The Week: Cheers and Jeers

Toasting the winners and roasting the losers from an intoxicating Ryder Cup

By Alan Shipnuck

García (above) drank in Europe's win, along with Mia Parnevik and Mark James. Bob Martin GOLF PLUS EXTRA Big Play: Peter Krause Teeing Off: Unrequited Love TRUST ME Tiger Woods will never be the go-to guy for the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Woods doesn't care about the Cup, and his lone-wolf intensity precludes him from bonding with his teammates, who sense his apathy. Future captains should learn from Curtis Strange's mistake and not bank on Woods. NEXT UP PGA: Michelob Championship Senior: Turtle Bay Championship LPGA: Samsung World Championship European: Dunhill Links Championship INSTANT POLL Which 2003 major was the best? The Masters The U.S. Open The British Open The PGA View Results

Colin Montgomerie went 4-0-1 and Scott Hoch was 0-3-1, but there were plenty of other winners and losers from a rousing Ryder Cup.

WINNERS

Sam Torrance. The classy Scot expertly tweaked the Belfry to his team's benefit, he came up aces with his pairings three days running, and he was the press conference MVP to boot. His Saturday night call -- "They've got one Tiger, I've got 12 lions" -- was Churchillian.

Montgomerie's chiropractors. Monty has long been golf's whiniest hypochondriac, but after a summer of reputed back problems he was Europe's backbone for the third straight Cup.

David Toms. The star of the U.S. squad, this fearless rookie solidified his standing as one of the top half-dozen players in the game.

European fans. Yes, they've always been more knowledgeable, but this time around they embraced the Americans while simultaneously inspiring the home team. Bloody brilliant. >Bernhard Langer. The 45-year-old warhorse quietly went 3-0-1 in his 10th Cup, moving to within two of Nick Faldo's alltime points record.

Curtis Strange's captain's picks. Scott Verplank went 2-1, including one of only two U.S. victories in singles, while Paul Azinger's electric hole-out at 18 on Sunday secured what could have been a crucial half point -- not that it matters to Strange's myriad critics.

Ryder Cup. After three long years marred by controversy and tragedy, it's nice to be reminded how much fun this hoary exhibition can be.

Paul McGinley. Irish eyes are smiling at the Belfry, again, as the underrated McGinley's Cup-clinching putt joins Christie O'Connor's two-iron in '85 in the pantheon of Ryder Cup final-hole heroics.

LOSERS

McGinley's vertical leap. He looked sadly Laimbeeresque hopping around after said putt.

Phil Mickelson. Famously majorless, Mickelson could always point to his Ryder Cup success for credibility. Not anymore, after a stunning Phil flop in singles to Phillip Price, a loss that was the death knell for the Yanks' hopes.

The Belfry. A neutered 10th hole and painfully slow greens made this plain-Jane track seem even less worthy of such an august event.

Tiger Woods. Was it really less than three months ago that we were tingling about a Grand Slam? Woods has never been more embattled, due to an untimely 81, a final-round smackdown by Rich Beem at the PGA, a huge p.r. gaffe over the lack of women members at Augusta National and now an uninspired turn at the Ryder Cup, which for some folks remains more important than the Disney Classic.

British tabloids. You know the Fleet Street gang is hurting when the biggest scandal they can manufacture is Woods's early morning practice round.

Sergio García. He was looking invincible until a sudden spasm of the yips on Saturday afternoon foreshadowed his brutal singles loss to Toms. The most shocking shot of this Ryder Cup belongs to García, not Azinger: the young Spaniard's pull-hook into the water off the 18th tee on Sunday.

Davis Love III. Following García's exuberant celebration in the middle of the 18th fairway after the Cup had been clinched, a piqued Love tattled to Strange as if he were the school principal. C'mon, Davis, lighten up.

U.S. team. It lost for the third time in the last four matches. To call the Americans favorites in the foreseeable future is folly.

O.B.