The U.S. made it dramatic Monday at Celtic Manor, and Myrtle Beach resident Dustin Johnson played easily his best match of the week in a singles dusting of PGA Championship winner Martin Kaymer of Germany, but in the end the Americans gave themselves too large a hole to dig out of.
The U.S. lost the third session Sunday 5 1/2 to 1/2 to fall three back heading into the 12 singles matches, and a stirring rally down the stretch led by young PGA Tour rookie Rickie Fowler came up just short when Graeme McDowell closed out Hunter Mahan on the 17th hole of the final match to clinch a 14 1/2 to 13 1/2 European victory.
Johnson finally notched a point for the Americans with 6 and 4 win over Kaymer. Johnson did not make a bogey, won the final five holes of the match (10-14) and birdied the final four holes he played. His play was matched only by Fowler for the U.S. Monday. Fowler birdied his last four holes and won holes 16-18 against Edoardo Molinari to halve his match and make the final match between McDowell and Mahan meaningful. Fowler was four down with six to play, knowing his comeback was essential to U.S. hopes of a comeback.
Sunday's performance had to be cathartic for Johnson, who was held pointless in the foursome and fourball portions of the event. Johnson and Phil Mickelson fell 3 and 2 to Kaymer and Lee Westwood in the opening fourball (best ball) matches, Johnson and Mickelson fell 3 and 2 to Padraig Harrington and Ross Fisher in foursomes (alternate shot) matches in the second session, and Johnson and Jim Furyk fell 2 and 1 to Harrington and Fisher in a third-session fourball match.
