Meticulous Paul McGinley Puts Dominant Europe on Verge of 2014 Ryder Cup Rout

GLENEAGLES, Scotland—Europe knows how to overcome a 10-6 deficit going into the final day of a Ryder Cup, so logic would suggest that they also have an idea about how to avoid throwing such a lead away.

Two years on from the “Miracle at Medinah” it is Paul McGinley’s side who hold the commanding lead going into the final day. Having planned meticulously to reach this point, perhaps only over-confidence can now cause another remarkable turnaround.

If the singles are about individual combat—mano a mano—then the team matches of the opening two days do much more to bring the captains into play. On Saturday, Paul McGinley continued to show his edge over Tom Watson.

In the fourballs, the Americans have arguably demonstrated that they have the more consistent overall team this week—those contests ultimately went 5-3 in their favour—but in the foursomes, where teamwork, organisation and strategy come to the fore, it was Europe who cleaned up again on Saturday—quite probably creating a decisive advantage in the process.

As McGinley executed a carefully pre-prepared plan, one that seemed to cover every eventuality, Watson was embroiled in a debate via text over whether Phil Mickelson would play on Saturday—dwelling on the smaller picture and losing sight of the bigger one.

It was this contrast in styles that foursomes had exposed. It was this contrast in approaches that enabled Europe to win the format 7-1 overall. Considering the quality of the 24 players on show—all-in-all, a misplaced putt here and a loose chip there is about the only real difference between them all in terms of ability—that sort of discrepancy is statistically unlikely.

"

1. The more we learn about Paul McGinley, the more impressive he gets. He's like a brilliant CEO rather than a sports coach.

— Shane Ryan (@ShaneRyanHere) September 27, 2014"

For the second day in a row Europe won 3.5 points from a possible 4 from the more volatile alternate-shot format, delighting the Gleneagles crowd with some of their play and setting the stage for a possible rout on Sunday.

Of course, that was supposed to be the hosts’ game plan in 2012. But the very fact that turnaround happened leaves Europe even better placed to avoid it this time around.

“The big word is ‘complacency’,” McGinley said afterwards. “This job is far from finished. We’re in great position, but we’ve got a lot of work to do tomorrow.”

For the second day in a row, McGinley avoided the mistakes that plagued his opposite number. Watson benched Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley, who both looked tired in afternoon defeats on Friday, for the entire day, and then saw Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler fall apart in similar fashion in the afternoon as the exertions of their three previous matches—all of which went to the 18th—caught up with them.

McGinley, in contrast, got things spot on; Henrik Stenson’s bad back saw him rested in the afternoon, but even without him, his usual partner Justin Rose holed a five-footer at the 18th to earn himself and Martin Kaymer a half against the deeply impressive Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.

Victor Dubuisson and Graeme McDowell, McGinley’s assigned foursomes specialists, then went five-under for 14 holes—with McGinley’s similarly matched pairing of Westwood and Donaldson also winning their second foursomes match in a row.

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Watson expressed his delight at how well Spieth and Reed (2.5 points from 3) had come together as a partnership, saying their “attitude” made him think they would be good together from the first day the squad was together.

That was the US team’s one bright spot—Europe and McGinley had come up with three or four.

“I think we have been lucky to have some wonderful partnerships,” McGinley stated, although his duos were a product of months of thought and consideration. “Golf is very much an individual game and it doesn’t breed that kind of [leadership] personality. [Westwood] has played that incredibly well…we’ve seen Graeme now step up to the plate.”

When pushed on his pairing strategy, he added: “[Personality] is a massive, massive part. Henrik and Justin’s partnership came along because of personality more than golf game. That’s a huge part of it, that ability to just gel.”

After the day Watson talked about second-guessing some of his decisions and how possible it was to get things wrong "working on the fly." At one point he mentioned how the hardest thing was “getting his pairings in on time”. McGinley, in contrast, talked about how far in advance he had planned some of his pairings and strategies.

"This is why you don't see a lot of me on the golf course," McGinley stated. "I'm plotting our next move."

“Maybe playing the players too much would be one regret,” Watson acknowledged. “They got a little tired. Might have done it differently if I knew they were going to be that way.”

Europe remember Medinah, where they won the first five singles matches on Sunday to begin to turn the tide. McGinley said he knew 18 months ago he wanted McDowell to be his first man out in any situation, but particularly one that saw them leading by a similar margin. That is the sort of planning we are talking about with the Northern Irishman.

“You go in with a plan,” he said. “Nothing is written in stone. You have to react, and if you’re not able to react you’ve got a problem.

“I always had in mind Graeme was going to play No. 1. I only shared it with Graeme on Thursday on Wednesday when I told him his role this week.”

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Seven (of a possible eight) Americans played twice on Saturday. Just five Europeans doubled up, meaning the hosts showed they not only have the four-point advantage on Sunday, they should be fresher. If Watson made the mental errors on Friday and Saturday, it might be some of the Americans making them on Sunday.

“We all believe it’s possible,” Spieth, the team’s new talisman, nevertheless said. “Everyone in our team room believes we can do [it].”

For Europe, the opening two days have seen the execution of a meticulous plan. It does not guarantee victory, but it gives them every chance.

“You know Paul has had a purpose for each and every one of us on the team,” Rory McIlroy noted. “He’s known when to put players in, when to take players out, and he’s had that plan all along.

“It’s definitely one of the reasons why we’re in this position going into Sunday.”

Now Europe just has to finish the job off.

All quotes obtained firsthand unless stated.