Showdown

A gripping account of the European victory over the U.S. in the epic Ryder Cup battle at Gleneagles, September 2014

Europe's blistering win had been nearly 24 months in the making—on both sides of the Atlantic. Following the "Miracle" at Medinah in 2012, the Americans pulled out all the stops, appointing veteran Ryder Cup hero Tom Watson as captain. As Watson put it, they were seeking "redemption" for the devastating meltdown they had suffered two years before. Put under pressure, the Europeans bet on an outlier: Irishman Paul McGinley, a diminutive stalwart touring pro, a team man, and an astute tactician. It was a fight between acumen and aura. Acumen won. On this occasion the European triumph was not miraculous; it was meticulous, the product of an extraordinarily detailed plan that rode the dramatic swings of fortune of the golfing calendar. Since Medinah, the golfing world had not just evolved, it had turned on its head. There was a new order. The old were fading, injured, out of form, unable to maintain winning habits. The younger generation had taken over. When it came to the showdown, the biggest event in his sport, McGinley's master plan came to fruition. Telling the inside story of an enthralling contest, from the build-up, including the appointment of both captains and the assembly of their teams, through to the dramas of the week at Gleneagles, this is a fascinating look at the pivotal moment that has established Europe as the undisputed leaders in the Ryder Cup.