The Loop

Europe succeeds in sucking the wind out of the Americans once again

September 27, 2014

GLENEAGLES, Scotland -- Momentum, as participants past and present never tire of reiterating, is the 13th man in every Ryder Cup team. And the second day of the 40th biennial contest between Europe and the U.S. at Gleneagles illustrated that fact to perfection. Two points behind overnight, the visitors for long enough seemed prepared to pull level in the morning four-balls. But, not for the first time this week, world No. 1 Rory McIlroy -- this time aided by Ian Poulter -- was instrumental in sending the Europeans into lunch on a positive note, despite the fact that the series was lost, 2 1/2 to 11/2. In other words, they had grasped the initiative. "Whenever you've got that opportunity and whenever you can sow the seed of doubt (in the opposition) then it makes a big difference," said Poulter, a man who knows a thing or two about the dark art of initiating momentum swings.

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