Ryder Cup Report Card: Europe passes, USA fails
The Ryder Cup is over and done with, pencils down. Some players (and captains) performed well under pressure, and some, well, didn't. Let's take a look at each team and size up their performance at this year's Ryder Cup.
TEAM EUROPE
Paul McGinley (captain): He won the Ryder Cup, so that's an A right there. But the way he structured this team over the last two years, outlining expectations and containing dissent, he set a model for European captains for years to come. His captain's picks didn't work out, but they didn't need to. GRADE: A.
Thomas Bjorn (0-2-1): He didn't play particularly well in either the fourball or singles matches. But when you've got such an arsenal around you, you can afford to have a letdown. GRADE: D+.
Jamie Donaldson (3-1-0): Great success story, playing his way onto the European team despite setbacks in both personal and professional life. His reward? Striking the winning stroke for Europe. GRADE: A.
Victor Dubuisson (2-0-1): Quality performance out of the French rookie, who's just 24 and likely to be around for many more of these. This is exactly the way to build a strong Ryder resume. GRADE: A-.
Stephen Gallacher (0-2-0): The captain's pick was one of the few misfires on the European side, unable to get anything going against rookies Spieth and Reed on Friday, unable to hang with Mickelson on Sunday. GRADE: D.
Sergio Garcia (2-1-1): One of the most decorated Ryder Cup players in European history remained as steady as ever, winning when he needed to and not causing Europe any worry. GRADE: A-.
Martin Kaymer (1-1-2): Wasn't as dominant here as he was at Pinehurst, but didn't need to be. And he handled Bubba Watson effectively on Sunday, keeping the European avalanche rolling. GRADE: B-.
Graeme McDowell (3-0-0): Did exactly what was expected of him, and rallied from well down to take out Jordan Spieth on Sunday. GRADE: A.
Rory McIlroy (2-1-2): The world no. 1 was oddly quiet through much of the Ryder Cup, but came through huge when he was most needed: the final singles match, in which he absolutely destroyed Rickie Fowler. Sometimes good is good enough. GRADE: B.
Ian Poulter (0-1-2): No player on either team underperformed relative to their expected contribution more than Poulter, who was predicted as one of Europe's titans. He was anything but, and only his astonishing pitch on Saturday afternoon to salvage a half kept him from failing this Cup. GRADE: D.
Justin Rose (3-0-2): You can't stop him, you can only hope to hold him to a half-point. The best player on the course from beginning to end. He wasn't the difference, but he gave Europe an aura of invincibility the USA couldn't touch. GRADE: A+.
Henrik Stenson (3-1-0): Strong performances throughout the weekend, though he faltered on Sunday against Patrick Reed. He's guaranteed competitive in every match, which is more than most of the U.S. team could say. GRADE: A.
Lee Westwood (2-2-0): The reliable Ryder Cup veteran delivered a reliable performance, hanging in for two points and validating his pick from McGinley. GRADE: B-.
TEAM USA
Tom Watson (captain): His pairing of rookies Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed was inspired; his benching of that pairing on Friday afternoon was not. Watson outthought himself in this Ryder Cup, from his selection of captain's picks to his start-and-sit strategy on Friday and Saturday. GRADE: D.
Keegan Bradley (1-2-0): Deserved better, mostly from his captain, but proved that he and Mickelson remain a viable partnership. The most excitable performer of either team, but didn't have much to get excited about. GRADE: C+.
Rickie Fowler (0-3-2): Just couldn't get going, but in his defense, he was going against some of the best players on the planet. He'll be around for awhile, and the breaks will come his way, but they haven't yet. GRADE: C.
Jim Furyk (1-3-0): He's now the losingest player (20 losses) in US Ryder Cup history, which is testament to how well he plays during the non-Ryder weeks of the calendar. Still, he just can't seem to get it done during Ryder weeks, no matter how hard he tries. GRADE: D+.
Zach Johnson (0-2-1): Largely a nonfactor, though credit him for playing strong all the way through the end of the singles match even though the outcome was long decided. GRADE: C-.
Matt Kuchar (1-3-0): Another American player who could never really get started, though at least he was able to take out Thomas Bjorn in an effective match on Sunday. GRADE: C.
Hunter Mahan (1-2-1): He's gained a rep for faltering in Ryder Cups, and letting Rose salvage a split after being 4-up on the European won't help that. Mahan is thisclose to breaking through, but he hasn't yet. GRADE: C-.
Phil Mickelson (2-1-0): Still turning in strong efforts even though he's far closer to captaincy than anyone else. Wanted to play more on Saturday, but enough of a pro not to take that public. (UPDATE: He went nuclear at the postround press conference.) GRADE: B+.
Patrick Reed (3-0-1): Only a gagged Saturday putt that cost him a half-point keeps him from an A+. The 24-year-old rookie was the Americans' brightest light, and although he approached the competition like a wrestler, maybe that was the right technique. Nothing else worked. GRADE: A-.
Webb Simpson (0-1-1): Simpson talked his way onto the team, but maybe he should have played his way onto it; he didn't play well enough to justify a captain's pick. He salvaged a half against Poulter on Sunday, but more was expected from this slot. GRADE: D.
Jordan Spieth (2-1-1): He faltered on Sunday when he had an opportunity to put away McDowell, but that shouldn't obscure his strong debut. He should be a team member for another 10 Ryder Cups, at least. GRADE: B+.
Jimmy Walker (1-1-3): The rookies on the American team acquitted themselves well, and Walker managed hang-in-there performances in four of his five matches. He probably should have been benched Saturday afternoon, but that's not on him. GRADE: B-.
Bubba Watson (0-3-0): Only led six holes all week, and only once was even 2-up. Could never get going, could never get his partners going. Maybe if they held the next Ryder Cup at Augusta... GRADE: F.
Stellar effort for Europe, and an ugly one from the United States. It'll be two more years before anybody gets a chance to change their grade.
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Facebook or on Twitter.
