The Best of 2012

Alex Jenkins turns his attention to the winners (and losers) over the past 12 months

Garcia, Donald, Rose and McDowell celebrate Europe’s drama-packed win at last year’s Ryder Cup

Tournament of the Year

The Masters was thrilling, the Open Championship absorbing, but no event in 2012
came close to providing the sheer drama of the Ryder Cup, not even the UBS Hong Kong Open which saw Miguel Angel Jiménez cement his place in Fanling history with a third title in nine years. Rallying back from four points adrift with a gripping final-day singles performance, the Europeans at Medinah echoed what the United States had done in 1999 in making the seemingly impossible happen.

"I don’t know what heaven feels like, but it must be close to this,” said euphoric European skipper José María Olazábal after Martin Kaymer holed a five-foot putt to ensure the Cup would be heading back across the Atlantic. The style of Europe’s victory was a fitting tribute to the late Seve Ballesteros, the man who did so much to reinvigorate the competition and whose trademark navy blue and white the team wore on the final day in Chicago.

"Seve will always be present with this team,” continued Olazábal, Ballesteros’ longtime foursomes and fourballs partner. “He was a big factor for this event, for the European side. Last night we had a meeting, I think the boys understood that believing was the most important thing. And I think they did.”

Winner: The Ryder Cup

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Written by Alex Jenkins

Photography by AFP

Click here to see the published article.

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