Kim gives U.S. a crucial point at Ryder Cup

Paul Newberry ,  The Associated Press ,  Louisville, Kentucky   |  Mon, 09/22/2008 4:24 AM  |  Sports

nthony Kim knocked off European stalwart Sergio Garcia 5 and 4 to give the Americans a crucial point as they tried to take back the Ryder Cup on Sunday.

But Robert Karlsson routed Justin Leonard, and Justin Rose handed Phil Mickelson another singles loss as the Europeans closed to within 10{-9{.

Clearly, it was too early for either side to break out the champagne.

Wearing a gaudy USA belt buckle and pumping his fist all around the course, Kim ended the first match of the day with an 8-foot par putt at the 14th hole. He handed the Spaniard the worst loss of his Ryder Cup career.

Kim's point gave the Americans a 10-7 lead, but Karlsson and Rose tightened things up considerably.

Sinking one clutch putt after another, the 1.96-meter (6-foot-5) Karlsson breezed by Leonard 5 and 3. Rose had nearly as easy a time with Mickelson, who lost his fourth straight singles match at the Ryder Cup, falling 3 and 2 in a match that got away from Mickelson after he failed to convert some early birdie chances.

Hunter Mahan put himself in position for another American win by sinking an improbable 60-foot putt at No. 17 for a 1-up lead. But Mahan drove in the hazard at the final hole and Paul Casey rallied to halve the match.

The U.S. led in four of the remaining eight matches, the Europeans were up in three. The Americans needed 14{ points to win the gold chalice for first time since 1999; Europe must get 14 to keep it.

Kim played with plenty of attitude against Garcia, who finished the weekend winless in four matches. It was the first time in five Ryder Cup appearances that he failed to win a match.

"I wouldn't trade this for 10 million dollars," said Kim, at 23 the youngest member of the American team. "This was the experience of a lifetime."

Garcia had a lead in only four of the 65 holes he played at Valhalla Golf Club.

"I felt like I hit some good shots," he said. "I just couldn't get anything right."

Two fan favorites, Boo Weekley and Kenny Perry, were also playing well for the home team.

Weekley did his best to fire up an already raucous crowd. After teeing off at No. 1, the country boy from the Florida Panhandle stuck the club between his legs and galloped down the first fairway as if he were on a horse.

Weekley dropped an early hole to Oliver Wilson, but he holed out from a greenside bunker at the seventh and built a 4-up lead on the unheralded Englishman through 11 holes. Chants of "Booooooo!" rang out across the course.

The 48-year-old Perry used a hot putter to go 3 up on Henrik Stenson through 15 holes, the Kentuckian justifying his decision to dedicate the entire season to playing in the Ryder Cup in his home state - even when it meant skipping a couple of majors.

Each team was fairly comfortable in two other matches. Ian Poulter was on the way to his fourth win of the weekend, leading Steve Stricker 3 up after 11 holes. Jim Furyk countered for the Americans with a 3-up edge on Miguel Angel Jimenez after 13 holes.

Chad Campbell was surprisingly 2 up at the turn on Padraig Harrington, winner of the last two major championships and sent out last by European captain Nick Faldo in hopes of clinching it at the end.

Graeme McDowell of Europe was 1 up on Stewart Cink after 12 holes. Europe's Lee Westwood had a 1-up lead on Ben Curtis through 11 holes. J.B. Holmes, another Kentucky local, was 1-up on Soren Hansen after 14 holes.

"The only concern I have is guys getting ahead of themselves," U.S. captain Paul Azinger said. "I'll try to keep them in the present."

Kim set a blistering pace with three birdies in the first four holes, and Garcia couldn't keep up. His drive at N. 6 slid off the side of a hill and forced him to take an unplayable penalty after a lengthy discussion with the officials. At the next hole, he knocked two balls into the water and conceded the hole before the players even reached the green.

There appeared to be plenty of bad blood between the players, epecially when Kim kept declining to concede short putts to the Spaniard and seemed perturbed that Garcia wanted relief when his ball wound up next to a stone staircase at No. 6.

"Do what you've got to do," Kim sniffed to the referee.

The take-no-prisoners strategy paid off at No. 11, where Garcia mised from about 3 feet to lose the hole. Kim slapped hands with the gallery on his way to the next tee, and needed just three more holes to finish it off.

"That short miss at 11 kind of put the dagger in me," Garcia said.

Kim didn't even realize he had won as he walked away from the 14th. Someone toldhim he didn't need to play any more holes, and he returned to the green to shake hands with Garcia. They appeared to be over any hard feelings, embracing warmly.

Garcia patted his opponent on the chest and mouthed to him, "You played great."

The Europeans had won an unprecedented three straight RyderCups, the last two in routs. They needed 14 points to retain the trophy, while the Americans had to win outright to end their streak of misery. They were in their best position in more than a decade despite missing the world's best player, Tiger Woods, who was sidelined by knee surgery.

The U.S. had a 9-7 lead after two days of alternate-shot ad better-ball competition, its first lead going into singles since 1995.

Azinger put most of his leading players at the top of the draw, while Faldo went with three of his best players - Poulter, Westwood and Harrington - in the last three spots. He can only hope those matches still matter by the end of te day.

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