2008 Ryder Cup

Americans Charge Into The Lead

Azinger told the Kentucky crowd -- he called them the "13th man" -- at a pep rally Thursday night that it was OK to cheer if Europe missed a putt. He defended that remark as educational, and said the crowd did nothing to embarrass itself.

Westwood, however, took issue with Weekley whipping the crowd into a frenzy before the hole was completed.

"You walk a fine line when you start doing that sort of thing," Westwood said. "I don't mind raising your arms and whipping the crowd up. But at 12 when Boo holed off the back (of the green), I've still got a putt for the halve. There's no need to do it between shots. At least wait until we're walking off the green."

Westwood glared at him, and occasionally shook his head. But he kept his opinions to himself on the course.

"It's not my job to tell people how to behave," he said.

Harrington, Europe's best player with three majors since the last Ryder Cup, had no problem with the exuberance from the 23-year-old Kim, who high-fived Mickelson after an array of great shots and clutch putts.

None was bigger than Mickelson, who has struggled with his putting all summer, knocking in the 20-footer on the 17th hole that gave the Americans a 1-up lead going to the 18th in a match that swung momentum to his side.

"Anthony, it's his first Ryder Cup and he was excited out there," Harrington said. "And he hit some great shots at times, and he had a right to be excited."

So did the rest of the American team.

Even though they were on home soil, they found themselves in foreign territory -- in the lead at the Ryder Cup.

November 22, 2009

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