Ryder Cup: We won it for Seve

European team Ryder Cup Pic:Getty Images

1 October 2012

Jose Maria Olazabal hailed the late Seve Ballesteros as the inspiration behind Europe’s sensational comeback victory in the 39th Ryder Cup.

“Our team played in the spirit of Seve, without ever giving up,” said the captain after Europe, wearing the blue and white colours associated with Ballesteros and with a silhouette of the Spanish golfing legend embroidered on the left sleeve of their jumpers and shirts, retained the Cup by 14½ points to 13½ at Medinah Country Club near Chicago after trailing 10-6 going into the final round of 12 singles matches.

Supporters of the European team chanted “Seve, Seve, Seve” at last night’s closing ceremony, in recognition of the man for whom the Ryder Cup was a passion.

Olazabal, a close friend of Ballesteros who lost a long battle with cancer in May last year at the age of just 54, said: “Seve’s been on my mind the whole week, during the whole journey of this Ryder Cup. We had his silhouette and his name on the last day but I had Seve in my mind every day. When we managed to retain the trophy, all those memories were very vividly coming to life.

“If someone had written a script for it, that would be the ideal one and for it to happen, Seve had to have something to do with it.

“I’m pretty sure he is happy where he is today. Seve will always be present with this team.”

The visitors won eight-and-a-half points from a possible 12 in yesterday’s singles to secure the biggest-ever comeback for Europe in America but Olazabal believes the seeds for success were sown the previous afternoon.

In the final two fourballs on Saturday Poulter finished with five straights birdies as he and Rory McIlroy beat Jason Dufner and Zach Johnson, while Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald saw off Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker.

Olazabal said: “That session was crucial and I think the players got the feeling of the atmosphere of the Ryder Cup. Down the stretch the crowds were very loud but we managed to turn the tide then. The way those last two matches went turned around the whole context of the Ryder Cup.”

The 46-year-old won The Masters in 1994 and repeated the feat five years later but hailed yesterday as the greatest moment of his career.

“It is going to take a little while before it completely sinks in,” said Olazabal, who suffers with rheumatoid arthritis and once wondered whether he would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

“It’s been a very emotional week, especially when things were not going our way but yesterday everything turned round for us.

“It’s completely different from playing, being the captain. I think in my career it ranks No1.

“To the 12 men of Europe, what you did was outstanding. All men die but not all men live. You made me feel alive again this week.”

Nicolas Colsaerts, whose debut began with a stunning display as he and Lee Westwood beat Woods and Stricker in Friday’s fourballs, likened the trophy to a new arrival in the European family.

“It’s safely in our hands and we’re glad to take it home,” said the Belgian. “Everybody at the party wanted to have a bit of a ‘conversation with the baby’.

“You don’t come across an atmosphere like this anywhere else. It’s almost like a fix, you’ll need to play in an atmosphere like this. I can imagine how quiet it will be for the guys playing in tournaments next week, it will be like playing in a garden on their own.”

Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley, two of Olazabal’s assistants, are seen as the leading candidates to take over from the Spaniard for the 2014 match at Gleneagles.

The European Tour’s tournament committee chaired by Dane Thomas Bjorn, another of the vice‑captains, are expected to make a decision in January.

McIlroy said: “Clarkey would be a great captain here in America. The crowds really love him, so maybe save Darren for 2016. Paul has also been a fantastic vice-captain”

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