"We have entered into the realm of embarrassment and humiliation. The US has lost five of the last six Ryder Cup competitions, and it could easily have been seven of eight . . .

"One thing that comes to mind is that perhaps the Americans should get out of the house more often. More Americans should take a page out of the Tiger Woods book and play in a country other than America (or the Canadian Open). There were people on the American team for whom European competition was a first." - Bob Ryan Boston Globe

"Americans should have been issued a blindfold at the gate Friday and a last cigarette before the lopsided singles matches began Sunday at The K Club . . .

"The players Lehman sent to the post were a truly representative cross-section of America's best golfers. Even his four little-known rookies played better than expected, especially Zach Johnson (1-2-1) and Henry (0-0-3).

"Yet, in a format that seems to put American players extremely ill at ease, the United States was absolutely squashed, becoming the first Ryder Cup team ever to lose all five sessions. Wake up; lose. Have lunch; lose. Then sleep and repeat. - Thomas Boswell Washington Post

"The best of American golf found itself snared in an Irish celebration, among frothy pints, fistfuls of cigars and a soundtrack of laughter and tears.

"Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk kneeled by a lake to watch the latest of Europe's tapestries, letting the scene tell a story neither had planned to experience again.

"After two years preparing for a tussle on Irish farmland, the United States Ryder Cup team burned jet fuel and rhetoric and ended up in the same place." - Damon Hack New York Times

"Underdog . . . we lose. Favorite . . . we lose. On home soil . . . we lose. On foreign turf . . . we lose. With hard-ass Hal Sutton as captain . . . we lose. With caring, ultra-organized Tom Lehman . . . we lose. With Michael Jordan and former presidents Bill Clinton and George HW Bush in attendance . . . we lose. With Woods playing five matches . . . we lose." Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN.com.

"The 36th Ryder Cup was the best Ryder Cup ever. Forget about the matches . . .

"There were great shots and bad shots and unforgettable moments. However, there are more important things than golf, the Ryder Cup and winning. Like life.

"This was the best Ryder Cup because - and Darren Clarke is going to hate this sentence - it was all about Darren Clarke. This Ryder Cup belonged to him - no, it was for him, although he'd be embarrassed by your attention and feel uneasy about your sympathy. Clarke deserved this Ryder Cup week and maybe, if not probably, he needed it." - Gary Van Sickle Sports Illustrated