ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, September 16, 1996 TAG: 9609170067
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: GAINESVILLE
SOURCE: Associated Press
It could have been the War On The Shore or the Battle Of The Belfry. Eleven U.S. players and their wives, gathered greenside, anxiously hoping for the 12th member of their team to pull one out for the red, white and blue.
No, there wasn't the patriotic fervor nor the historical significance of those famous Ryder Cup matches riding on Fred Couples' 25-foot putt. But the fact that it went in - and that it won the tournament on the 17th hole of the final match - was exactly the type of finish the Presidents Cup needed to build a pedigree to match its U.S.-vs.-Europe model.
``A very exciting and a great week,'' said Corey Pavin, a veteran of both events. ``It will certainly put this tournament on the map.''
Couples' putt completed a 2 and 1 victory over Vijay Singh and gave the United States a split of Sunday's 12 singles matches and a 161/2-151/2 victory over the International team to retain the trophy in the second edition of the biennial competition.
Singh had a chance to match Couples' birdie, but he missed a 15-footer that would have sent the match to the 18th hole. The U.S. team was jubilant, while International co-captain Ian Baker-Finch was among those wiping away tears.
``When it was on line, I knew it was good,'' said Couples, who leaped in the air after it went in. ``And when it got five feet from the hole, I knew it was in. It was a great feeling to run around like an idiot.''
The International team, composed of players from the Japanese, Southern Africa and Australasian tours, had tied the score at 151/2 points when Greg Norman made three birdies in four holes on the back nine to beat Corey Pavin 3 and 1 in the big-name match of the day.
The final match, Couples vs. Singh, had three holes to play when everyone else had finished. Singh was down 2 at the time.
``I thought we had won it, and Vijay said, `You know, this is getting close,''' said Couples, who won the first hole of the match and never trailed. ``Just to play in the last group is nerve-wracking enough.''
Singh immediately closed the gap with a birdie at the par-3 16th after his tee shot landed within three feet of the cup. He needed to win one of the final two holes to force a playoff, but Couples' putt ended the threat.
``I'm emotionally drained after a day such as today,'' International co-captain Peter Thomson said. ``I really feel it would have been wonderful if we had won that cup.''
``This is the longest week that I have had in a long time,'' said U.S. captain Arnold Palmer, who clearly was relieved.
Hampered by the lack of history and patriotic fervor that has become standard fare at the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup needed all the excitement it could muster after the U.S. team's 20-12 rout in the inaugural competition in 1994.
It appeared that wouldn't happen after the home team won seven of 10 matches on the first day, but the International team roared back within one point Saturday to set up Sunday's cliffhanger conclusion.
And while the players and tour officials were rooting for the tournament to achieve some prestige, most said it would never be the grudge match the Ryder Cup has become.
``You share locker rooms; you talk to them,'' Couples said. ``They all play our tour, almost of all them. Even 20 years from now, if they keep doing things right, it's going to be great competition.''
The biggest of the American heros over the weekend was probably Mark O'Meara, whose 1-up victory over Nick Price gave the three-time Ryder Cup veteran a 5-0 record over the three-day competition. He credited Palmer with providing him inspiration.
``I just kept thinking out there, `How would A.P. handle this? Would he hitch up his pants and go forward?''' O'Meara said. ``You bet he would, so I just kept using that as a motivating factor.''
LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Fred Couples reacts after sinking a long putt on theby CNB17th hole to win his match in the Presidents Cup on Sunday. KEYWORDS: GOLF