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“Here
we go, Baby! Here we go!” Michael Jordan said as he stood behind the 16th
green, wearing a six-championship grin.
A
huge Ryder Cup fan, the Bulls legend was pumped up for good reason.
Phil
Mickelson and Keegan Bradley had just closed out Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald,
who had been 4-0 together, to give Team USA first blood at Medinah.
And
Jim Furyk had just struck a terrific shot to set up a birdie putt that would
pull Furyk and Brad Snedeker into a tie with Rory McIlroy and Graem McDowell,
Europe’s premier tandem.
The
normally placid Furyk, who had nearly driven the 15th green while
the Euros landed in the water, gave a big fist-pump from the fairway after his
bigshot on No. 16. The birdie putt became moot. McDowell’s 16th hole
had come up short, and even a good sand shot from McIlroy, McDowell couldn’t
convert the par putt.
After
blowing a three-up lead, the two Northern Irishmen prevailed, winning the match
one-up when the U.S. pair bogeyed No. 18 off an errant drive by Snedeker.
“That match to me just personifies the Ryder Cup,” McDowell
said. “Myself and Rory played some great golf to go 3 up, and then
you’re playing against two very gutsy players who clawed their way back to all
square coming down the last two holes.”
But
Team USA made its point in the four morning alternate shot matches, which had
looked favorable for Team Europe.
A
2-2 push in the morning was a good showing for Team USA for several reasons.
Not
only did the Americans not lose ground. The pairing of Mickelson and Bradley looks
like it’s going to be a strong one this weekend. Team USA captain Davis Love
III showed his faith by sending them out as his second best-ball tandem Friday
afternoon.
“[Bradley]
was really fired up,” Mickelson said. “He played some of the
best golf. To be his partner was an awesome experience. I love, love
playing with this man. He’s just so fun, loves the game and plays with
such excitement–and man, can he roll the rock.”
Another
plus: While enigmatic American star Tiger Woods was all over the course in losing
his morning round 2 and 1 with partner Steve Stricker to Ian Poulter and Justin
Rose, Furyk and Snedeker served notice that the Americans aren’t going to be
intimidated by Euro star Rory McIlroy, the world’s No. 1 ranked player.
McIlroy
lived up to his billing, chipping in from behind the fourth green and striking
a variety of shots well, especially around the greens, in his first Ryder Cup
before a hostile crowd.
Things
got off on a testy note when Furyk didn’t want McDowell to get relief from a
sprinkler head on the fringe of the first green. Rules officials sided with
Furyk.
But
the spirit of competition generally remained a friendely rivalry. While waiting
for Furyk’s second shot on No. 18, a delicate punch out of the woods, Michael
Jordan chatted amiably with Luke Donald in the fairway.
