Ryder Cup Results 2014: Analyzing Top Individuals from Europe's Gleneagles Rout
Team Europe retained the Ryder Cup last Sunday, defeating the USA 16.5 to 11.5 en route to a third consecutive triumph in the biennial competition.
The cohesion on the winning European side at Gleaneagles was a stark juxtaposition to the discombobulation and lack of chemistry from the underdog Americans. However, there were several individuals from Team Europe who stood out and shined time and again in pivotal moments.
World No. 1 Rory McIlroy posted a stellar 2-1-1 record, including a 5 and 4 trouncing of Rickie Fowler in Sunday singles. Justin Ray of the Golf Channel highlighted just how hot McIlroy got:
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That form was to be expected, though, based on McIlroy's two previous major wins and flirtation with the FedEx Cup trophy this year.
Let's take a look at some of Europe's other top 2014 Ryder Cup players and what their stupendous performances mean moving forward for their careers and futures in this particular event.
Note: Stats courtesy of PGATour.com and RyderCup.com.
| 1 | Fourball | Watson/Simpson | Rose/Stenson | EUR, 5&4 |
| 1 | Fourball | Fowler/Walker | Bjorn/Kaymer | Halved |
| 1 | Fourball | Spieth/Reed | Gallacher/Poulter | USA, 5&4 |
| 1 | Fourball | Bradley/Mickelson | Garcia/McIlroy | USA, 1-up |
| 1 | Foursomes | Furyk/Kaymer | Donaldson/Westwood | EUR, 2-up |
| 1 | Foursomes | Mahan/Johnson | Rose/Stenson | EUR, 2&1 |
| 1 | Foursomes | Walker/Fowler | McIlroy/Garcia | Halved |
| 1 | Foursomes | Mickelson/Bradley | Dubuisson/McDowell | EUR, 3&2 |
| 2 | Fourball | Watson/Kuchar | Rose/Stenson | EUR, 3&2 |
| 2 | Fourball | Furyk/Mahan | Donaldson/Westwood | USA, 4&3 |
| 2 | Fourball | Reed/Spieth | Bjorn/Kaymer | USA, 5&3 |
| 2 | Fourball | Walker/Fowler | McIlroy/Poulter | Halved |
| 2 | Foursomes | Johnson/Kuchar | Donaldson/Westwood | EUR, 2&1 |
| 2 | Foursomes | Furyk/Mahan | Garcia/McIlroy | EUR, 3&2 |
| 2 | Foursomes | Spieth/Reed | Kaymer/Rose | Halved |
| 2 | Foursomes | Walker/Fowler | Dubuisson/McDowell | EUR, 5&4 |
| 3 | Singles | Spieth | McDowell | EUR, 2&1 |
| 3 | Singles | Reed | Stenson | USA, 1-up |
| 3 | Singles | Fowler | McIlroy | EUR, 5&4 |
| 3 | Singles | Mahan | Rose | Halved |
| 3 | Singles | Mickelson | Gallacher | USA, 3&1 |
| 3 | Singles | Watson | Kaymer | EUR, 4&2 |
| 3 | Singles | Kuchar | Bjorn | USA, 4&3 |
| 3 | Singles | Furyk | Garcia | EUR, 1-up |
| 3 | Singles | Simpson | Poulter | Halved |
| 3 | Singles | Bradley | Donaldson | EUR, 4&3 |
| 3 | Singles | Walker | Westwood | USA, 3&2 |
| 3 | Singles | Johnson | Dubuisson | Halved |
Graeme McDowell (3-0-0)
The man who closed out the Cup for Europe in 2010 at Celtic Manor came through in the clutch again, taking rookie Victor Dubuisson under his wing to dominate two foursomes matches.
In the first, the European tandem defeated the previously undefeated American duo of Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley 3 and 2. Then, McDowell proceeded to get a full point with Dubuisson again on Saturday in a 5 and 4 triumph over Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker.
Although Dubuisson's brilliance had a lot to do with McDowell's success, Adam Sarson of theScore noted how tough the Northern Irish star is in this format:
McDowell was trusted by Europe captain Paul McGinley to go out in the first match, but he fell behind to USA rookie Jordan Spieth, finding himself trailing by as many as four holes and three-down entering the back nine.
The veteran McDowell showed the grit that made him a 2010 U.S. Open champion and a singles finale winner at that year's Ryder Cup. A rousing comeback resulted in a 2 and 1 victory. Combined with McIlroy's key point on Fowler, it set the tone and confirmed Europe wouldn't be denied.
It was a mostly disappointing season for McDowell, who lightened his schedule early on and never fully recovered, save for a defense of his title at the Alstom Open de France on the European Tour.
This Ryder Cup gives McDowell a shot in the arm and should see him return to form on the PGA Tour in 2014-15.
Justin Rose (3-0-2)
Having two ball-strikers like Rose and Henrik Stenson, the 2013 U.S. Open and FedEx Cup champions, respectively, on the same match play team is almost unfair. Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson found that out in a hurry as they were trounced in the fourball match to kick off the 2014 Ryder Cup.
Watson came back with a new partner in Matt Kuchar for seconds with Stenson and Rose. A streaky putter at best for the most part compared to the world's other best players, something clicked for Rose on the Gleneagles greens.
Michael Collins of ESPN noted how Rose and Stenson outgunned the U.S. in an extremely entertaining battle:
Rose finally cooled down considerably in Sunday singles against Hunter Mahan, trailing by four through just six holes after Mahan's hot start.
But then the magic surfaced again, as Rose birdied Nos. 8 through 11 to pull all-square. Even when Mahan won the very next hole after that spectacular run, Rose channeled Seve Ballesteros on the par-four 13th:
Now Rose is 9-1-3 in the Ryder Cup, cementing his status as a stalwart in the competition. If he can channel some of the great flat iron work he tends to come up with in the event, perhaps he can win with more regularity in individual tournaments.
Among the recent plethora of breakthrough major winners, Rose seems to have the game to add another one or two to his resume—provided his putter cooperates.
Victor Dubuisson (2-0-1)
Short game has never been a problem for Dubuisson, nor has length off the tee. The Frenchman hits it over 300 yards without a problem.
In his maiden Ryder Cup, the 24-year-old leaned on McDowell and got his iron game up to par with the rest of his sensational skill set. The results reflected that.
Two dominant foursomes wins preceded a halved match with Zach Johnson. Dubuisson was charged with playing the last match, and at that point the Ryder Cup had become a European coronation. If not for a sweet putt by Johnson on the last hole, Dubuisson would have had a perfect 3-0 record.
McDowell was effusive in his praise for Dubuisson following their win over Mickelson and Bradley, stating that the youngster could become golf's next great player, via RyderCup.com's Neil Ahern:
"I've been very fortunate to be playing alongside a player who I think really is Europe's next superstar. I really believe that. He was awesome today. He didn't miss a shot. His iron play was just outstanding in really, really tough conditions.
[...] You don't want to give players like Mickelson and Bradley an inch coming in, so it was nice to finish the game. But my playing partner today was really awesome.
"
CBS Sports' Peter Kostis threw caution to the strong testimony from McDowell:
We knew Dubuisson had something special when he dueled Jason Day to sudden death at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February. After going rather quiet for some time thereafter, Dubuisson surfaced with top 10s at The Open Championship and PGA Championship.
It seems he is only scratching the surface of his potential, and this Ryder Cup could be the big step Dubuisson needed on a massive stage to move into household-name status next year.
Based on how cool he holds up under pressure, how far he hits it, his better iron play at Gleneagles and characteristic golden touch on and around the greens, all the tools are there. Dubuisson has the necessary elements to make McDowell's prediction come to fruition.
Accompanying a breakout Ryder Cup performance are heightened expectations. There is nothing to suggest Dubuisson can't handle them.
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