American Reaction: Local press pulls no punches after Saturday's play

Reaction from the US press to the Ryder Cup play

RYDER ROUT, AMERICANS LEFT IN HOPELESS POSITION.

"As we say here at the club, The Europeans are dormie. Six-up with 12 matches to play. Don't waste your time doing the math. Pick it up. This Ryder Cup is history. Today will be a gimme."

- Jim Hawkins (Sunday Oakland Press) LEFTY-TIGER DISASTER IS HAL'S FAULT.

"The United States lost two key matches in which he participated Friday and it is almost as if they did so because Tiger had to prove his point about Mickelson. It's not as if he was playing any better. Woods was brutal while getting beaten in alternate-shot shot format Saturday afternoon.

"Ultimately the finger of blame goes at Sutton. He is the one that put Woods and Mickelson in that position. He said it was because the world demanded it, and Tiger and Mickelson themselves wanted it. That latter part was a lie. It was the last thing either wanted."

- Pat Caputo (Sunday Oakland Press)

AMERICANS EARLY RISERS, BUT GET RUDE AWAKENING

"Whatever magic they had found in the morning dew, they lost in the afternoon shadows at Oakland Hills Country Club. And so a heralded US Ryder Cup team finds itself in need of a miracle finish even grander than the one scripted in 1999.

"Proud and spirited Europeans, golfers of different flags but with a common bond, survived a morning scare in the fourball matches, then won three of four afternoon foursomes - a blitz punctuated by a conquest of Tiger Woods and Davis Love by Irishmen Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley."

- Jim McCabe (Boston Globe)

AMERICANS FIND QUEST FOR CUP A ROUGH RYDER

"Too little, too light and much too tight. It's the dismal story of the Ryder Cup team and it's been repeated here right in our own neighbourhood. That's right, the lads are flat out choking. At least I hope that's the explanation, otherwise we're not remotely as good as the smooth Europeans. If the Americans, trailing 11-5, don't make today's singles remotely competitive, we'll officially slap 'em with a well earned label - Country Club softies."

- Bob Wojnowski (The Detroit News)

FOR THE US, A BIG DEFICIT AND LITTLE TIME TO COME BACK

"Throughout the 35th Ryder Cup, Europe has purred like a Ferrari, while the United States has sputtered like a jalopy. The Europeans have seized the moment, and the Americans have looked suffocated by it, being badly outplayed and failing to find consistent chemistry."

- Clifton Brown (New York Times)

US TEAM'S RYDER CUP NIGHTMARE CONTINUES

"After a second straight day of underachievement by some of its celebrated superstars, the US team sunk to a new low, giving the Europeans a record and seemingly unassailable edge."

- Joe Logan (Philadelphia Inquirer)