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Faldo: At fault for Europe's loss?
Europe tasted defeat in the Ryder Cup for the first time in nine years on Sunday as America regained the trophy with a 16½-11½ triumph at Valhalla.
It brought to an end Europe's stranglehold on the event with the Old Continent having won the previous three matches - the last two by record 18½-9½ margins.
Nick Faldo's team more than played their part in a hard-fought encounter in Kentucky, but ultimately it was Paul Azinger's American side who had the edge.
Faldo took some criticism in the run-up to the event for his handling of team affairs and made some unexpected tactical choices during the three days of action.
However, his much debated wildcard selection Ian Poulter more than justified his faith with the Englishman finishing as top-scorer on either side.
But do you think Faldo could have done any more? Do you blame him for Europe's loss or are you of the opinion he led the team well at Valhalla. Send us your views.
Comments (161)
David Williams says...
How can nick faldo be blamed for being nick faldo ? When he was chosen to be captain EVERYONE knew what he was like in character and style. If there is any blame to be placed it has tobe placed squarely on the shoulders of those that appointed him as captain. How could anyone have been surprised ??
Posted 15:24 21st October 2008
Jane Jones says...
Faldo gave his all to the Ryder Cup. The US were terrific and our top players were well below par. Nick was not holding the clubs for them, they should all have been prepared. on the ' mafia' subject, I agree, one rule for them and another rule for the rest. why wasn't monty disqualified in Indonesia? ( I think it was) whether it was a mistake or not, others would have been disqualified. for jamie Spence to say that one could not be disqualified after an event, what rubbish
Posted 18:57 14th October 2008
Derek Field says...
Nick was a truly great golfer and champion BUT that does not make him a great captain - and he wasn't. Very poor speech, poor press handling, good choice, in hindsight, with Poulter and Casey, he was correct in leaving Monty and Darren out - they were just not playing well enough, imagine the score if Poults had not stepped up to the plate. Other comments are correct - the US sank more putts, simple as that. The US team just came together at the right time, several of them played the best golf of their lives but apart from Lefty and Kim I don't see a future major winner amongst them. As for the future, just look at the young talent we have coming through with Martin, Rory, Luke, Ross and Oliver plus the enigmatic young Spaniards - great times ahead, as for the captain for Wales in 2010 what about Katherine Jenkins - she will inspire the team and get the 13th man singing. Derek
Posted 08:02 14th October 2008
Leonardjames Griffin says...
I think westwood, harrington, and garcia were having a sulk because their "mates" clark, and monty were not picked, why don't they grow up, they get payed enough, they were supposed to be playing for europe, mind you they missed the money this time. I dont expect this will be published because it might upset one or two people. well done nick when you only had 9 players
Posted 18:30 13th October 2008
Laurence Tracey says...
i was watching the ryder cup in the usa all the pundets over herer reckoned that the guys that let us down was harrington and sergio and westwopod and i would have to agree
Posted 17:36 8th October 2008
Ashley Tough says...
I wish so many people would get of of Faldo's back and putting whole blame on him I don't think who ever you had as captain would have retained the cup, No dissrespect to our players but just don't think we had a team able to beat the Americans they were just a superior team. I would love to see Faldo given another chance on home soil to avenge the beating we gave other captains the chance or is it Faldo's face may not fit with the guys who decide as we now he is a rather forward thinking guy. I heard Monty mouthing off about Faldo and I am a great fan of Monty but would like people to think first then say something so if not Faldo who ? I personally if not Faldo then Maybe Jose but think would rather play then watch but not sure if ever will gain the fitness needed to play so how about a Scot not Monty please as do think will have a split team who ever is in it. Sandy Lyle is my pick shame not playing in Scotland but Wales but why not someone who has been there and won a major.
Posted 09:58 30th September 2008
Marc Bailey says...
I can't see why everyone is saying that Monty and Clarke should have played. Ian Poulter, one of Faldo's picks, was a revelation and Paul Casey managed to halve a very good match. I think the more established Europeans need to up their game rather that everyone criticise Nick Faldo. Sergio Garcia didn't look interested and beat himself with the mind games with Kim, rather than concentrating on playing for the team. Why would Monty or Clarke have made any difference, both out of form and Nick fully justified with picks especially Poulter. The only thing I would contemplate if critical of anything is that I would have put Poulter up first against Kim as we all knew Kim would be first up for the USA. I think Faldo did as much as he could with the talent he had to work with and he has been an embassador for U.K golf and has nothing to be ashamed off.
Posted 12:46 25th September 2008
Jim Oxton says...
I have to say that most of the negative sentiment from the press spectatators and other ex-profesional players come from the fact that they do not like Nick Faldo.. We were out played on the greens. It was fantastic golf over all, but the USA holed more putts and played better.
Posted 06:26 25th September 2008
Robert Lomas says...
I believe it was Faldo's fault we lost, controversy has dogged him since he first came on the golfing scene and his captaincy this year was no different. He left out Monty because he is off form, or was it because Faldo cannot participate in the Ryder cup himself anymore or was it to protect his record wins in the Ryder cup whatever, Clarke and Monty should have been playing.
Posted 21:39 24th September 2008
Grant Hardiman says...
Faldo cant be blamed for the non appearance of several of the star Europeans.. lets face facts, the US holed putts from everywhere, we didnt. Goes to show that the US tour is no more than a putting contest and that most of them dont perform well in adverse weather conditions (ie the open). Lets hope that the weather is not red hot and flat calm in 2010 at Celtic Manor....
Posted 21:16 24th September 2008
Bobby Broadsheet says...
We were "ON THE BACK FOOT" right from the start, more or less. Harrington / Karlsson blew a good lead we had in the first session of the first day, to get early points on the board, and also due to players such as Garcia and Westwood not performing to the standards expected of them. Great displays from Poulter,Mcdowell and Rose thankully kept us in the game going into the final day, and overall were the bright sparks in our team throughout. In regards to Faldo as captain, i think he has to take a good part of the blame, for the outcome, like a few people have commented on. I dont think he and his "NON EXISTENT TEAM" got the players fired up enough and the order for the singles on sunday should have been more top heavy, as is it was imperative that we got back on level terms with the Americans as quickly as possible to, at least, ask the question. Most people writing in have came to the defence of Nick, which was no doubt expected, as how can you blame the Captain when it was the players lack lustre performances that caused the defeat. However most people writing in miss the point, just like another person mentioned, that if it had gone the right way then the Captain would have got all the accolades and, in time, also financial benefits that would have came with being a legendary winning Ryder cup captain. So in regards to the "POLARISED" question that Sky asked the viewers i would have to say YES!
Posted 19:00 24th September 2008
Kevin Young says...
plain and simple ,we got beat by a team who played better,the end
Posted 09:42 24th September 2008
Chris Thompson says...
Nick Faldos choices all worked out well with poulter playing exceptional golf over the 3 days. you can not account for people hitting putts in left right and centre. in my opinion europe where the best from tee to green but did not sink 14 footers every other hole. Sergio was a little disappointing but thats not nicks fault. just because he never gave the press time as a player they have a vendetta against him! the press need to grow up! we all know it but it will never happen.
Posted 23:44 23rd September 2008
Tom Cafferty says...
Its all Faldos fault, no matter what the under achieving team say to get him out of it. The bottom line is he was the captain and if we had won he would be soaking up all the praise right now!! so rough with the smooth nick you failed miserably and the buck sops with you!
Posted 21:43 23rd September 2008
Ken Herring says...
The Friday teams were strange I thought, to have the fourball matches and not play arguably the 3 biggest birdie makers in Karlsson, Casey and Stenson was very strange. I think though that you have to look at Harrington. He only has 1 point from the last 2 Ryder Cups and I would question his motivation, if there was a cash prize for the winning team I fear you would see a more motivated Harrington.
Posted 20:40 23rd September 2008
Steve Dearden says...
What a load of cobblers! We can't possibly blame Faldo for losing the Ryder Cup though you could argue his placing of Westwood and Harrington at the bottom of the order on singles day was a case of poor judgement. In essence the European team under performed with many of our big names really not cutting the mustard. The USA played superbly and we must give credit to their excellent performance, but on paper it appeared that for once the European team was the stronger. Below par golf from the likes of Garcia and Harrington was the biggest disappointment for me. We were out played...plain and simple and we cannot blame Faldo for that. As the most successful European Ryder Cup golfer ever, perhaps we would have amassed more points if he'd have played instead of captaining the side! Still, it's time to look forward to the future and Olazabal would get my vote to be captain in two years time.
Posted 19:07 23rd September 2008
Scott Jones says...
Without Monty or Clarke we were never going to win, Faldo i thought was less than pathetic as a captain due to the fact that on the last day he couldn't even be seen on the TV for about an hour and a half right before the Americans finally won the cup!!! On the plus side though before the Ryder Cup i had a poor opinion of Ian Poulter.....i thought the lad was outstanding and in the future will be a major competitor if he takes the same fire and determination to those events!!
Posted 16:50 23rd September 2008
Andrew Jardine says...
I am not surprised that the Ryder Cup team has backed Faldo. It would be a shock if they did not. But Nick was in charge as captain and yet allowed the players to take the blame for the bottom-loaded lineup in the singles. Faldo appeared earlier on an ego trip and tried to court the media. His opening speech was immodest, he got players' names wrong (Soren Stenson) and tried to make out after the defeat that it was "marginal" ... the biggest defeat since 1981. Sure some of the matches were close but they usually are. Faldo has often been his worst enemy. He habit of treating the press with disdain has amounted to leading with his chin. When I was golf writing some years ago, I interviewed Faldo on a number of occasion and even caddied for him once. On all occasions, he proved to be a self-indulgent, eggotistical and obstructive person. Even so I do not wish Nick ill, but he has never been a leader of men and making him captain proved a huge mistake.
Posted 16:22 23rd September 2008
James Steel says...
I'm fed up with the press jumping on Faldo's back! Honestley its like they were preying for poulter to mess up so they could get the knifes out! I belive there was nothing wrong with Nicks captaincy, just the simple fact the so called high profile european stars did not perform well enough with the Americans making their putts. Its as simple as that. Nick Faldo didn't hold the clubs he didn't ask one of Europes top stars (Sergio) to get thrased by Anthony Kim. The single selections was complete logic, if the top order had done a job then Europe would of retained the ryder cup. What Mick Jones said about the golf mafia is absoultly true. Faldo is loved among europe's current crop as they grew up watching and wanting to emulate him, but the pros from his own era seem to resent him for being better than them. Just waiting now to hear a statement realesed from Sam Torrance publicy crictcising him for the way he captained Europe. Go on Sam get your little dig in!
Posted 14:22 23rd September 2008
Mike Jones says...
I think Faldo was always going to be blamed if we lost and if we won he was also going to get little credit. There is a significant golfing 'mafia' in Europe who actively dislike him and want him to fall flat on his faith. As for the 3 days, the golf was fantastic and USA out played us. It REALLY IS as simple as that. The performances of Harrington and Garcia in particular were well below par and to get only a half point in the singles from Garcia, Casey and Stenson early on was very disappointing and meant the contest didn't quite get to the last 4 games, if it had we probably would have retained the cup. Was Faldo a bad captain? No. He did a good job but ran into a stronger team
Posted 11:06 23rd September 2008