Sky Sports.com

Marc Warren: Heading for the top 20

It was do or die for Scotland, probably the most important putt of Warren's life, and he banged it right into the middle of the cup to keep the play-off going. It was one of the pressure putts of the whole year and proved to be the turning point of the tournament.

Mark Roe
Quotes of the week

Michael Hill NZ Open
Live on Sky Sports
7am, Thursday - SS1
7am, Friday - SS2
7am, Saturday - SSX
7am, Sunday - SS1

It was Scotland the Brave and in particular Marc Warren the Brave this weekend as Scotland end more than half a century of waiting to win the World Cup of Golf.

Never in his career have I seen Marc swing the club better and hit better irons shots as Scotland just edged out USA after 72 holes of action-packed golf. He must have been inspired by playing for Scotland and by being side by side with eight-time Order of Merit champion Colin Montgomerie.

Scotland finished runners-up last year, losing in a play-off to Germany, which was a huge disappointment to them. So it was quite ironic that after the 72 holes were played, once again it was Scotland, versus America this time, in a titanic play-off.

Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum were the surprise package of the World Cup. Ranked 42nd and 70th in the world rankings this week, I considered that America had sent an incredibly weak team over given the talent at their disposal, but they performed incredibly well.

In a way I felt they showed a little lack of respect for the World Cup and what it stands for, given so many American victories in the past with Mark O'Meara and Tiger Woods included among American winning partnerships, as well as Davis Love III and Fred Couples.

Initially I was disappointed to see Weekley and Slocum playing in the event but what a surprise they were. They are great friends from their home town, having played in the same High School team at Milton in Florida, and the kind of friendship really helps in a team situation.

What a ball-striker Weekley is and what an amazing performance he put in from tee to green. He is kind of a laid back, redneck character that clearly prefers hunting to golf but in this case he seemed inspired to be playing for his country and between Scotland and the US, the produced some amazing golf.

On the last day in the foursomes, a very hard format to play under pressure, the scoring was tremendous.

Come the play-off it was Warren that was the hero. After Monty drove into the trap on the first play-off hole, Warren played an exceptionally good iron shot at the green that just caught the bunker on the right-hand side of the green. With the Americans safely in the middle of the green in two, Monty played a nervy bunker shot to about 20 feet from the hole.

It was do or die for Scotland, probably the most important putt of his life, and he banged it right into the middle of the cup to keep the play-off going. It was one of the pressure putts of the whole year and proved to be the turning point of the tournament.

Eventually Scotland came through. The Americans hit a poor shot in at the third play-off hole, leaving Boo Weekly an outside chance - not a lot longer than Warren's previous putt - but was unable to make it and Scotland, for the first time, lifted that huge World Cup trophy.

Monty did what Monty so often does. Although he didn't look on his best form in the tournament and missed a few putts, he made the important ones and that is what makes him such a great Ryder Cup player.

He took that Ryder Cup spirit into this two-man event and he couldn't have had a better partner than Warren. Monty said in his post-tournament interview that he would be astonished if Marc isn't in the top 20 in the world in the next two years. Do you know what? I would be too because he looks to be swinging the club as good as anybody in the world right now.

It was a superb performance from Warren, a marvellous occasion and a marvellous tournament.

England came so close as well. Justin Rose and Ian Poulter put in a brilliant last round of 67 that would have won them the tournament on most occasions, but they had to settle for a share of fourth place, one shot behind France who scored a sublime 62 in the third round.

Two shots behind in the final round and shooting a 67 would normally take you to victory but such was the quality of Weekly, Slocum, Monty and Warren in the foursomes that they missed out.

It was an enthralling final day though and made for perhaps one of the best World Cups I can remember.