Justin Rose’s brilliant 35-foot birdie putt across the 17th green at Medinah Country Club on the final day of the historic 2012 Ryder Cup has been voted by fans as The European Tour Shot of the Month for September.
It was a putt which epitomised the ‘Miracle of Medinah’ as Europe came from four points behind on the final day to beat the United States by 14 ½ - 13 ½ in the greatest comeback on foreign soil in Ryder Cup history.
Every point was vital and with the odds stacked against him and the whole of the European cause, Rose conjured up a piece of golfing magic that will forever go down in Ryder Cup folklore.
After holing a crucial eight footer on the 16th the Englishman was still one down with two to play against Phil Mickelson. And when the left-hander chipped dead from the back of the 17th green all looked lost, but Rose stepped up to the plate and, just when he and his team needed it most, drained the long, curling downhill putt.
Rose followed that with another brilliant birdie on the 18th to win his match one up and continue the momentum switch that would sweep Europe to victory.
“Phil was looking confident he was going to make that chip on the 17th and just missed, and I buried it on top of him,” said Rose immediately afterwards. “To make that putt was one of the best feelings of my life.
“I also made a big putt on the 16th which sparked me to bigger and better things the last two holes. Those are the three biggest putts I've ever made back to back in my career under pressure. Coming off the 18th green, I looked down on my left sleeve and thought that's the kind of thing Seve would have done.”
Rose topped the Shot of the Month poll through My European Tour, with 35% of the vote ahead of Martin Kaymer, whose putt to retain The Ryder Cup and spark the joyous scenes of European celebration polled 25% of the fan vote.
Rose will now go into the season ending European Tour Shot of the Year competition alongside the previous eight monthly winners: Sergio Garcia (January), Kaymer (February), Paul Casey (March), Louis Oosthuizen (April), Luke Donald (May), Padraig Harrington (June), Ian Poulter (July) and Richie Ramsay (August).
One lucky My European Tour fan who picked Rose’s shot will now receive limited edition Ryder Cup Team Europe shirt.
