The Loop

Unfit to be tied

October 11, 2009

Does anything deflate faster than the drama from a match that ends all square?

The last match of the Presidents Cup on Saturday was pointing toward a dramatic conclusion, with everyone from both teams anxiously standing by, watching. Phil Mickelson and Sean O'Hair were tied with Vijay Singh and Tim Clark at the 18th hole, where all four missed birdie putts that would have won the match. And then? Nothing. Why? When Alex Rodriguez' two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth pulled the Yankees into a tie with Minnesota on Friday night, did it end there?

It's an archaic rule of team competition, that matches can conclude in ties, with half-points awarded to each team. Matches should have winners and losers. When one is all square through 18 holes, they should go to a 19th hole.

-- John Strege