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Sunday, 21 July 2013

Medinah a Big Loss - Mickelson

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Phil Mickelson has conceded he is still coming to terms with America's Ryder Cup defeat to Europe and admits it is amongst the most painful losses of his entire career.

The 42-year-old was part of the US side captained by Davis Love III that threw away a 10-6 lead heading into Sunday's singles to eventually succumb to a dramatic 14½-13½ defeat at Medinah.

The Americans could muster only three wins in the singles as Europe pulled off arguably their greatest triumph in the biennial event and Mickelson has acknowledged the result is still raw nearly three weeks on.

"I don't know what happened Sunday," he told ESPN in his homeland. "I'm still licking wounds from that. It still stings. It's one of the toughest, most difficult losses I've ever had in my career.

"Individually, that and the Winged Foot US Open loss (in 2006) have stung the most. This one still hurts. I really thought we were going to get that win.

"When we had to be accountable to our team-mates and to our country and the people that are pulling for us and supporting us in the United States of America, we just felt so, I mean, we still do, we feel so down and disappointed about it."

However, the left-hander maintained his stance that skipper Love was right to controversially bench him and partner Keegan Bradley for Saturday's fourballs session in Chicago.

"I thought it was a great idea because we were fresh and ready for the singles and we had a four-point lead," he added.

"Of my nine Ryder Cups, that's the only time that's ever happened [that] we had that kind of lead, so whatever Davis did the first two days was right on."


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