Capelle On Golf

Justin Leonard was the hero at the 1999 Ryder Cup, but he was ready to be fitted for goat horns on day one of the President’s Cup when he missed a 30 inch putt that would have given the US a 4-2 lead. Instead, the Internationals stayed within a point at 3½ to 2½.

On day two it looked like the US team was on its way to a rout as US flags dominated the leaderboard. But then the pesky Internationals started pecking away at the US teams lead.

By the time the diminutive Tim Clark, who beat Tiger Woods at the WGC Accenture match play, stepped to the 18th tee, his team had a shot at a full point. Partnered with Vijay Singh, Clark was even with 2009 major winners Stewart Cink and Lucas Glover as he drove on the reachable 525 yard par 5 eighteenth. A perfect tee shot followed by an equally well struck fairway wood left Clark with a 15 foot eagle putt to win the match. He coolly ran it home, and suddenly the underdog Internationals were still in the contest.

If Leonard makes his putt and Clark fails to make his, it would be 7½ to 4½ and you could smell a blowout in the making. But the Internationals only trail by a point, 6½  to 5½.

And I’m glad they were able to keep it close. On Saturday 10 points are points are at stake in two sessions, and I’d have hated to see this thing be all but over before Saturday afternoons play even began.

I must confess that my wish came true – I rooted for the Internationals to stay close on Friday because I want to see a competition, not an exhibition this weekend. And I’ll probably follow this game plan on Saturday. I hope they keep it close, real close so the cup will be in doubt on Sunday.

Then, when it looks like we could actually lose, I’ll start rooting for the Americans and hope they can pull this out with a heroic charge that will make this Cup a rarity – one that I’ll actually remember five years from now.