José María Olazábal is adamant that Team USA would have gone on to complete the greatest Ryder Cup comeback had Shane Lowry missed his putt to secure the crucial half point at Bethpage Black.
Olazábal, a seven-time Ryder Cup player, captained Europe to the Miracle at Medinah where his side came from 10-6 down in Chicago to win. But that achievement was well on its way to being trumped as USA launched a terrific fightback before Lowry birdied the 18th to retain the cup for his side.
“Well, I think the team made history,” vice captain Olazabal said at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville.
“As simple as that. We knew it was not going to be easy, especially playing in New York. But I think the team performed really, really well, especially the first two days.
“Foursomes, fourballs, we managed to win all four sessions, and that gave us a large cushion. And to be totally honest, I didn’t think it was going to be that close, or at least it shouldn’t have been all that close.
“But well, all credit to the US team. It’s amazing how they fought; they almost turned things around.
“If Shane didn’t make that putt on 18, I think most probably, Team USA would have won the Ryder Cup.”
The Spaniard said that the two and a half hours while Team USA were launching their fightback were the toughest he had experienced in his golfing career as Keegan Bradley’s side made serious inroads to the 12-5 deficit they faced heading into the Sunday singles.
Europe won just one of the eleven singles matches overall.
“You know, the two and a half hours before that moment, I have to say that they were maybe the toughest I’ve ever experienced in my golfing career, especially because we thought with that cushion, we should have closed the deal well before that,” Olazábal explained.
“And at that moment, I think it was crucial. That’s why it all came out – all the emotions, all the tension, all the stress.
“And we were very conscious of it. Shane was very conscious of it, and that’s why the reaction that we had.”
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