Said and Done
MCGINLEY, THE RECORD BREAKER
"I've got to say this is the pinnacle. It's the proudest moment of my life. It was a great victory margin again but I'll be having a word with Paul (McGinley) later about that." - Captain Ian Woosnam expressing his delight but quick to add a jibe for if McGinley hadn't been so gracious and offered JJ Henry a halved match it would have been a record margin.
"Yes, it (record) had crossed my mind but you know, it was a gesture and it was done in the right spirit." - McGinley's more than adequate response
FULL TO EMPTY IN 10 SECONDS FLAT
Reporter: "Darren, what did you make of Woosie's attempt at downing the pint of Guinness?"
Clarke: "He took 10 seconds too long!"
Woosnam: "A 10th quicker than you, you mean, and I'll prove it to you now, if you want."
Clarke: "I'm a little bit younger than you, be careful."
Woosnam: "There's nothing like experience."
Clarke: "If you keep up with me you'll be doing all right."
Woosnam: "We'll see about that."
COLD COMFORT GETTING CLUB BACK
Reporter: "Who found your nine-iron?"
Woods: "The diver and he was wearing a wet-suit, which is understandable here, the water's not real warm here, not like Florida . . . I guess the diver must have been European." - Woods after only getting his iron back nine holes later at the 15th.
NEXT QUESTION PLEASE . . . .
"I guess my first response to that is, it's a little insulting." - US captain Tom Lehman, quick to knock down any suggestion of there being a lack of competitiveness within the American team.
SWEET TASTE OF SUCCESS
"There's nothing sweeter than beating the Americans." - Sergio Garcia being his usual diplomatic self in front of the microphone.
CASEY HOLE-IN-ONE
"I know where the ball is, it's very safe. As for the four-iron there's one in my locker room. I haven't checked to see if it's mine, though." - Paul Casey apparently still unsure of the exact location of his four-iron after it flew out of his hand and seemingly into the gallery during his hole-in-one celebrations.
WILD CARDS PICKS VINDICATED
"I'd just like to put on record that Ian Woosnam's wild card picks have been totally justified. That's five points out of six (Clarke/Westwood) without loss. They've totally justified Woosie's selections." - Colin Mongtomerie justifying Woosie's wild card picks.
SHORT TALL WOOSIE
Sergio Garcia: "He might be a short man but he's got a huge heart."
Colin Montgomerie: "Yes, you're right, he is a short man. There's no question about that, Sergio. He's a short man with a very, very big heart."
Sergio Garcia: "But I still think he has grown about three inches this week."
BEING WINNING CAPTAIN BEATS ALL
Interviewer: Would winning the Ryder Cup top everything you achieved as a player?
Woosnam: "It will be if we win. This will be the most satisfactory thing I've ever done in my life, because it's all right playing for yourself and there's only one person to let down. But when you're looking after 12 guys, it's a different matter altogether.
"Anyway, I think I'll retire after this, I think I'll need a year to recover from this."
LEHMAN KEEPS THE FAITH
"I've been feeling great about this team for a long time now and I've been feeling great about this Ryder Cup for a long time. And I can tell you right now that our team does not feel this match is over by any stretch of the imagination." - Tom Lehman remaining upbeat despite the 10-6 deficit going into the final day singles.
PUTTING THE QUESTION
Reporter: "Why do you think your team is being out-putted?"
Tom Lehman: "Do you have an answer for me?"
Reporter: "No, I'm asking you."
Lehman: "I'm asking you. If I knew the answer, I'd tell my team."
REMEMBERING BROOKLINE
Reporter: "Why is it you guys putt better than the Americans?"
Darren Clarke: Got no idea, really. The best greens in the world are on the PGA Tour week-in week-out. I have no answer to that."
"I can tell you, in 1999 there were plenty of putts holed by the US team, I can certainly think of one!" - Jose Maria Olazabal, referring to Justin Leonard's Ryder Cup-winning putt on 17 at Brookline, the last time the Spaniard played in the competition.
IN OUT OF THE RAIN
Reporter: "Are you pair not disappointed at not playing again this afternoon?"
Darren Clarke: "I think it's great to be sitting in here, don't you Jose?"
Jose Maria Olazabal: "Oh yeah".
Clarke: "This is just fine. It's pissing rain out there so what you gonna do, go out there and get soaked trying to make four-footers all day or sit in here? No, this is just fine!"
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
"It was an emotional high and an emotional low, I don't really have much else to say." - Zach Johnson after an inspired winning performance in the morning fourballs (his first Ryder Cup win) before getting thumped 5 and 4 in the foursomes and being brought back down to earth by Paul Casey's hole-in-one.
"He called and woke me in the middle of the night and said 'Dude, we're playing'. He told me all the ground rules and how he wanted to tee off first so I just said: 'Hey, whatever you want to do'. He actually woke me to tell me that." - Scott Verplank on excitable playing partner Zach Johnson.
HOT RECEPTION
"We walked onto the first tee to a smattering of applause and obviously we're playing home-boy, Paddy (Harrington). Everybody knew the Irishman was coming, then it came, the loud, raucous roar and cheers." - Verplank on first-tee welcome.
"I said: 'Zach, this is like the Hawkeyes and we're going into the big house'. Zach said 'This is it right here, it doesn't get any better than this'. He was right, there's nothing quite like going to somebody else's house and giving them a fight." - Verplank, who alongside Johnson beat Harrington and Henrik Stenson.
EUROPE TO THE FORE
"Jesper Parnevik told me in my first Ryder Cup, you either ride the adrenalin or try to fight it. Either way can work." - Paul McGinley reveals how to deal with all the home support.
"Like he said on Monty Python, I know nothing." - Henrik Stenson gets his British comedy shows mixed up when asked if he will be playing in Saturday's fourballs. Fawlty Towers not popular in Sweden, perhaps.
"He hasn't had a putt since the fifth and he said 'Thanks Monty, you've left me a 35-yarder!'" - Colin Montgomerie reveals what partner Lee Westwood said on the 18th green in their match with Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco.
"I'd better not or I will start welling up. That will stay with me forever." - Darren Clarke when asked about the reception he received on the first tee ahead of his fourball match with Lee Westwood on Friday morning.
"There was one secret today and that was Sergio. He was just awesome. He has all the tools and the way he played today, the game of golf looks easy." - Jose Maria Olazabal could have found a replacement for Seve Ballesteros.
"It even got to starter Ivor Robson. Just before the start he said 'Welcome to the foursomes' instead of fourballs. That shows you what it felt like." - Colin Montgomerie spots a mistake on the first tee.
FORLORN IN THE USA
"I was struggling, I didn't warm up particularly well. I struggled in the middle part but Jim was in about every hole." - Tiger Woods gives an honest assessment of his play after driving into water on the first tee in the morning fourballs and relying on partner Jim Furyk.
"It was a tough finish, no doubt about it. It stings a little but the team has played well. At 5-3 it's still anybody's ball game, I don't feel too concerned but still a little frustrated." - US captain Tom Lehman reflects on a day when seven of the eight matches were concluded on the 18th.
"It's good for the sponsor packages!" - Jim Furyk on the benefits of so many matches going to the last hole. There are no grandstands down the 18th as it is lined with hospitality boxes.
"I was on a mission. I was determined to go out this morning and prove to everybody that I belonged on this team." - Rookie JJ Henry after his morning success with Stewart Cink over David Howell and Henrik Stenson.
"That's a good question." - Henry after he was asked why Tom Lehman left him out of the afternoon pairings.
TOM LEHMAN
Irish Weather
"It's raining again. Every time we show up (in Ireland), it starts to rain" - Lehman on the joys of our unpredictable Irish weather. He and his team also got soaked on their reconnaissance mission to Ireland several weeks ago.
Luggage Trouble
The arrival of the American team to Ireland was delayed by three hours due to the sheer volume of luggage they brought with them
"They couldn't get my couch on so I was a bit disappointed about that. My TV remote control had to stay as well, the microwave they threw overboard, the kitchen sink stayed though."
Reporter: "So, what was the luggage culprit then?"
Lehman: "Tortillas! We live in Arizona, it's the land of Mexican food. We've been over here before and it's very difficult to find good chips and salsa, so we decided to bring our own. Swear to God, my wife ordered the bags. They weight about 5.5pounds each and I've over 200 stuffed in my golf bag. All in it alone weighed about 500pounds, no wonder they couldn't move the luggage!"
Sartorial Elegance
Lehman is the man responsible for the American attire they wore upon arriving in Ireland:"To me it's just a nice kind of older, traditional look, A Great Gatsby Look. I like the earthy tones and it's tweed. It has some depth and some history to it - tradition, that's what I like."
And who made it? - "Ralph Lauren!"
DARREN CLARKE
Late Start?
"I've had a very emotional time of late but as soon as the bell goes on Friday afternoon, I'm there to play golf and I'm going to try play as best I can and hopefully my best will be enough to earn some points for the team." - Did Clarke indirectly and accidentally let slip that he won't be playing in the Friday fourballs?
Determined
"I really wanted to be part of it. I said before and I'll say it again, I was desperate to be here. But at the same time, if i didn't think I could contribute to the team and be a benefit to the team, I would have made the decision not to make myself available to play." - Clarke raring to play for the European cause.
First Class Preparation
"Yes, thank you I won the Queenswood Championship. It was full of top class players, the only one I think was missing was Tiger Woods. A high quality field but I don't know how many World Ranking Points were on offer, not as many as I would have liked!" - Clarke on playing off plus six to win his club championship where he shot 66 for a net 72.
IAN WOOSNAM
Wager
We made sure the lads were playing actual matches today, I think it's important to have a game and get a better feel for it. Some are playing for money, I think it's something like €50, €50, €100, some wanted to play for considerably more, I know Darren (Clarke) certainly did.” - Woosnam reveals some betting habits of his European team.
Indecision
Reporter: How can we read into the pairings that you put out there this morning?
Woosnam: I think you can read a little bit into it. It's important I go out as strong as possible on Friday morning.
Reporter: I noticed you put the Spanish, Swedish and Irish guys together, was that a conscious ploy, should we read anything into that?
Woosnam:I don't think you can read too much into that!
JIM FURYK
Tiger's buddy
Reporter: Can you describe your relationship with Tiger from a social perspective off the golf course, do you do dinner and all that sort of thing, say like when you were both at Wentworth last week?
Furyk: Well, our exit was a little more rapid than we planned (both lost in the first round) so we didn't have much time.
STEWART CINK
Old guy
Reporter: You played with three rookies today?
Cink: Yeah. I did
Reporter: How was that?
Cink: And I didn't even notice until you just mentioned that
Reporter: Does that make you a shepherd for them or are you a scout?
Cink: I think that makes me an old guy.
CLARKE BACK IN BUSINESS
On his decision to play in the Ryder Cup: "It was a very tough decision. I wouldn't have played if I thought I couldn't have benefited the team and that was the bottom line. I know Heather would have wanted me to play so I made myself available.
"The fact that I have played reasonably well in Ryder Cups in the past, that it's in Ireland and it's matchplay helped me to decide. Matchplay was a huge reason for me playing."
On whether he thought he might be coming back a bit soon: "No. Not really. Heather was diagnosed two weeks after the last Ryder Cup, so I've had basically two years of it. It's not as if it's happened out of the blue. It's been something that's been building up. I knew this was going to happen as most people do in that situation. I was thinking about it a lot and came to the conclusion that I think is the right one."
On the decision he had to make: "I had to do a bit of thinking and I wasn't going to come to any rash decision when Heather passed away. I spent a good deal of time thinking about whether I should or shouldn't play. The main reason being that if I was to play and not feel able to I'd be letting my team-mates down and that is the last thing I'd want to do."
On whether being on a golf course is a release from the grief: "I don't know . . . but it's me getting back to normality, getting back to my way of life and what I did before. Life has changed now and my priorit ies are my kids. I have to get back to work at some stage. I'm here this week to try and compete in the tournament. Next week I have one of the biggest events in the world that I am really looking forward to playing in."
On whether Heather's support and strength facilitated his decision to play in the Ryder Cup: "Yes. She was always very much behind me, pushing me out there, kicking me out the door to go and play tournaments. She would want me to play. She wasn't the sort of person who would want me to sit about and mope at home. She would want me to get out there working again as long as the boys were okay."
On coping with what will be an emotive week at The K Club: "I will get myself through it. Nobody else. My team will help me and the support from everybody else will help me but I will deal with it and I will get through it and I will enjoy the week."