Americans come back to halve third Ryder Cup match

By Cameron La Fontaine | Sep 26, 2014

Sep 25, 2014; Auchterarder, Perthshire, SCT; The flags representing the countries of the players participating in the Ryder Cup are flying on flag poles during the opening ceremony for the 2014 Ryder Cup at The Gleneagles Hotel-PGA Centenary Course. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

In Friday’s third match, American’s Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker led a comeback to halve the match with Team Europe’s Martin Kaymer and Thomas Bjorn. The halve gave each team a half point, making the score 1.5-1.5 after three matches.

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After Kaymer and Bjorn went 3-up through just four holes it was looking all down hill for the Americans until Rickie Fowler was able to birdie the fifth hole and get one back for the Americans. Then, Jimmy Walker found a birdie on the ninth hole to make the Europeans just 1-up. On the 13th hole, Bjorn won another hole for his pairing, making Europe 2-up with just five holes to play.

Then, Jimmy Walker was the hero for the Americans. Walker birdied the tough par-5 16th hole to make the European’s just 1-up and then he birdied the 18th hole, another tough par-5, to win the hole and force a halve on the match, a huge momentum boost for the Americans.

This is Walker’s first Ryder Cup appearance. The 35-year-old has three PGA Tour wins in 2014 and has soared to 19th in the golf world rankings.

This is Rickie Fowler’s second Ryder Cup appearance after going 0-1-2 in his first cup in 2012, he now has his first win thanks to playing partner Jimmy Walker.

Martin Kaymer and Thomas Bjorn played well but couldn’t hold off a U.S.A. comeback. Kaymer has played very well this year with two PGA Tour victories including the Players Championship and the U.S. Open as well as a European Tour win. This is Kaymer’s third Ryder Cup and his overall record is now 3-3. Bjorn is in third Ryder Cup as well and his overall record is now 3-3-1.

The halve was key for the Americans who could’ve found themselves down 2-1 with Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia still on the course playing Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley. With the tie, it’s 1.5-1.5 with one more morning session match to conclude and four more matches in the Friday afternoon session.

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