Ryder Cup quotes A to Z: ‘I couldn’t breathe or swallow’

The Ryder Cup has produced some pretty memorable performances over the years – and some equally unforgettable one or two-liners from the players.

From Jack Nicklaus’ blunt remarks to Ignacio Garrido’s selfless comments and back again – there are some cracking quotes to be recalled.

That never-to-be-repeated ‘wonderful’ feeling

There’s no getting away from emotions sometimes, as Torrance relays…

“We must say that maybe 80 percent of the victory is thanks to all the British people, because they are just fantastic. They cannot be better.” – Seve Ballesteros.

• “Never have I felt as wonderful as I feel today. And never will I feel as wonderful.” – Sam Torrance.
• “In the past it was always us who missed those putts. That has to crush them.” – Tony Jacklin.
• “It feels like I’ve won another British Open.” – Ballesteros, again.
• “Our guys just weren’t quite as tough as their guys.” – Jack Nicklaus.

When the picture is bigger than your own game

Faldo knew how to win the small moments for the big picture…

• “We are playing for history. It’s like playing for your life.” – Nick Faldo.
• “When you play for so many, it makes you strong.” – Ballesteros, once more.
• “We may have held the clubs, but Seve hit the shots.” – Ignacio Garrido.
• “I’m sure the American team at the end of the week were playing him, Seve,, not us.” – Colin Montgomerie.
• “There’s so much pressure. They crack like we crack.” – Jacklin, again.
• “Our guys kept hitting it in the water. You can’t do that against world-class players.” – Raymond Floyd.

• “I misread the putt, because of those spike marks. If I had stood there shaking and yipped it either way, it would have been a different story, but it was not a bad putt.” – Bernhard Langer.
• “It really got Seve’s back up and Olazábal’s back up. They took their game to another level and won that match.” – Bernard Gallacher.
• “I kept hearing, ‘USA, USA!’ I couldn’t breathe or swallow.” – Hale Irwin.
• “I knew the line. It was a matter of having the nerve to hit it on line and fortunately I did.” – Paul McGinley.

Sometimes it takes experience and form in combination

Fulke and this Betway blog and infographic are on the same page…

• “There were 11 heroes on this team and there’s one that’s a slightly bigger hero today, and that’s Paul McGinley.” Pierre Fulke.
• “It had nothing to do with me. I led the boys to water and they drank copiously.” – Sam Torrance.
• “The adrenalin is gone and the body is tired. But it is still exhilirating what happened these last few days.” – Langer, again.
• “The Europeans are great. They came here and played ferociously and holed putts when they needed to. We just got outplayed.” – Hal Sutton.

Team spirit, indeed

The sum is greater than the parts…

• “We are one of the closest-knit teams in international sport. It’s amazing how we play for each other.” – Montgomerie, again.
• “The US are always stronger on paper, but we have a lot of courage and always seem to be able to get it done.” – Luke Donald.
• “I didn’t put a point on the board before the singles, but now I feel like I put 20 on it.” – Thomas Levet.