Disappointing Europeans

It was an especially disappointing week for the European contingent.

This Tournament used to be our hunting ground. In the 20 Masters since 1980, Europeans won 11 of them. From 1988, we won seven out of nine. Now, it’s been 14 years since the last Euro win (Olazabal in 1999).

In the 77th version, none were particularly close, with the possible exception of the Dane, Thorbjorn Olesen, who shot weekend rounds of 68, 68, to finish five shots outside the playoff in a tie for 6th place.

With one round to play, the two leading Europeans were Lee Westwood and Bernhard Langer. What odds would you have got on that at the beginning of the week? Langer – a two time champion – started his final round with three straight birdies at the first three holes, but eventually faded to a 76.

And although Westwood had a final round 71, to finish in a tie for 8th, he never holed enough putts to make a charge.

Of the 28 Europeans in the field, 10 of them (including Ian Poulter, Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and Nicolas Colsaerts) despite the fact that the cut had been eased to the top-50 and ties. World number two, Rory McIlroy, was let down by Saturday’s 79, and eventually finished in a tie for 25th. The Europeans will be hoping for better luck at the second major of the year in two months, at Merion.