Ryder Cup

Well done Colin Montgomery. Peace has broken out in Europe. After a closely fought competition the European golfers have regained the Ryder Cup from the Americans, winning by the closest of margins.
Well done too, the Celtic Manor resort for hosting such a wonderful event in rain lashed Wales. The wonderful pictures on Monday when the sun shone were beamed around the world and put Wales on the international map.
I couldn't watch the finish - it was too tense as the European lead was whittled away in a fighting US come-back and I feared a heart attack.
Montgomery has had a difficult time in his social life but he has clearly not let that get in the way of his Captaincy. He was not afraid to make tough decisions when selecting his team and his man management skills during the contest itself, have been compared with those of Colonel Tim Collins of Iraq fame. Praise indeed.
For years the Americans have believed they were the world's elite at golf and yet once again they have been humbled. These days, their tournaments, with the largest prize money, attract the best players from around the world resulting in there being fewer and fewer US winners. From the days of Palmer and Nicklaus, when the US was supreme, the signs of challenge were emerging in the sixties with Jacklin and Faldo pressing for honours and now the rest of the world, particularly  Asia, are catching up.
Mr Pavin was very gracious defeat and Montgomery looked forward to doing it all again in Chicago in two years time. Golf remains a beacon of light in the murky world of international sport. It is scrupulously honest and played in 'gentlemanly' way that contrasts sharply with cricket and cycling, for instance. I, for one, look forward to the next Ryder Cup but hope, for my nerve's sake, for a less dramatic conclusion.