momentum versus the world No. 1, whose play improved as the Cup progressed.
Final grade: C
Hunter Mahan
6 of 12
Friday, Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson lost two of the final three holes to fall to Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson in afternoon alternate shot play.
Jim Furyk and Mahan each played quality golf in Saturday morning fourball play, toppling Jamie Donaldson and Lee Westwood 4 and 3. They were unable to reprise the morning performance Saturday afternoon. The duo won just one hole, losing to the formidable duo of Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia 3 and 2.
Four up through seven holes, Mahan took the choke over the remainder of his Sunday singles match with Rose. The pair halved the match.
Mahan was 1-2-1 for the week.
Final grade: C-
Keegan Bradley
7 of 12
A dynamic duo at Medinah, Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickelson beat Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy 1 up Friday morning. Their luck ran out in the afternoon, however, as the pair fell to Victor Dubuisson and Graeme McDowell 3 and 2.
Captain Watson controversially elected to sit the pair for both matches Saturday.
Jamie Donaldson bested Bradley in singles play Sunday to clinch Europe's victory.
Bradley's final '14 tally: 1-2-0.
Final grade: D
Webb Simpson
8 of 12
Prior to Sunday singles play, captain's pick Webb Simpson only saw action in one match. Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson embarrassed Simpson and Bubba Watson on Friday morning: The pair lost 5 and 4.
Simpson held his own against a struggling Ian Poulter in Sunday singles play, securing a half point for the U.S.
For the week, the captain's pick was 0-1-1.
Final grade: D
Jim Furyk
9 of 12
Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar didn't jell Friday afternoon, losing 2 up to Jamie Donaldson and Lee Westwood.
On Saturday morning, though, Furyk and Hunter Mahan beat Donaldson and Westwood 4 and 3 in fourball play. Furyk and Mahan couldn't duplicate that performance Saturday afternoon, winning just one hole and losing to the formidable duo of Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia 3 and 2.
Battling Garcia on Sunday, Furyk was 1 up through 14 holes. As he tends to do, however, Furyk faltered down the stretch, losing to the Spaniard.
Furyk posted an uninspiring 1-3-0 mark at Gleneagles.
Final grade: D
Matt Kuchar
10 of 12
Matt Kuchar didn't have any luck playing with Jim Furyk on Friday afternoon, losing 2 up.
Kuchar joined forces with Bubba Watson to lose 3 and 2 in Saturday morning fourball play. In foursomes play Saturday afternoon, Kuchar teamed with fellow veteran Zach Johnson. Unfortunately, the result wasn't any better: The pair fell to Jamie Donaldson and Lee Westwood.
Sunday, Kuchar redeemed himself slightly, beating Thomas Bjorn 4 and 3 to capture a point.
Kuchar was 1-3-0 at Gleneagles.
Final grade: D
Zach Johnson
11 of 12
Zach Johnson played in both foursomes sessions. Unfortunately for the American side, he didn't play well. Paired with Hunter Mahan on Friday, the pair lost two of the final three holes to Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson to lose their match.
Joining with Kuchar on Saturday, the American side was vanquished by the duo of Jamie Donaldson and Lee Westwood.
On Sunday, Victor Dubuisson continued to impress and Johnson continued to not. However, Johnson was gritty at the finish to halve the match.
Johnson was 0-2-1 for the Cup.
Final grade: D
Bubba Watson
12 of 12
Bubba Watson paired with Webb Simpson in Friday morning fourball play. The pair lost 5 and 4 to Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson.
Watson wasn't any better Saturday. Playing with Matt Kuchar, the pair lost three holes on the back nine to fall to Rose and Stenson again.
Martin Kaymer stuck it to a resigned Watson in Sunday singles, beating him 4 and 2.
Bubba didn't earn a point in the competition, posting an 0-3-0 record.
The left-hander made a case for the captain's un-pick: getting rid of a player who qualifies on points because he brings nothing to the competition and doesn't care.
Horrible performance from the U.S. side's leading points-getter.
Final grade: F
.jpg?w=480)
.jpg?w=480)
