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Golf

29th Sep 2018

Jordan Spieth makes unmistakable dig at Ian Poulter as USA fight back

Patrick McCarry

Spieth

EUROPE 10-6 USA

We are set up nicely (us Europeans), heading into the final day of the 2018 Ryder Cup. Jordan Spieth is definitely up for the fight.

Having been 3-1 down to Team USA on Friday morning, Thomas Bjorn and his diligent dozen got down to business. They swept the afternoon foursomes and won the Saturday morning fourballs 3-1.

That put them 8-4 ahead going into the Saturday afternoon session and the dream duo of Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood were sent back out for more. They delivered, once again, by savaging Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau and, at one stage, Europe were 10-4 up.

There were still two matches out on the course and the Americans were far ahead in those two matches. First off, Webb Simpson and Bubba Watson defeated Sergio Garcia and Alex Noren.

That left the USA trailing by five points. Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter were 2 UP on the final US pairing of Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas after three holes but the tide soon started to turn.

Spieth and Thomas, who had lost 5&4 to Fleetwood and Molinari on Friday afternoon, then started to drop putts and get fired up. By the turn, they were 2 UP.

McIlroy and Poulter were not in top form for this match-up but they started to cut loose in the closing stages. Although they were 4 DOWN, the European pair fronted up with birdies on 14 and 15.

Their only problem? Spieth was draining big putts and letting the world now this point was going to Team USA.

On 15, after Poulter nervelessly dropped a 12-footer, Spieth followed up with a gem of his own and the match was won. The American then made an unmistakable dig at Poulter as he mimicked his trademark chest-thump and roared in victory.

Twice in the space of two matches, Spieth and Thomas had tamed Europe’s talisman Poulter.

Spieth definitely served this victory dance up heavy. What a joy it would be to see him and Poulter paired off in the Sunday singles.