CHASKA, Minn. – Henrik Stenson tracked the flight of his shot from the middle of the 11th fairway and didn’t like where it was headed. The ball had barely settled into a greenside bunker when he flipped the fairway wood end-over-end into the air like a baton.

“Welcome to America, Henrik!” someone in the gallery howled with delight.

Never mind that Stenson and his family have lived in a very exclusive enclave in Orlando, Florida, for four years now. More important is that it was the Swede who had the last laugh Friday at the Ryder Cup.

He teamed with Englishman Justin Rose in the afternoon’s fourballs to begin the comeback that Rory McIlory and rookie Thomas Pieters finished in grand style to pull Europe to 5-3 by the time the gates at Hazeltine National Golf Club were closed.

The closing flourish was something to see.

Like Stenson-Rose, the McIlroy-Pieters duo got beat handily as the Americans rolled out a 4-0 sweep of the morning foursome. No U.S. team had managed to sweep a session since 1981, which may explain why Captain Davis Love left his opening and anchor pairings intact. So did Darren Clarke, his European counterpart, and his turned out to be the better gamble.

No sooner had McIlory’s 20-footer dropped for eagle to seal a 3-and-2 win over Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar, than he pumped his fist, then stopped and bowed deeply to the sometimes-raucous and overwhelmingly hometown crowd ringing the 16th green.

“I wanted to put an exclamation point on that session for us,” McIlroy said. “I thought about that celebration before I hit the putt.”

It was the kind of gesture we’ve come to expect from Spaniard Sergio Garcia. He teamed with countryman Rafael Cabrera Bello to win his afternoon match and has often served as the emotional engine for the European side, a role he inherited from the late Seve Ballesteros, another of his countrymen.

But Garcia was relatively subdued after his win and, if McIlroy, as well as Stenson and others whose style is less demonstrative, step forward and claim a leadership role, these Ryder Cup matches will be something to see.

With six rookies on his side, Clarke opted to pair the Olympic medallists – Rose won gold at Rio and Stenson grabbed silver – and put them out as his leadoff pair for both the foursomes and fourballs. They managed just one birdie through the 16 holes in the alternate-shot format and got beat 3 and 2 by Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed.

“Obviously, Jordan and Patrick made a few more putts and got the momentum early,” Stenson said.

But the Swede had an inkling he’d get the chance to square things.

“Jordan just told me he would see me this afternoon,” Stenson added, and Spieth turned out to be right.

But this time, the Europeans got some traction early, turning a 1-down deficit around with three straight birdies by Stenson and leading 2-up before they turned for the back nine. When Stenson dumped that fairway wood at par-5 11th into the bunker and wound up making par, Rose stepped up and halved the hole with a nervy 6-footer for birdie. That fueled another run as Stenson and Rose took the next three holes and closed out the match 5 and 4.

“Makes it sweeter when you beat the guys you lost to in the morning,” Stenson said.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – The sun beamed through at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club to crown the Philippines as World Junior Girls team champions. Yuka Saso battled through a gusty day to claim individual medallist honours at the third edition of the annual event.

“I feel happy and honoured to win this trophy and this tournament,” said the 15-year-old Saso. “I feel happy [to be the gold medalist] because I was not expecting it, with this being [the Philippines’] first time in this tournament. Winning with this group is special because we have known each other since we were kids, so it makes me really happy.”

The native of Santa Rosa put forth another steady showing with a trio of birdies en route to a 2-under 70 final round. With a four-day total of 2-under 286, she completed the competition as the lone player to finish under-par. Alongside teammates Harmie Nicole Constantino of Taguig and Sofia Angela Legaspi from Quezon City, the trio combined to total 2-over 578 across the championship’s four rounds.

“This is the best feeling,” said Constantino, when asked about the team victory. “It is unexplainable to me, because no one expected it. We played our games and it turned out really well. We never had any doubts, we came here to win and we did.”

The significance of the tournament and the victory was not lost upon the 15-year-old Legaspi.

“It really means a lot to win this big event. It gives us a lot of experience and confidence. It also helps to get us college scholarships, so it is a big deal. The win could also inspire younger golfers in the Philippines to work hard and travel to events like this.”

The contingent representing last year’s winners, Team Korea, finished second – nine-strokes shy of the Philippines. The winners of the inaugural World Junior Girls Championship in 2014, Team USA, claimed third.

Jennifer Chang of Cary, N.C., opened the day with a share of sixth alongside Caterina Don of San Pietro Val Lemina, Italy. A 2-under performance propelled the 17-year-old Chang into the runner-up position, while a 71 moved the 15-year-old Don into third.

Céleste Dao from Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que., and Richmond Hill, Ont., native Monet Chun shot identical 75s to finish with shares of 16^th as the top Canadians.

“Despite some difficult weather, we have had an exciting and memorable week,” said Tournament Director Mary Beth McKenna. “From our Junior Girls Skills Clinic and Coaching Summit with the PGA of Canada to a fantastic Junior-Amateur event with the Mississauga community and the tournament itself – we have showcased our sport in a positive light. I know all of our players have learned and grown through this competition and have gained some invaluable international experience.”

Additional information on the 2016 World Junior Girls Championship can be found on the tournament’s official website at www.worldjuniorgirls.com.

During the 2016 World Junior Girls Championship at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club, participants took part in a “Fastest Hole in Golf” relay competition. Watch the video below to see who won.

BEIJING – Mi Jung Hur eagled two of the last three holes Friday for a 10-under 63 and a share of the second-round lead with Canada’s Brooke Henderson in the Reignwood LPGA Classic.

Hur chipped in from 45 feet for eagle on the par-5 16th, lipped out a birdie try on the par-3 17th, and hit a 3-wood to set up a tap-in eagle on the par-5 18th. The 26-year-old South Korean player broke the tournament record of 64 in the event being played for the third time. She has two career LPGA Tour victories.

Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., shot a second straight 66, saving par on 18 with a 6-footer to match Hur at 14-under 132 at Reignwood Pine Valley in the Asian Swing opener. The 19-year-old Canadian star, planning to play all six weeks in Asia, birdied five of the first six holes after birdieing three of the final four Thursday.

“It was an awesome day today. I felt like my start was awesome. Birdied the first 5 through 6 and felt like things were going to be a good day,” Henderson said following her round.

She made her lone bogey in two days on the par-3 seventh, and added birdies on 12, 15 and 16.

“One bogey, which kind of set me back a little bit, but then some more birdies on the back nine to get to 7-under, and 14-under par, which is really nice, especially only two days into the championship and I know I have two more days left,” added Henderson.

“I felt like today could be a good day, which is always a good feeling to have.”

Ranked fourth in the world, Henderson has two victories this year, winning the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June for her first major and successfully defending her Portland, Oregon, title in July.

Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., was 8-under par after a round of 66 and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp fired even-par 73 to sit at 1-over for the tournament.

China’s Shanshan Feng was a stroke back after a 65. The bronze medallist in the Rio Olympics, Feng won the inaugural Reignwood LPGA in 2013 for the second of her four tour titles. In 2012, she won the LPGA Championship to become China’s first major champion.

In-Kyung Kim was 12 under after a 64, followed by fellow South Korean players Mirim Lee (67) at 10 under and Amy Yang (67) at 9 under.

Second-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn, the first-round leader after a 65, had a 75 to drop into a tie for 10th at 6 under. The 20-year-old Thai player, in position to take the player of the year lead from Lydia Ko with a ninth-place finish or better, played the five par 5s in 3 over with a double bogey on No. 9 and a bogey on 12.

Jutanugarn leads the LPGA Tour with five victories. Winless entering the season, she won three straight events in May, took the major Women’s British Open in July and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in August.

Fifteen-year-old amateur Yifan Ji (68) and fellow Chinese player Simin Feng (70) also were 6 under.

After stops in Taiwan and South Korea, the tour will return to China for the Blue Bay LPGA at Hainan Island, then visit Malaysia and Japan.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – Threatening skies cast over Mississaugua Golf and Country Club during the second day of competition came to pass during the third round. Howling winds and waves of rain wreaked havoc throughout a tough day at the World Junior Girls Championship. Yuka Saso of the Philippines conquered the difficult conditions to retake sole possession of the lead in the individual competition.

A steady 1-over 73 showing with a pair of birdies has Saso at even-par 216. The 15-year-old holds a three-stroke advantage over teammate Harmie Nicole Constantino of Taguig, Du Mohan of Fujian, China and Hee-Jung Lim of Paju, Korea.

“I am happy and honoured to have the lead,” said Saso, a native of Santa Rosa. “I wasn’t expecting it though.”

For a third consecutive day, Saso, Constantino and teammate Sofia Angela Legaspi of Quezon City, hold the lead in the team competition at a combined 1-over 433.

“It wasn’t anybody’s expectation for us to be on top at the moment,” said Constantino, mirroring her teammate’s sentiments. “It was a challenge being an underdog coming into the tournament, [and proving] that you are more than that.”

While team competitions can offer a different dynamic in golf tournaments, Constantino appreciates the opportunity to not only play with teammates, but also familiar friends.

“It feels good,” said the 15-year-old. “I have known Yuka since I was eight and we have been together since, so it feels good to be with her now.”

The trio representing Korea – the defending team champions – holds second at 9-over, while 2014 winners Team USA sit third at a combined 13-over.

Jennifer Chang of Cary, N.C., reiterated the importance of past experience when looking ahead to the final round.

“They have played this event before, so I definitely want to get some tips and learn from them and see what I can do to make the team better,” explained the 17-year-old, in reference to her teammates – 2014 individual champion Mika Liu of Beverly Hills, Calif., and Elizabeth Wang of San Marino, Calif., who played in 2015. “[A podium finish] is very important to us. To come out and represent the United States is big, so we want to make our country proud.”

Leading the Canadians in the field with shares of 15^th at 11-over are Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Céleste Dao from Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que.

The final round of tournament play will see players tee off at 8 a.m. Additional information from the competition is available here.

The Ryder Cup is known for rowdy galleries. A vocal heckler walked the walk after talking the talk during the practice round on Thursday.

Rory McIlroy and Andy Sullivan took multiple cracks at a 12-foot putt on No. 8 and missed every time. David Johnson, of Mayville, North Dakota, let them know about it, saying he could make the putt. Henrik Stenson pulled Johnson from the gallery and Justin Rose laid a $100 bill right next to the ball, daring Johnson to make it.

After wisecracking that the putter he was handed was too short, Johnson muttered, “home soil, right?” Then he drilled the putt , eliciting a roar from the crowd. Johnson pumped his arms wildly and earned high fives from the entire Euro foursome as they exited the green.

Has the @rydercup started already?? pic.twitter.com/s6EImcbnZv

— Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory) September 29, 2016

CHASKA, Minn. – Momentum means everything at the Ryder Cup.

Shot to shot, match to match, even era to era, it’s swung back and forth between the United States and Europe, sometimes at a glacial pace and occasionally with head-turning speed.

This time, it’s the visitors who arrive with the wind at their backs. Europe has won the last three, six of the last seven and eight of the last 10.

But if the history of that small gold trophy that English seed merchant Samuel Ryder first put up for grabs in 1927 proves anything, it’s that momentum is hard to catch and even harder to hold onto.

Here are five key swings in momentum at past Ryder Cups:

1967: “The finest golfers in the world.”

Golfers don’t come any tougher or more taciturn than Ben Hogan. The United States had largely dominated Ryder Cup play in the preceding four decades – against teams drawing players only from Great Britain and Ireland – but captain Hogan must have sensed his side was about to step on the gas. He listened as counterpart Dai Rees introduced his team at length and in glowing terms to the audience at the Champions Golf Club in Houston. Then Hogan asked his team to stand, read their names and said simply: “Ladies and gentlemen, the United States Ryder Cup team … the finest golfers in the world.” The Americans won 23 1/2-8 1/2 and kept their grip on the cup for the next eight matches in a row.

1987: First European victory on U.S. soil

Players from continental Europe joined the fray in 1979 and first made their mark with a rare, lopsided home win at The Belfry in 1985. Many of the young golfers who would become Europe’s “golden generation” – Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Jose-Maria Olazabal, Bernhard Langer and Ian Woosnam – were just hitting their stride. But they had to prove their mettle by scoring a first-ever win on U.S. soil – at Muirfield Village, no less, on a course Jack Nicklaus designed. Trailing after two days, a U.S. charge in singles was blunted when Ben Crenshaw, frustrated by a missed putt, broke his putter in half and used his 1-iron or sand wedge on the greens the rest of the way. He lost to Ireland’s Eamonn Darcy on the final hole and Europe appeared to be set for a long run of success.

1991: “War by the Shore”

American golf fans didn’t care much about the Ryder Cup when their countrymen were dominating. But the galleries at the Ocean Course on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, for the “War by the Shore” let Europe know how much they wanted it back. Rowdy and close enough to the players on most holes to let those sentiments be heard in explicit terms, the matches came down to the final putt on the final hole of the final singles match between Langer and Hale Irwin. Langer missed a 6-footer for par and a chance to retain the cup.

1999: What are all those people doing on the green?

The swing in momentum at Kiawah turned out to be short-lived. The U.S. team won in 1993, but returned to Brookline Country Club after back-to-back losses in 1995 and 1997, and were down 10-6 heading into the final-day singles. Captain Crenshaw wagged his finger at reporters as he walked out of a news conference, saying “I’ve got a good feeling about this.” In the team room that night, future U.S. President George W. Bush read the famed “Victory or Death” letter penned by Col. William Barrett Travis to the team. Americans won the first seven matches, Justin Leonard made a 45-foot birdie putt at the 17th green as teammates, caddies and even some wives stormed onto the green and soon after, the greatest final-day comeback in Ryder Cup history went into the books. Unfortunately for the U.S. team, this swing was even shorter-lived.

2012: “It ain’t over until we say it’s over!”

Europe arrived on a roll, having won four of the last five. But back on home soil, it was the Americans who were rolling, leading 10-5 late Saturday and 2-up in the last match on the course. But Englishman Ian Poulter had other ideas. He birdied the last five holes to make it 10-6 and a suddenly resurgent Europe mowed down the Americans 8 1/2-3 1/2 in singles. German Martin Kaymer faced a 6-footer – the same length from which countryman Langer had missed almost 20 years earlier _ to clinch the win. “I did think about him, especially when I walked around the hole and read the putt from the other side,” Kaymer said. He poured it into the cup.

BEIJING – Ariya Jutanugarn birdied the final four holes for an 8-under 65 and a one-stroke lead over Canada’s Brooke Henderson on Thursday in the Reignwood LPGA Classic.

In position to take player of the year lead from idle Lydia Ko with a ninth-place finish or better, Jutanugarn had 10 birdies and two bogeys at Reignwood Pine Valley in the first of six events in the Asian Swing.

“All the players really want to win the award like player of the year,” Jutanugarn said. “I really want to, but right now I think I’m not really worry I’m going to win. I think I just have to be like, ‘Just keep play like this and have fun on the course.”’

The 20-year-old Thai player is No. 2 in the world and leads the LPGA Tour with five victories. Winless entering the season, she won three straight events in May, took the major Women’s British Open in July and the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in August.

“Feel good, because like this year the only goal I want to do is I want to win my first tournament, so I did,” Jutanugarn said. “So, after I won my first tournament on tour, I really want to win a major, and I did. So, right now just have fun and enjoy on the course.”

She’s making her first appearance in the event that was cancelled last year.

“I really enjoy it,” Jutanugarn said. “I like everything here.”

The fourth-ranked Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., birdied three of the final four holes in a bogey-free round. The 19-year-old won the major KPMG Women’s PGA in June for the first of her two victories this season. She plans to play all six events in Asia.

“I’m looking forward to being really in Asia for the first time,” Henderson said. “I’ve visited a few other times, but this will really be the true taste of a bunch of different countries and language and culture. I am really looking forward to it.”

She travels with sister/caddie Brittany Henderson.

“It’s been an awesome year so far,” Brooke said. “And to have her there caddying for me, travelling together, you know, she’s my best friend and my sister, and I really enjoy it a lot.”

Two other Canadians are in the tournament. Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., opened with a 1-under 72 and Hamilton’s Alena Sharp fired a 1-over 74.

Americans Lizette Salas and Jennifer Song shot 68.

“I’m very proud of myself,” Salas said. “Even after the bogey on 16, I fought back with back-to-back birdies, I didn’t panic.”

Song worked recently with instructor Robin Symes on her ball flight.

“I felt pretty good about my shot,” Song said. “The last couple weeks I wasn’t happy with my ball trajectory, so before coming here I met my coach and worked on my swing and tried to get the normal trajectory that I want. I think that really helped me out this week.”

Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith and South Koreans Amy Yang, Mi Jung Hur and Ilhee Lee shot 69.

Chinese star Shanshan Feng topped the group at 70, holing out from the fairway with a wedge for eagle on the par-5 16th. The bronze medallist in the Rio Olympics, she won the inaugural Reignwood LPGA in 2013 at 26 under.

South Korea’s Mirim Lee, the 2014 winner, had a 72.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – Cloud cover and blustery winds set the backdrop for the second round of the World Junior Girls Championship at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club. China’s Du Mohan carded a 2-under 70 to climb into a share of the lead alongside first-round leader Yuka Saso of the Philippines.

Du from Fujian, China, collected five birdies on the day, including a back-to-back pair on Nos. 15 and 16, to move to 1-under in the competition. Saso of Santa Rosa, Philippines, opened the day at 6-under, but the 15-year-old relinquished her lone hold of the lead following a 5-over showing.

“I putted very well today,” said the 14-year-old Du. “I had a lot of long downhill putts, but my distance control was very good. I was able to get the feeling [of the greens] very well and got five birdies.”

“I am very proud to be representing China,” she added. “I hope I can do my best and finish the week under-par.”

A second consecutive even-par round has San Pietro Val Lemina, Italy, native Caterina Don tied with Hee-Jung-Lim (Paju, Korea) and Harmie Nicole Constantino (Taguig, Philippines) in third.

The trio representing the Philippines – Saso, Constantino and Sofia Angela Legaspi of Quezon City – maintained its lead in the team competition at 3-under 285. Teams USA, Korea, Sweden and China are tied for second at 4-over 292.

The unique opportunity to play for her homeland is not lost upon Constantino.

“I’m really proud to play here and represent my country,” said the 15-year-old. “Of course, not all kids can play in this tournament, so being a part of it is really good for me.

“We are one of the [smaller] countries, we don’t have many players, so I’m really proud to say that I’m from the Philippines. We didn’t have much confidence coming here because there were bigger countries, so it’s really nice to be here and play this [well].”

Matching 73s from Céleste Dao of Notre-Dame-de-L’Île-Perrot, Que., and Surrey, B.C., native Hannah Lee have given the pair of Canada Two members a share of 18^th to lead the Canadian contingent.

The third round of tournament play will begin at 8 a.m. Additional information from the competition can be found here.

Who wouldn’t enjoy reading a book written by “the luckiest man in town”?

Especially someone who “went around the world a few times on someone else’s dime.”

Who wouldn’t want to hear the tales of a guy who witnessed 58 of golf’s major championships, 10 Ryder and/or Presidents Cups, 10 Olympics, a dozen Super Bowls, 14 World Series, hundreds of NHL, NBA and MLB post-season games and thousands of regular-season games? Plus horse races, car races, boxing, and just about every other sporting endeavor.

For more than four decades, Dave Perkins, the aforementioned self-proclaimed “luckiest man in town,” covered sports and, in his new book, Fun and Games: My 40 Years Writing Sports, he shares a smidgen of what it is like to be in the media rooms, press boxes, bars and other haunts that his profession led him to.

Like the man himself, the contents are honest, irreverent, funny, entertaining, frequently off-colour and often politically incorrect.  And, occasionally, emotional and introspective.

And that makes for a great read from cover to cover, whether you are just interested in the “inside the ropes” golf insight or fascinated by behind-the-scenes revelations about the other sports he covered.

Golf is Perkins’s first love. Aside from being a devotee of the game, he says, “I most enjoyed covering golf because there were no night games. It took me to nice places, just about everyone was civil and the press was usually treated extremely well.”

As usual, he is being intentionally cavalier.

Ask him what was the best sporting event he ever covered and the response will surprise you. It did me.

It was the 2003 Presidents Cup in South Africa, for reasons that are not immediately apparent.  They are well worth discovering.

Overall, and I agree, he makes a compelling argument that the best event to witness in person is the Open Championship.

His brushes, often bristly like the burly hirsute man himself, with the glitterati are not confined to sports figures, either. Bill Clinton, Meg Ryan, and others had their moments with him. More memorable for Perkins, I assume, although I have not read the memoirs of either Clinton or Ryan.

In total disclosure: I know Dave, I like Dave, and I was there for some of the golf-related episodes he relates.

Many do not make the pages of his book. As he says, “Some of the subjects of those missing stories are not dead and neither are their wives. So best to let idle lawyers stay idle. There’s still plenty to go around.”

Uncharacteristically circumspect. But characteristically accurate.

Fun and Games just scratches the surface of his 40 years of newspapering which began at The Globe and Mail and flourished at The Toronto Star.

I hope there’s a sequel.  Lawyers be damned.

Just leave my name out of it.

Fun and Games: My 40 Years Writing Sports (288 pages, paperback, $19.95) is published by ECW Press and is available from book retailers everywhere, as well as online. It can also be found online.