JONES’ CHILLING VERDICT ON US FLOP

Phil Casey reflects on US assistant captain Steve Jones’ claims about the US’ record defeat at Oakland Hills in 2004.
As assistant captain to Hal Sutton at the 2004 Ryder Cup, Steve Jones is well placed to reveal what was to blame for the United States’ record defeat at Oakland Hills.
So was it the decision to defy conventional wisdom and pair Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson together, not once but twice on the opening day?
Was it Mickelson’s decision to change clubs just before the contest in Detroit which ended in a European victory by 18.5 to 9.5?
Or was it simply that Bernhard Langer’s side were the better players over the three days?
According to Jones, the reason was out of even the hyper-meticulous Langer’s control. It was the weather.
“A lot of people asked what happened,” Jones said during last week’s Valle Romano Open de Andalucia.
“Our team was playing so well Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and the Europeans were adjusting all the time and weren’t playing so good.
“Then the weather changed and went to about 40 degrees on the first morning. I was out there and it was freezing. We were missing putts and the Europeans were making them. I really believe the weather had a lot to do with it.”
To be fair to Jones, the 48-year-old did acknowledge there were other contributing factors.
“Phil changed clubs and he never adjusted,” he added. “In hindsight, when Hal and I were talking, maybe we shouldn’t have put him with Tiger because Phil wasn’t playing like he was a month or two before.”
Of course Europe also conquered far worse weather to win by the same margin at the K Club in Ireland last September, and Jones admits the Americans are now getting “pounded” in a competition they dominated for 60 years.
“If we can turn one around then maybe the momentum will change, but you have to get that first one,” added the 1996 US Open champion, whose sole major victory came at Oakland Hills.
“Then we can start going the other way. Right now we’re down and we keep getting pounded and it’s hard to get up.”
Latest
-
News
Sponsor Ralph Lauren drops Justin Thomas following homophobic slur in Hawaii
The world number three uttered the derogatory word towards himself after missing a putt at Kapalua last weekend.
-
News
Bryson DeChambeau keeping brain relaxed to avoid repeat of Masters misery
DeChambeau said his brain went into overdrive at Augusta National.
-
News
European Tour preparing for business as planned in the Middle East
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship is due to start next week.
-
News
Two-time major champion Angel Cabrera arrested in Brazil
The former US Open and Masters winner was on the run from the law.
-
News
On this Day in 2013: Paul McGinley given Ryder Cup captaincy
McGinley would go on to be involved in a sixth Ryder Cup victory.
-
News
Collin Morikawa keen to draw inspiration from family ties to Hawaii at Sony Open
Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas has withdrawn from the event after testing positive for coronavirus.
-
News
R&A: ‘No plans’ for Open to head to Donald Trump-owned Turnberry in near future
Trump National in Bedminster was on Sunday stripped of next year’s US PGA Championship.
-
News
US PGA Championship moved from Donald Trump-owned course in New Jersey
Trump National in Bedminster had been set to host the event.
-
News
Justin Thomas : ‘I made a terrible, terrible judgement call’
Thomas admitted he was distracted by what happened on Saturday during his final round.
-
News
PGA Championship to be moved away from Donald Trump-owned course
It is the second time in six years the PGA has moved an event away from a course owned by Donald Trump.