U.S. win gives Spieth relief after loss to Leishman

“I believe I would have been just as nervous no matter who was out there, but I was more emotional because it was Bill”.

He was the captain’s son.

Anirban Lahiri, the first player from India to make the worldwide team, battled Kirk shot for shot over the final four holes and looked like a victor when he played a pitch to perfection on the par-5 18th and had 4 feet for birdie.

“I don’t know if I’m going to get through this”, Jay Haas, 61, said, holding back tears as he began talking with NBC’s Roger Maltbie. “But no less proud”. After a massive putt by Bae on the 17th, the golfers headed to the 18th hole with Haas up one.

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“Honestly, it’s what you want”, Haas said, via The Golf Channel.

Given that this was probably Bae’s last competitive hole for two years, it was heartbreaking to watch.

Members of the global Presidents Cup Team pose with fans of the cheering group, Fanatics, after the competition at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon on October. 11, 2015. “We were riding back down the fairway on 18 before Bill played 17, and I said, ‘Come on, Bill, win one for your mom here”. “I was obviously very nervous, but I feel like I had a very clear mind and was able to just step up and hit the putt like I normally would, and I’m very thankful I managed to sneak it in there”.

“But not loud enough that Jason could hear”, Spieth said. He looked down the row at Grace, Matsuyama, Lahiri and Day and described them as the “future of this event”. Still, rooting interests aside, players and fans alike have to agree that this was one of the most entertaining, emotionally charged events in Presidents Cup history. The overall score was tied at 14 1/2 points. This was the seventh match to go down to the final hole as America eventually won by 15 1/2 to International’s 14 1/2 points as Sang-moon fluffed his chip to hand Haas a crucial advantage. Haas followed with a 6-iron on the green at the par-3 17th, and halved the hole with pars that assured no worse than a tie for him. Bill Haas was 2 UP by the 9th hole over Sangmoon Bae, but Bae was able to bring it back to All Square by the 11th.

Haas blasted out of a bunker to 6 feet, and Bae conceded the birdie putt. “That was the hardest position I’ve had on the golf course in my career”.

When Bae stumbled with a flubbed chip, a victim of the pressure and nerves, it was all but over and the Americans celebrated. Looking over the final scoring for the individual players it’s pretty clear who the goat was for the global Team.

The son remembers Oak Hill, too. It was that afternoon at the Ryder Cup that changed everything.

First Zach Johnson and Mickelson stole a share of the spoils against Scott and Day, then Holmes and Watson claimed a full point by winning 2-up against Leishman and Bowditch. “I remember hearing the cheers”.

Then for a brief moment on the 18th green in the least appealing match, it appeared the Internationals were about to take it outright.

What stuck with the boy was the opportunity, not the outcome.

“Across the board, the players were all in when we were texting and talking to them”, Haas said. This was Spieth’s match for most of the round.

“So for him to do that down the stretch, is not vindication or anything like that, but just how things work out, and 20 years went by in a blink”. ” … It was a goal of mine all year was to make this team”.