Ryder Cup 2014: Colin Montgomerie predicts huge European win at Gleneagles
'America are making too many errors and are set for big loss'
Last Updated: 27/09/14 9:23pm
Colin Montgomerie expects Europe to win the Ryder Cup convincingly on Sunday after surging into a 10-6 lead over USA.
Paul McGinley’s side held a 5-3 advantage from day one at Gleneagles and doubled that scoreline on Saturday with a magnificent showing in the foursomes.
Europe lost the fourballs session 2½-1½ - just as they had done on Friday – but responded after lunch to seize 3½ of the four points available, with Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed’s half against Martin Kaymer and Justin Rose America’s only success.
Team Europe famously recovered from a four-point deficit to win the Ryder Cup at Medinah in 2012, but Montgomerie does not envisage such a turnaround this year.
“Europe have had two heavy days and I think they will now go on and win this event handsomely,” Europe’s Ryder Cup captain in 2010, told Sky Sports.
“The Americans haven’t played well – especially on Saturday afternoon – and there have been far too many mistakes and players giving holes away. I can’t see Europe losing this.”
Kick
David Howell – a European Ryder Cup player in 2004 (Oakland Hills) and 2006 (The K Club) – urged McGinley’s men to go for the jugular in Sunday’s 12 singles encounters when he assessed the state of play on Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, Butch Harmon – who coaches US players Phil Mickelson, Jimmy Walker and Rickie Fowler – explained exactly where things have gone wrong for America, who have been defeated in five of the last six Ryder Cups.
Howell said: “Europe will be talking about record victories because they could pull off something special if they pull their weight.
“They have to kick America while their down, not let up and snuff out any chance of a comeback.”
Harmon, when asked how USA have found themselves in such a perilous position, replied bluntly: “Foursomes. They won the fourballs quite handily but they don’t play foursomes well.
“A lot of people will ask Tom Watson: ‘Why didn’t you do this or that?’ but it’s not his fault that the eight guys he put out there didn’t get the job done and were outplayed, outputted and outscored..
“It doesn’t look good on paper for us now but I think Tom will now use what happened at Medinah as motivation and tell his players to dig deep – and I am not ruling anything out!”
