U.S. can erase ugly memories today

LOUISVILLE, KY. -- This is a moment nine ugly years in the making.

From Sergio Garcia's snow angels in the fairway six years ago through Phil and Tiger together two years later; from the blowout loss at Oakland Hills through Darren Clarke's teardrops in Ireland, this is the moment that has eluded the United States' best golfers for nearly a decade.

The Ryder Cup is America's to win.

Or to lose.

Today isn't about lineup strategy, no matter how tempting it is to break the 12 singles matches into golf's version of a game plan.

This is about execution and emotion and ending a winless spell the Americans have worn like a scarlet letter since that September afternoon outside Boston in 1999 when Justin Leonard set off a rampage.

This is about doing to the Europeans today what they've made a habit of doing to the Americans in the Ryder Cup.

Were it only that easy.

To this point, the Americans have owned this Ryder Cup since before the first T-shirt was tossed to the pep rally crowd Thursday.

They produced a brilliant Friday, emerged with a two-point lead after Saturday and today need to find a way to squeeze out 5 1/2 points so they can party like it's 1999.

"We have to keep our eyes on point," said U.S. captain Paul Azinger, who has done an outstanding job with that challenge to this point.

Saturday was a day that could have gotten away from the U.S., especially after the epic collapse by Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim in the morning session when they wasted a 4-up advantage and lost to Oliver Wilson and Henrik Stenson.

Hold that point and the Americans are four ahead starting today and almost there.

Instead, it's a nervous margin, close enough that nothing is certain today.

Now, it's every man for himself and his flag with no partners to pick them up when they hit a bad shot. Today is about momentum and making putts, like the super-sized birdie putt Steve Stricker made on the 18th green to save half a point.

Rookies Boo Weekley and Hunter Mahan have been terrific through two days, but this day is different. The same goes for Europe's rookie Graeme McDowell, who putted like an angel Saturday, as did Ian Poulter, who showed the world why captain Nick Faldo did the right thing in adding him to the squad.

The past two Ryder Cups, the drama has been gone by now, the only question being which European would hole the putt that clinched the cup and set the celebration into overdrive. Today, there is uncertainty in the air.

There have been bogeys and blunders the first days but relatively few of them. Instead, the golf has glowed, none more than Robert Karlsson's brilliant back-nine Saturday when he made six birdies to make sure the Europeans got a precious half-point.

As Saturday wore on, the drama built, culminating with three matches ending at the 18th while the emotional pendulum rocketed back and forth like it had overdosed on Red Bull.

"Just amazing golf," Azinger said as the sun set behind him. "There's so much pressure here, so much tension.

"In pressure situations, you see the best performances. It brings out the best in athletes."

Imagine, then, what today might bring.