# Europe Kicks Ass, Phil Mickleson is One

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europe-kicks-ass-phil-mickleson-is-one/699842>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [September 29, 2014, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europe-kicks-ass-phil-mickleson-is-one/699842 "2014-09-29T11:06:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europe-kicks-ass-phil-mickleson-is-one/699842/1 "2014-09-29T11:06:27Z")

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Congrats to the Euros on their convincing win over the US in the Ryder Cup. They won with teamwork, class, and talent. And that brings us to Mr. Mickleson. After playing like crap and publicly sulking on the course, he proceeded to piss all over the event while throwing his Captain under the bus.

I actually happen to agree with Phil - Watson did a piss poor job of managing his team, but to make those comments right after losing, and worse, in public, he showed the world why he isn’t the guy his publicists have crafted the image of.

> [@](#):
>
> AUCHTERARDER, Scotland – The European team left Gleneagles as 12 men unified in victory. The U.S. team left in disarray.
> 
> Phil Mickelson made sure of that.
> 
> The five-time major winner laid into Tom Watson’s captaincy during the team’s post-match interview. He accused Watson of ignoring the winning formula Paul Azinger had laid down in 2008. The awkward atmosphere in the interview room could have been cut with a plastic knife.

> **[Phil Mickelson Criticizes U.S. Captain After Ryder Cup Loss](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/phil-mickelson-criticizes-tom-watson-ryder-cup_n_5896962)**
>
> Phil Mickelson Criticizes U.S. Captain After Ryder Cup Loss

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**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europe-kicks-ass-phil-mickleson-is-one/699842/2 "2014-09-29T12:59:57Z")

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Yeah, I saw some of the “highlights” of that and Mickelson showed a total lack of class. Sure, he’s hurting from a tough defeat, but he should be used to that - he’s been a pro for well over 20 years. I’m not well-informed enough to have an opinion on whether Watson or Azinger was a better captain (well, apart from their results, obviosuly) but I think Watson nailed it when he said it was simply down to the players who played better golf being the winners. Could Azinger have won as captain with the same team? I highly doubt it.

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**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/europe-kicks-ass-phil-mickleson-is-one/699842/3 "2014-09-29T15:48:51Z")

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As I said on another thread… Watson’s strategy WAS questionable, but the main problem was that, this year, Europe just had a lot more good players than we did. Different pairings MIGHT have helped a little, but only a little.

If Phil had qualms about the way Watson was doing things, he should have told him that in private on Friday or Saturday night. But on Sunday afternoon, the only thing to do was congratulate the Europeans and vow to play better next time.

And even if Lefty was RIGHT to believe Watson did a terrible job, Watson is an all-time great who deserved more respect.

As it is… well, I’ve always liked Lefty, but he embarrassed himself and the team this time. He surely WOULD have been a Ryder Cup captain himself one day, but now? I wouldn’t ever let him be captain. He clearly doesn’t have the right temperament.