No Regrets for Faldo After Ryder Cup Gamble Backfires

Nick Faldo last night admitted he would never again captain the European team in the Ryder Cup and then claimed he had no regrets after his gamble of back loading his singles line-up with his star players backfired badly.

"I doubt I would do it again," Faldo said. "It was a one-time shot. But I'm very happy. My goal was to leave here on Sunday night happy with what I had done and I am."

Faldo sent out Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and the in-form Ian Poulter in the last three groups, by which time their matches were irrelevant because the Unites States had already won the cup. In the end the margin of defeat, five points, was Europe's largest for 27 years, although Faldo claimed his tactical gamble had nearly been successful.

"We just missed out on one guy," he said. "If we could just have gotten through to the last four guys, but that was the risk we took. We literally came out one guy short. If we could get through to the last four guys, look where it is. We're talking fractions between these teams. Coming down these last few holes every day the difference between a win, loss or half is just a chip or a putt."

Only half of his players won a match throughout the entire week, but Faldo said they could not be blamed for a lack of effort. "We should celebrate, it's been a great week," he said. "I wanted it to be a great experience and it has been. Everyone has given their all and you've got to be proud of them.

"Twenty-four guys have given their heart and soul to this event and we've come up just short. Congratulations to Paul Azinger and his team. The golf was fantastic and in this particular week they've done us. You've got to take your hats off to the guys – they provided such entertainment."

While he undoubtedly made mistakes during the week, Faldo was vindicated in his decision to award a wild card to Poulter, who won four of his five matches. "Poults came here with the right attitude," Faldo said. "He was strong mentally, on the course and in the team-room. He is one that can now definitely go on to the next level."

Another European who has been a revelation this week is Graeme McDowell, who followed up Saturday afternoon's fourballs victory with Poulter by defeating Stewart Cink last night, albeit after the destination of the cup had already been decided. McDowell conceded that the better team had won.

"I really enjoyed the week although obviously it was not the result we were looking for," he said. "We had 12 guys playing their hearts out but we came up against a strong side. We were outplayed and out golfed. The games I was involved in the standard of golf was incredible. We worked hard for this but the better team won."

In contrast the three players who were expected to be the stalwarts of the side, Sergio García, Harrington and Westwood, will all fly home having failed to win a match. Westwood again criticized the crowd for their treatment of the European players. "You expect the crowd to be pro-American but I've been abused from start to finish this week and I don't think that's golf," he said. "There's a difference between supporting your side and abusing your opponents – it's been shameful really."