After two brutal days, Russell Henley turned it around as part of the U.S. turnaround at Ryder Cup, but still a disappointing ending
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
After being roasted on social media – and by some mainstream media – for two days, Russell Henley bowed up.
The former Stratford and Georgia standout turned in one of the top performances in singles competition on Sunday at the Ryder Cup and kept alive the U.S. comeback hopes into the final hole of the eighth match of the day.
Both were unexpected, Henley’s turnaround and America’s turnaround. But a missed 10-footer on No. 17 left the door open, and a short – by half a foot – 10-footer on 18 was countered by Shane Lowry dropping a pressure-packed 6-footer to end the U.S.’s hopes of a historic comeback.
That left their match in a tie, and gave Europe enough points to retain the Ryder Cup, which they won outright soon after.
“I played well,” Henley said. “Definitely felt the nerves coming down the stretch. I've never felt nerves quite like that. It was quite an experience, quite an atmosphere.”
The Bethpage Black crowd was more like a Saturday at an SEC football stadium, but golfers don’t play in atmospheres more befitting Death Valley or between the hedges.
Henley’s reputation – as well as that of U.S. captain Keegan Bradley – took a shot for two days after subpar performances in foursomes competition with Scottie Scheffler, who was hammered as well for another poor Ryder weekend.
Henley finished 0-2-1, earning a half point with Sunday’s performance. Scheffler rebounded to go 1-4 with his win on Sunday, but he only improved to 1-10-2 inn Ryder Cup competition. But they were two of six U.S. players managing only a point or less. Europe’s Rasmus Hojgaard was the lone pointless player.
Scheffler and Henley were struggling teammates in the two foursomes competition, but responded in singles play.
Henley followed a bogey on No. 1 with three birdies before another bogey to trail by one after four holes.
It was tied for four holes before Henley’s birdie on 13 put him in the lead, which he added to on 14 with a birdie to go 2 up, while his teammates continued their comeback.
“To be honest, no,” said Lowry if he expected to bein the positin he ended up being in. “I didn’t envision myself going up the 18th needing a birdie to retain the Ryder Cup. It was, yeah, like the worst two hours of my life. It was horrible. It was.”
Henley seemed destined for a storybook finish after finding the bunker on 18’s tee shot only to leave it just short of 10 feet from the hole for birdie. Lowry, though, went tee to fairway to green, four feet closer.
Henley’s putt was on target but short, and Lowry’s 6-footer was solid. Europe clinched the Cup when Tyrell Hatton tied Collin Morikawa for the needed half point.
“Very disappointed the way I finished, leaving those putts short,” Henley said. “But I gave it my all, and hopefully I learned from it.”