LOUISVILLE, Ky. — What an exciting three days for American golf this past weekend's Ryder Cup turned into, as the 16 1/2-11 1/2 victory over the Europeans left no question that the United States, dubbed a "blue-collar" team by captain Paul Azinger, was something special.

It had been almost a generation since the U.S. had won, and with the loss of Tiger Woods this year, it seemed like the odds were stacked against them once again. But with some great gutsy performances down the stretch on Sunday by so many different players, the Americans were able to pull out a victory that was closer than the final score indicated.

One of the major differences this year was the Americans re-discovered the knack of making putts. The huge cheers echoing around Valhalla every time an American putt dropped sounded louder than Sunday at the Masters on the back nine. The decidedly partisan and loud Louisville gallery definitely made a difference and you could tell the Europeans were more than a little shook up.

There were not only huge cheers but, with Boo Weekley literally galloping down the fairways waving his arms exhorting the fans, there were even louder boos. Azinger had set this dynamic up earlier in the week when he dubbed the local crowd as the team's "13th man."

Azinger said Friday morning that he had gotten into a little trouble with the European press with some of his tactics. It seems there was a massive college style pep rally in downtown Louisville on Thursday night before the first matches that drew more than 5,000 fans. Azinger told everyone he wanted them to cheer like crazy when the Americans made putts and he wanted them to also cheer when the Europeans missed putts.

That sounded sacrilegious to golf purists and especially the notoriously nasty Fleet Street press, but Azinger knew from past European Ryder Cups what a difference a hometown crowd could make.

Of course, he was not condoning poor sportsmanship at all but simply trying to get the crowd to behave like they were actually on the side of their own team for a change. At the last Ryder Cup on American soil at Oakland Hills, it had seemed like the crowd was actually favoring the European players. Well, the 13th man strategy worked like a charm and the American players responded with some inspired performances. It was also a big factor having two Kentucky "local boys" — Kenny Perry and JB Holmes — on the team.

Another unheralded but important factor in the victory and part of this "13th man" was Waialae Country Club member Fran Gomes, who sent Azinger and the team her famous, secret family recipe energy bars, each lovingly wrapped, of course, in red, white and blue ribbons. Fran is one of Azinger's biggest Hawai'i fans and she had been making these energy bars for him for years. These energy bars helped fuel Azinger during his comeback-from-cancer-victory at the 2000 Sony Open in Hawai'i and both the players and their caddies enjoyed them at the Ryder Cup.

The greatest strategy, however, that helped America win this year was the idea that Azinger had to organize his 12-man team into four smaller 4-man, sub-teams based upon their individual personalities and style of play. Azinger credits Ron Braund, a noted Christian Life Coach and Family Therapist, with helping him develop this strategy by helping him better understand which American players would perform best when paired together.

These sub-teams did everything together from the first day of practice and were always paired together in the first two days of team matches. They even went out together in order on the last day of singles, with the aggressive, ultra-competitive personalities such as Anthony Kim, Hunter Mahan, Justin Leonard and Phil Mickelson leading off and the calm, more even-keeled personalities of Steve Stricker, Ben Curtis, Stewart Cink and Chad Campbell bringing up the rear of the matches. Of course, the middle was anchored by the amiable and sociable types of Perry, Jim Furyk, Holmes and Weekley.

It was definitely an amazing thrill and honor getting to attend the Ryder Cup and see first-hand the outstanding competition, great passion and sportsmanship displayed by both teams all week. It was a dream come true to see the Americans win, but without a doubt the game of golf is really the big winner.

The next Ryder Cup will be in Wales in September 2010. I hope that our two great "local boys" — Parker McLachlin and Dean Wilson — will make the team and you can join them to hear all the cheers and, who knows, if Boo Weekley makes the team, even the boos.