Ryder Cup 2014: Final Grades for Team Europe
Obviously, the European Ryder Cup team had grown tired of winning the golden trophy by a single point as it had done the last two times the matches had been held.
There was no worry about that this time as the Europeans pounded the United States, 16.5 to 11.5—three wins in a row and eight of the last 10.
Whether it was superior coaching or home-field advantage or whatever the reason, the Europeans dominated.
For sure there were plenty of outstanding individual performances that led to the team win.
It's time to hand out grades to those 12 individuals. Check out the list to see if you agree.
Rory McIlroy
1 of 12
2014 Record: 2-1-2
Career Record: 6-4-4
Rory McIlroy was very good Friday and Saturday in the Ryder Cup, but he found a new level Sunday.
In a big singles match against Rickie Fowler, the world's No. 1 player took Fowler out of the match before he even had a chance to get in it. How's this for a start: Birdie, eagle, birdie.
The match lasted 14 holes, and McIlroy made five birdies and an eagle in that time.
It was a dominating performance very reminiscent of how he played this summer.
Grade: A+
Sergio Garcia
2 of 12
2014 Record: 2-1-1
Career Record: 18-9-5
Maybe Sergio Garcia isn't the player he used to be. Maybe he's not the flamboyant personality he used to be, the guy who used to be able to whip Ryder Cup crowds into frenzies by making clutch putts all over the golf course.
But the man keeps winning Ryder Cup matches. He once again proved his toughness, making birdies on the 16th and 17th holes Sunday to come back and beat Jim Furyk, 1-up. He beat Furyk in the singles in 2012 as well.
No doubt about it, he'll go down as one of the Ryder Cup's all-time greats.
Grade: B+
Henrik Stenson
3 of 12
2014 Record: 3-1-0
Career Record: 5-4-2
Henrik Stenson came to Gleneagles this week not playing all that well, coming off three so-so performances in the FedEx Cup playoffs. But as has happened in the past, when European players step into the Ryder Cup environment, past form disappears, and they become fearless competitors.
Stenson had not had much Ryder Cup success, as shown by his 2-3-2 mark. He was a rock, a model of consistency in being a part of three winning matches. Sunday he ran into the most emotional American and struggled against Patrick Reed the whole way around, finally losing to a birdie on the final hole.
The 38-year-old native of Sweden was a great steadying influence for the victorious Europeans.
Grade: B+
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Thomas Bjorn
4 of 12
2014 record: 0-2-1
Career record: 3-4-2
Thomas Bjorn hadn't played in the Ryder Cup, but the 43-year-old native of Denmark played his way onto the 2014 team. He had been a vice-captain for the European team in between playing appearances, however.
His biggest contribution to the team this week was when he and partner Martin Kaymer were able to grind out a halve with Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker in their opening match.
In what could be his final appearance in the event, Bjorn was a disappointment.
Grade: C
Stephen Gallacher
5 of 12
2014 Record: 0-2-0
Career Record: 0-2-0
Scotland's Stephen Gallacher was, no doubt, under a lot of pressure at Gleneagles. He was a 39-year-old rookie in the competition. He is a native of Scotland and lives less than an hour from the site of the matches.
He teamed with Ian Poulter on the first day, and they were hammered by Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, 5-and-4. Gallacher didn't record a single birdie in that match.
He did make three birdies Sunday in his singles match against Phil Mickelson, but that was only half as many as Mickelson, who won the last three holes.
It was a learning experience for Gallacher for sure.
Grade: D
Justin Rose
6 of 12
2014 Record: 3-0-2
Career Record: 9-3-2
There is no MVP award in the Ryder Cup, but if there was, Justin Rose would be the unanimous winner.
He made it through five matches unbeaten and did so with an amazing putting performance throughout.
But when he's done being a powerful force in Ryder Cups, Rose will long be remembered for the half-point he earned for Europe in the Sunday singles.
Rose found himself down by four through six holes to a suddenly red-hot Hunter Mahan, but he started chipping away at that deficit. Well, OK, so maybe it wasn't chipping away. How about obliterating the four-hole deficit with four straight birdies?
Mahan melted down on the 18th, ending up with a bogey that allowed the match to be halved.
Grade: A+
Ian Poulter
7 of 12
2014 Record: 0-1-2
Career Record: 12-4-2
Over the course of his four previous Ryder Cup appearances, Ian Poulter had become Mr. Ryder Cup for Europe.
He was something less than that this weekend, putting up a 0-1-2 record.
That might come as a surprise, but Poulter had not played well on either the PGA or European Tours this year.
He was able to make a birdie on the 18th hole of his singles match against Webb Simpson to get a halve.
Poulter's big moment came when he chipped in for a birdie on the 15th hole on Saturday, a shot that revved up the crowd like he used to.
Unfortunately for him, that was the only glimpse of Poulter of the past.
Grade: C
Graeme McDowell
8 of 12
2014 Record: 3-0-0
Career Record: 8-5-2
Starting off as the first match of the day, this was a statement-maker for both teams. Jordan Spieth knew getting a point on the board for the U.S. could get things going for his team, and McDowell knew he could throw an emotional dagger into the Americans with a win.
He not only did that, but he also came from 3-down at the turn to win 2-and-1.
The veteran Northern Irishman was a rock for captain Paul McGinley, winning all three of his matches, including two with Ryder Cup rookie Victor Dubuisson of France.
Grade: A
Martin Kaymer
9 of 12
2014 Record: 1-1-2
Career Record: 4-3-3
Martin Kaymer won the Players Championship and U.S. Open a few months ago and was the rave of the golf world. He went quiet for a while following those victories, but Kaymer was a solid contributor for Team Europe.
He was part of two pairings that halved matches. He and Thomas Bjorn were steamrolled by the duo of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed, but he hammered a clueless Bubba Watson in the singles, 4-and-2. Kaymer capped that match by holing a very difficult chip on the 16th hole for his sixth birdie of the day.
Grade: B
Jamie Donaldson
10 of 12
2014 Record: 3-1-0
Career Record: 3-1-0
There is no such award, but Jamie Donaldson would certainly be in the running for rookie of the year in the 2014 Ryder Cup.
Not only was he a rookie, but he also became the first golfer from Wales to play in the Ryder Cup.
None of that seemed to bother him, however.
He was solid throughout and his 4-and-3 win over Keegan Bradley proved to be the clinching point for Europe. Donaldson staked himself to a 4-up lead with birdies on 11 and 12 and finally put Bradley away on the 15th.
Grade: A
Lee Westwood
11 of 12
2014 Record: 2-2-0
Career Record: 20-15-6
Lee Westwood had a great Ryder Cup, despite posting just a 2-2 record. By doing so, he became the fifth player in European Ryder Cup history to record 20 wins in his career.
Westwood was beaten in Sunday by the United States' Jimmy Walker, 3-and-2, but he had teamed with Jamie Donaldson to win two matches.
At age 41, there may not be too many more Ryder Cup teams for Westwood.
Grade: B-
Victor Dubuisson
12 of 12
2014 Record: 2-0-1
Career Record: 2-0-1
The 24-year-old Frenchman is very quiet, preferring to let his golf clubs do the talking and they spoke volumes this weekend.
Victor Dubuisson came within a hole of becoming the first rookie to go 3-0 in the Ryder Cup since Phil Mickelson did it in 1995.
He was 1-up over Zach Johnson going to the 18th hole Sunday, but Johnson made a birdie to salvage a half-point.
Dubuisson teamed with veteran Graeme McDowell to post 3-and-2 and 5-and-4 victories.
It certainly looks like Dubuisson will become a a key component of the future of European Ryder Cup golf.
Grade: B
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