COMMUNITY

On the surface, yes, it was odd. But it seems almost reflexive for humans to nervously grin/chuckle right before they lose their mind. Think about how often you or (someone you've observed) has laughed nervously before bursting out into tears or screamed. In other words, it's the calm before the storm.

Rick, come on. You have to know that that was a WTF grin/chuckle. Even after the shot(s), the chip in particular, the camera went back to him and reading his lips he said something similar....

He knew the severity and the position that he was in and you know that he felt every bit of the weight and pressure of those bad shots. He had to feel like he loss the Cup, considering .....

You have too see the U.S. Press Conference afterwards.... Hunter is beating himself up pretty good, he could barely speak.... A great American moment, as Hunter fought thru his answer, Phil grabbed the mic and finished as Hunter began to cry.... The America Team really rallied around Hunter.... it made me proud to be an American. (Not that I wasn't already).

I think it was just a nervous reaction to knowing that he just choked... I'd be red-faced embarrassed too. What type of reaction should he have had? Breaking his driver over his knee?

Let me add another possibility...positive energy. Sometimes smiling or laughing through a bad shot rather than screaming, cursing or throwing a club lets you stay relaxed. The latter causes tension.

I went to a tournament earlier this year with the very same mentality...you can't always control your swing but you can control your emotions. Even when I screwed up I forced a smile...9 holes in and I was -2. Unfortunately I lost my piece of mind, but still shot my best round of the year a 71.

Its sounds dumb...but it worked for me.

You see this all the time, the laughing/smiling/chuckling goat who should be crying or hanging his head but instead is laughing. The Dallas Cowboys' backup tackle Alex Barron was doing it after his holding penalty in week 1 negated what would've been the game-winning TD.

It's embarrassment. Some guys throw stuff. Some curse. Some cry. Some chuckle and shake their head because they can't believe it. I've played with guys who do the chuckle thing. It's nervous embarrassment.

I would have done the same thing I bet. This could really hurt him in the future. That Back 9 was the most important holes in his life(basically a major) and he just choked it. He kinda let us down pretty much. I feel bad for him and hope he rebounds, but he blew it for us in a way.

I find it amusing that people can say things like "he choked" or "he let us down". What the hell is wrong with you people. The guy played his heart out and gave his all, of course he would much rather have won but it just wasn't to be and we have all had days like that. He fought right down to the 18th hole and the pressure just got to him and he hit a few bad shots. He would have liked to hit a hole in one for our country but he didn't. If the "team" hadn't lost every round the day before he would not have been in that situation.

I give the yoing man credit for even putting himself in a position to win the match. He was out played from the first hole, yet hung in there for as long as possible. I think the putt Mcdowell made on 16 was the nail in the coffin, making the 17th nothing more than a formality. Great tourney, cant wait till 2012!

it shouldn't have been that close. this was decided well before in team play, the U.S. just made it interesting at the end. Mahan with Furyk, Dustin Johnson, and Kuchar have played better than anyone this year on the American side and he goes heads up with someone that has played as well as anyone in the world this year and got beat. Mahan was one of the few that stepped up and welcomed the challenge. a half point anywhere else and the U.S. retains the cup and people are putting this on the guy who happened to play last. Monty was better than Pavin. hell, gamble and make your captain's pick, the best player in the world, finish out the day. he makes that move and it pays off and he's a genius. if he loses he takes the same heat for that move as he does for picking him in the first place. i would love to know the other players who stepped up and wanted to play last. who had more of a right to finish the day than Mahan. we've seen Johnson choke, Mickelson's play has been inconsistent, Kuchar wasn't great at all, and don't get me started on Tiger. they were supposed to lose and they did. the Europeans played better as a team and that's it. a great tournament, but don't put this on Mahan. number 16 in the world got beat by a hotter player. this is like blaming a kicker who misses a 60 yard field goal when his team has 5 turnovers

I thought it was a great moment when the other players picked up Mahan afterwards. Why is Pavin getting a free ride on all of this? Monty put his Open winner 12th and couldn't believe Tiger and Phil were out 8 and 10. I would have gone with Phil at 12 and put Mahan out earlier. And how about those rain suits, chosen by Mrs. Pavin who anointed herself " The Captainess"? You have got to be kidding! Is this chick bucking for a reality show?

just FYI racer-

Mahan's match didn't reach the 18th hole. He lost 3&2

oops my bad; 3&1

For what it's worth, Mahan was choking up after the match while trying to do interviews.

I point it out as further proof that Mahan's chuckling at the end of the match wasn't a sign of him not caring. I'm not sure anyone's making that accusation, anyway, but it struck me that Mahan was pretty beat up over his loss.

As for the team mentality ... I think the Americans very much embrace the idea of team, but I get the feeling that too many of the Americans feel let down during the team matches when a teammate messes up, whereas the Euros view that situation as being their time to help their teammate. I think you can feel some of that helping vibe with Stricker-Woods.

But I still say the bottom line is the Euros are better. And they're definitely better at match play, for whatever reasons.

Yes, I was typing to fast. He went into 17 needing a win and same on 18 to get a half point. But that does not change what I was saying. All the pro golfers on here that get to second guess and play arm chair golf decided he choked or let us down are wrong. Pavin screwed up with the pairings--We have the #1 and #3 golfers in the world and they should have been placed in more strategic positions. But the whole team screwed up the day before losing every match. I mean the Europeans were a better team but they should not have been able to take those 6 points. Congrats to them they outplayed us but Mahan was in no way at fault.