- Ryder Cup
Woods 'gave' Europe Ryder Cup victory
Tiger Woods has confessed he did not care about his final putt at Medinah on Sunday, which changed Europe's memorable Ryder Cup success from a dramatic draw to a wonderful win.
Woods was selected to play last for the USA, but the 14-time major winner's match against Francesco Molinari became somewhat meaningless when Martin Kaymer holed a five-foot putt to ensure Europe retained the Ryder Cup.
However, as that stage the projected scores were heading for a 14-14 draw, with Woods one up on Molinari entering the 18th. He had a putt to win that match and at least save the US from defeat on home soil, but Woods missed his short-distance effort claiming he decided to give Molinari the outright win.
"I went one up at 17 and asked Joey (caddie Joe LaCava) what was going on down 18, because my responsibility was to be able to get my point," Woods said.
"And then they said Europe had a chance to win on this hole, or retain the cup. Then, after all that went down [with Kaymer securing the trophy], my putt was useless. It was inconsequential. So I hit it too quick and gave him his putt. It was already over."
World No. 2 Woods, who did not win any of his four matches all week, has now been on the losing side at six Ryder Cups.
"It's the second time it's happened to me being on the fairway," he said. "It happened at the The Belfry (in 2002) on 17, playing Jesper [Parnevik] and our match was inconsequential, and the same thing here."