U-Ess-Ay U-Ess-Ay

Can there be a more simple and yet concurrently annoying chant in the world?

I wanted to wait a couple of days before writing about the Ryder Cup, wanted to let the coverage and the contest dissipate fully, but now I'm ready. The US were the better team, they played the better, more attacking, more daring golf on a course they knew well and with a team that didn't have the spectre of Him riding over it for once.

Why did Europe lose? Apart from the fact they were outplayed, you have to look (as most of the press have done in amongst all the Faldo bashing) at the failure of their big guns. Simply put, Westwood, Harrington, Garcia and Casey (yes Casey - ignore the wildcard, he should have been a big gun given his past couple of seasons) failed to perform for a variety of reasons.

Firstly Westwood. I've got nothing against the bloke, he's a wonderful golfer but he has always struck me as a bit flakey, a bit too hit and miss. I know his Ryder Cup record has been amazing, but what if we just kept catching him on a good un'?

That brings us onto Harrington, whose record is the complete opposite of Westwood's - it's truly abysmal over the past 3 Ryder Cups. And that leads you to the conclusion that maybe he's the European version of Him - supremely talented, major winner, not able to be a team player, despite what he professes. Or maybe he and Westwood really were both just knackered. Both of them, at the same tournament, for 3 days.

As for Casey, I'll cut him some slack, he fought his guts out for two hard earned draws, but you had a right to expect better of a bloke who's spent the past 2 years in the top 10 of the world.

And finally Sergio, dear Sergio. The man with the panic button installed on the inside of his putting grip (and the 'ground open up and eat me' button on his golfing glove). Sergio truly does love the Cup, always has done, and for one very good reason - he can hide.

Now I don't mean this in a bad way, far from it in fact. By hiding next to his partner in the Foursomes and Fourballs, he can cast off his doubts, his nerves and that panic button and just get on with doing what he does best. Knocking the cover off the ball and chipping in ridiculously good iron shots. But really Mr Faldo, sending out first a man who's singles record sucked even before Sunday's thrashing as the leader of the comeback charge? Out on the course, alone and without his Fours partners, he did the inevitable, as he had done last year on that windswept links, he wilted, grasped the putting handle and waited for the end.

Which brings me back to Harrington. Faldo took some stick for sending him out last, and thereby missing the chance to extend the game, but he actually got this one absolutely spot on. Bringing up the rear gave Harrington one simple, singular goal - Win. No team, no points, no up, no down. Just Win.

If it had gone to end, if Soren Hansen hadn't lost that game on the 17th, and Jimenez holed his putt on the same green, then it could have been the greatest finish in years. It wasn't to be.

But I'd have bet my life on Harrington if it had.