Never has Martin Kaymer leaned over a putt quite like this. So much is the same—the hush that falls over the gallery enveloping the 18th green, the nerves that come with a clutch opportunity wrapped in a white ball with dimples. But this time, it’s bigger. If Kaymer drops this six-footer, the 13-man European team will have completed the most unlikely comeback in Ryder Cup history and won back-to-back titles. If he misses, Tiger Woods is poised to win the final point and allow the Americans—for years dominant in this country-vs.-continent battle—to reclaim the title. Kaymer takes his putter back and strikes the ball. As it disappears into the cup, he throws his arms skyward. A dancing celebration breaks out, featuring all 13 men, European flags and bottles of champagne. There isn’t any prize money at the Ryder Cup. But nobody cares: This baby is all about bragging rights.
Pit the always-strong Americans against the now-stacked Europeans and it’s personal—because it’s not. The biennial tournament is one of few times pro golf is not a solo endeavour; instead, it’s about winning for one’s countrymen, one’s teammates and the joy of beating the other guys.
Months after the win, Kaymer told reporters: “I honestly feel like my whole career might have been on the line,” he said. “Would I have had the mental strength to recover from thinking I had let down a whole continent?”