The War by the Shore
by Mike Purkey - July 30, 2012

Most of what we remember is the painful expression on Bernhard Langer’s face when his six-foot par putt slid past the hole on the low side that gave the United States the 1991 Ryder Cup. But there’s infinitely more to it than just that moment.

Coming into that Ryder Cup, the Americans had their tails between their legs. Europe had thumped the U.S. in 1985 at The Belfry and then, in 1987, the Europeans won for the first time on American soil, winning the matches at Muirfield Village with Jack Nicklaus as the U.S. captain. And in 1989, the Americans won the last four singles matches to create a 14-14 tie, which meant that Europe retained the Cup.

Dave Stockton was the U.S. captain and the matches were held at the unknown, untested Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. At the time, American troops had been in Iraq in Operation Desert Storm that ended in late February 1991. Stockton had some golf hats made with camouflage and the Ryder Cup was referred to as “The War by the Shore,” which was patriotic at best but inflammatory at worst. And many people, particularly the Europeans, took the latter.

You knew this was going to be a contentious Ryder Cup from the first match of the first day. Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal, the Spanish armada, teamed against Paul Azinger and Chip Beck in the foursomes. Azinger and Beck inadvertently changed balls during one hole and Ballesteros accused them of cheating. Azinger looked like he’d rather settle the match with fists than golf clubs.

The Americans had control of the foursomes and the Europeans dominated the fourballs and the matches were tied at 8-8 going into the Sunday singles. Nick Faldo defeated Raymond Floyd, the U.S. captain in 1989, and David Feherty took down Payne Stewart.

But it was the third match of the day that swung the momentum. Mark Calcavecchia held a 4-up lead on Colin Montgomerie with four to play and lost the final four holes to halve the match. Calcavecchia spent an hour alone on the beach, inconsolable.

But the United States won five of the next seven matches and the Ryder Cup was going to come down to the final match between Langer and Hale Irwin. Europe was one point behind and Langer needed to win the match to create a 14-14 tie, in which case the Europeans would retain the Cup. The match was all square headed to the 18th.

What is mostly forgotten in the wake of Langer’s downfall was that Irwin – a three-time U.S. Open champion – almost single-handedly gave the Cup to Europe. Irwin’s second shot on the 18th at the Ocean Course with a fairway wood was wide to the right of the green. Langer hit a 3-iron that just ran through the green, about 45 feet away from the hole. It was then that Irwin tried to hit a hooded sand wedge from about 70 feet and the ball stopped 30 feet short.

Langer’s birdie putt raced six feet past.

Irwin missed his par putt and was conceded bogey. Roger Maltbie correctly called that the grain on Langer’s putt could pull it to the right. And it did, giving the Americans the Ryder Cup.

Irwin knew full well that what happened to Langer just as easily could have happened to him. “I feel so sorry for Bernhard Langer,” a weary Irwin said afterward. “Because I was in his shoes just a few seconds ago.”