Golf's Greatest Day

Hello everybody, this is Matt here and every Monday I will be publishing a blog about the world of golf.

I have played golf since 1995 and attended Myerscough College to study for a Foundation Degree in Golf and Leisure Management from 2003 to 2006. I have also worked as a caddie at Royal County Down Golf Club for two seasons in 2004 and 2006, and in 2007 I worked as a Golf Retail Assistant at the Gleneagles Hotel, and most recently as a caddie at St Andrews Links including caddying in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2011.

Along with Volunteering at the 2004 and 2006 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and 2006 BMW PGA Championship, as well as attending the 2005 HSBC World Match Play Championship, 2006 European Open, 2007 Open Championship and 2010 Ryder Cup as a spectator, and watching golf on television every weekend of the year I am well placed and have the knowledge to provide a unique view on the world of golf.

And what a week to start! The Ryder Cup was the event that inspired me to take up the game at the age of 10 in 1993, with the hole in one by Nick Faldo at the Belfry on the Sunday providing the spark that began my 19-year addiction to this marvelous game. And I have absolutely no doubt that the incredible happenings at the 2012 Ryder Cup will provide a similar spark to thousands of 10-year-old boys and girls across Europe. Europe drew on the inspiration of Seve Ballesteros to generate momentum for an historic and amazing comeback from 10-4 down late on Saturday evening, winning 10 and a half of the final 14 points available at Medinah.

Over the first two days we saw a wave of American birdies, with shot after stunning shot from a team being lauded as the best for 30 years, since the "dream team" which dismantled Europe at Walton Heath in 1981. Seemingly every putt they hit found the bottom of the hole, and Europe were clinging on to anything they could to keep the match alive going into the Sunday Singles. 

Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald held on to edge out Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker, giving Europe just their fifth point out of the first 15. Then the attention switched to the 16th match between Ian Poulter & Rory McIlroy and Jason Dufner & Zach Johnson. The Americans took a 2-up lead into the last six holes, and seemed set to extend the overall score to 11-5, before an inspired finish which gave Europe the platform for their greatest ever comeback. The World Number One (McIlroy) holed a downhill putt at the 13th to win the hole with a birdie, and then the European talisman Ian Poulter took over, holing putt after astonishing putt on each of the last five holes to complete a remarkable six birdie finish for Europe to close the score to 10-6 and give them hope of a "Brookline 99" style comeback.

And Europe achieved the Impossible by winning the first five matches on Sunday, quietening the raucous Chicago crowds and sending a ripple of nervousness around the Medinah Country Club. Suddenly the seemingly rampant Americans were missing and the pressure was too much for them to bare. The matches and destiny of the Ryder Cup came down to the final three matches. Ryder Cup legend Lee Westwood extended his points tally in the competition to 21, moving to within 4 points of matching the all-time record held by Sir Nick Faldo, a record he can potentially break at Gleneagles in 2014.

So it came down to the final two matches, with the score at 13-13, Europe needing 1 point to retain and the United States needing 1 and a half points to win. Martin Kaymer, out of form for much of the season and dropped for the entire second day's play, made a par 3 to take the lead on the 17th in his match against Jim Furyk, meaning a half at the final hole would incredibly give Europe the Ryder Cup.

And the German delivered.

Francesco Molinari and Tiger Woods halved their match, remarkably giving Europe an outright win, from a seemingly impossible deficit.

It was pure ecstasy for Europe and the fans.

Sky Sports' Butch Harmon, coach to Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, said that it "was the greatest golf event he had ever been to" and television ratings show the immense popularity of what is now without question the greatest golf event in the world. NBC's overnight ratings were the highest they have been for the Ryder Cup ever, eclipsing those of the 1999 matches when the United States team came back from the same deficit at The Country Club.

And for me the Ryder Cup does transcend golf to an audience which otherwise would not watch the game, this was proved in my own house. My parents have never really sat down with me to watch golf, but they did for this Ryder Cup, on Thursday night for the Opening Ceremony, on Friday for the Opening shots, on Saturday evening for the incredible finish to the Fourballs, and on Sunday for the finale. And what further proved this was that my Dad actually said that he was looking forward to watching it.

We were all sat there cheering every holed putt and we all celebrated when Martin Kaymer holed the clinching putt. The sense of exultation when Europe won was absolutely fantastic, it was without question the best golf tournament I have ever watched.

The benefits of this for golf will surely be massive, especially in Europe and for viewing figures of European tour events over the coming weeks as the season comes to a conclusion at the DPWorld Tour Championship  at the Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Golf has always had a rather unfair reputation as a sport for old men and a stuffy, slow game. This week completely shattered that reputation, with the crowd interaction on the first tee and throughout the course, and at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. And the makeup of the two teams, the bright and brash Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Nicolas Colsaerts, Ian Poulter, Bubba Watson, Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley.

Golf has come out of the 2012 Ryder Cup with its reputation and popularity enhanced, and its stars shining brighter than ever before. Sunday 30 September 2012 was Golf's Greatest Day.

Next week: Monday 8 October - Scotland, the Home of Golf and the game's global expansion continuing in Turkey