scoring average ever. The next two seasons were similarly solid, with a number of top-10s, similar Order of Merit ranking, and improved scoring average every year. Until his Ryder Cup heroics, O'Connor may be best known to international audiences for his performance at the 1985 Open Championship. He opened with an 64 (−6), taking an astonishing four stroke lead after the first round. He came back to the field with a second round 76 but was still in mix until the last day. He played with champion Sandy Lyle in the fourth round and finished only two shots back, placing T-3. He would record an additional five top-10s that year and finish 12th on the Order of Merit, easily his best in a decade. He would build on this success, finishing in the top 30 of the Order of Merit every year, until winning the 1989 Jersey Open. He defeated Englishman Denis Durnian in a playoff. It was his first victory in 14 years, the longest gap between European Tour victories at the time. This victory helped him earn membership for the 1989 Ryder Cup team. Despite his recent good play he was criticized by many in the media for being selected. He was not one of the nine automatic picks for the team; he was a captain's pick. He had the worst world ranking (#71) of anyone on either team. Early in the event, O'Connor confirmed these suspicions by losing his only team match on the second day of the event. He wound up facing Fred Couples in Sunday singles play. This match would define O'Connor's career. Couples was a rising star for the American team who, only a few years later, would be ranked #1 in the world. Some members of the British press referred to O'Connor as Europe's "weak link" entering the match. O'Connor, however, played evenly against Couples as the match went down to the last hole. On the 18th, the long-hitting Couples hit a perfect drive, cutting the dogleg and requiring only a 9-iron into the green. O'Connor hit a solid drive down the middle of the fairway but, unable to cut the dogleg, required much more distance to reach the green. He then hit a perfect 2-iron over a pond that skipped to within 4 feet. Couples blew his 9-iron shot over the green and failed to get up and down. He conceded the