Ryder Cup star Dustin Johnson confessed ‘it sucks to lose’ after being a member of a second straight losing USA side.
Johnson, 28 was among just three American team members to succeed in their Singles matches on a final day when a Jose Maria Olazabal inspired side came from four points down to win by one in what is now being described as ‘The Miracle at Medinah’.
American Dustin Johnson shakes hands with Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts after winning his Singles match. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
But while Europe continues to celebrate its seventh Ryder Cup success in the past nine matches, Johnson was hardly in a buoyant mood heading into this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
“It was a tough pill to swallow and it definitely sucks to lose,” said Johnson.
“But it was a great week and great for TV and what a match it was. It’s just that the Europeans out-played us on Sunday.
“Personally, I had a great week. It was a lot of fun and you know, we went there as a team and we lost as a team.
“Hopefully, we will get them in two years time at Gleneagles.”
Johnson and namesake Zach Johnson along with Jason Dufner were the only three Americans to win their Singles matches with Johnson accounting 3 & 2 for Belgium rookie Nicolas Colsaerts.
But while pleased to snatch a point there is nothing the 28-year old South Carolina golfer believes Team USA could not have done better on a dramatic final day in Chicago.
“I don’t think the team or Captain Love could not have done a better job,” he said.
“We had a 10 – 6 lead going into Sunday and everything we did I thought was right, and Captain Love just did a great job and it was a lot of fun playing for him.
“When I look back on it, the only thing I can come up with is that it wasn’t meant to be.
“Phil (Mickelson), Jim (Furyk) and Steve (Stricker) had so many putts over the last few holes that looked they were going in the hole, and were such great putts, but they just did not go in.
“There was Steve’s putt on 17 and Jim’s putt on 18 and if Jim hits that same putt 10 more times it’s surely going to go in nine times.
“You can’t say nobody played bad, and I guess you can’t say that anyone in our team panicked or didn’t handle the situation as we just had so many chances of the ball going in the hole that just didn’t go in.
“There were six or seven of those putts and if just one of those putts dropped then it was a totally different outcome
“As I said, it seemed that it just wasn’t meant to be.
“So I am not upset about it but it does stings a little bit but we had a great time. The team was great and we had a lot of fun, and we’ll get them next time.”
And Johnson confessed that while he would have liked to see Tiger Woods and Francesco Molinari end their match on the 18th fairway, he was full of praise for the sportsmanship shown by the 14-time Major Champion.
“I don’t have any problems with Tiger conceding the putt because at that point in the afternoon the match was over and when Tiger and Francesco were standing in the middle of the 18th fairway it was already over,” said Johnson.
“Although I thought that they both should have conceded, it was good sportsmanship on Tiger’s part.
“It’s obvious there is nothing between the two teams and we have a great team, and it just didn’t go our way on Sunday and simple as that.
“Two years ago it was pretty much the same for us, as we were down going into Sunday and we fought back hard, so much so it came down to the last match.
“That’s what it seems it’s going to do most of the time now, and that’s come down to the last match.
“When it comes to Sunday it’s a case of we don’t want to lose and they also don’t want to lose, so that’s golf and shit happens!”
Johnson is among four Ryder Cup stars competing in Scotland this week and joining the European Team winning trio of Paul Lawrie, Peter Hanson and Medinah hero, Martin Kaymer.
Also competing is now 2014 Gleneagles European captain favourite, Paul McGinley along with defending Dunhill Links champion, Michael Hoey.
