How Europe held off US to win sensational Ryder CupMedia caption, How a dramatic end to the Ryder Cup unfolded
ByPeter Scrivener
BBC Sport senior journalist at Bethpage
The ‘Battering at Bethpage’. The ‘Larruping on Long Island’. The ‘Nobbling in New York’.
The headlines were being written long before Sunday’s Ryder Cup singles had even teed off such was Europe’s domination over the opening two days. A record seven points they led by. 11½-4½. Just three points from 12 matches needed for victory.
No side had ever come from more than four points back to win. A formality for the visitors?
Not so fast. The Americans put up a fight that will be talked about for decades to come, but in the end Europe stumbled to a 15-13 victory, with Ludvig Aberg the only player to win his match, while six home players registered wins.
Tyrrell Hatton, playing in match 10, finally got Europe to the magic 14½ points mark as they became the fifth European side to win an away match – and the first since 2012.
It was fitting that the Englishman should secure the winning point given he was one of two undefeated players this week. The other was Shane Lowry, who holed the putt to take Europe to 14 points and ensure they would at least retain the trophy.
It is a triumph that cements Luke Donald’s status as a bona fide Ryder Cup legend.
After masterminding the ‘Romp in Rome’ in 2023, the Englishman – who also won all four Ryder Cups he played in – has become the second captain, after Tony Jacklin in 1985 and 1987, to lead the side to home and away victories.
He is the only man to win home and away as a player as well.
Media caption, Shane Lowry emotional as Europe retain the Ryder Cup
How an extraordinary day unfolded
The US needed 10 points to regain the trophy. No side had ever won more than 8½ from the 12 singles matches.
And their task was made that little bit harder when Europe announced Viktor Hovland would be unable to play because of a neck injury. Ryder Cup rules dictate that one US player also sits out and each team gets a half point. 12-5 Europe.
When Cam Young and Justin Rose emerged on the first tee for the opening match, nobody could have dreamed of the drama that would follow.
Even the notoriously feisty New York fans were there in hope, rather than expectation. It was the hope that killed them.
New York-born Young, a rookie in the US side, birdied the first to get the earliest of red on the scoreboard.
But Rose bounced back to go one ahead after five. Behind him Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Rory McIlroy and Aberg were all leading. Bethpage Black was Bethpage Blue and the crowd went quiet.
The script was following the previous days. Europe were in complete control.
But then. Young won four of seven holes to go three ahead. Justin Thomas claimed three successive holes to lead Fleetwood. And Bryson DeChambeau was whittling away after losing five of the first seven to Fitzpatrick.
Aberg’s blue was erased from the scoreboard by Patrick Cantlay as the ebbs and flows of a Ryder Cup Sunday took hold with American cheers reverberating around this huge plot of land.
Sepp Straka started fast but was pegged back and overtaken by JJ Spaun. Shane Lowry was embroiled in a tight tussle with Russell Henley, while Rasmus Hojgaard was never ahead against Ben Griffin.
In the early matches, the finish line was in sight. Rose fought back to take Young down the last. The Englishman had a putt from 20 feet to secure at least a half point. He missed. Young from two feet closer, drained his and the youngest man on the US team had beaten Europe’s elder statesman. 12-6.
Fleetwood and Thomas jousted through the back nine and also made it to the last all square. Again the American’s would emerge victorious, Thomas dropping a 15-footer. 12-7.
In the only real beating handed out, Xander Schauffele strolled to victory over Jon Rahm, winning four of five holes on the back nine to ease to a 4&3 win. 12-8.
European eyes were suddenly scouring the scoreboard to see where the 2½ points needed were going to come from.
Aberg provided one. A par on the 17th was enough to see off Cantlay’s challenge. But it would be Europe’s only full point – the lowest in 12-match singles history. 13-8.
DeChambeau’s drive and desire had hauled in Fitzpatrick. Sensational birdies on the 14th and 15th, and a par on the 17th, was enough to also send them down the last all square. This time there would be no American birdie though and Europe had a half point. 13½-8½.
DeChambeau still celebrated it like he’d won the Ryder Cup. And suddenly, the US team had belief that this might just be possible. The fans were certainly invested. Perhaps too much at times.
McIlroy was once again the focus of their attention. The Northern Irishman has been abused all week and Sunday was no exception, with barbs being fired from the sidelines.
But he had somehow kept his head to deliver 3½ points from four matches. His opponent on Sunday, the world number one Scottie Scheffler, had lost all four of his outings. The American was due a point.
And he delivered. McIlroy, who conceded neither player was at their best, pushed him to the 18th but was unable to hole a monster birdie try as Scheffler put another point on the board. 13½-9½.
Europe still needed a half from somewhere. Anywhere. But for the first time in three days there was no blue to be seen.
Hatton and Robert MacIntyre were in dogfights with Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns respectively in the final two matches out on the course.
US Open champion Spaun held off Straka. 13½-10½.
But then hope. Lowry birdied the 15th to drag Henley back to a one-hole lead and they became the fifth match to head down 18. Both players found the green with their second shots. Henley putted first and missed. Lowry, from eight feet, had a chance to win the hole, halve the match and reach the 14 points Europe needed as holders to retain the trophy.
It dropped. And Lowry exploded.
The emotion flooded out as he jigged and wheeled across the green. He had been embroiled in several spats with the fans during his round with McIlroy on Saturday so you could understand his levels of celebration as American fans began to flood out of the course. 14-11.
Europe had not come for the tie and retention though.
The final three matches also went to the final hole. Griffin held off Hojgaard. 14-12.
It looked like Hatton would be the one. His birdie on the 12th had drawn him level with Morikawa and the two were unable to separate themselves. If the Englishman could match Morikawa’s score on the 18th, the trophy would be won.
The American’s lengthy birdie putt missed. Hatton had two putts to win the Ryder Cup from 20 feet. He cosied his birdie try to tap-in. Morikawa conceded. The celebrations could properly begin. 14½-12½.
Scotland’s MacIntyre brought up the rear and won the final hole with a par to snatch a half point against Burns. 15-13.
It also meant the US had remarkably matched the Ryder Cup record of 8½ points in the singles but all the celebrations were blue.
McIlroy declared after the win in Rome two years ago that they would win in Bethpage. He also said “winning away is the hardest thing to achieve in golf”.
He was correct on both fronts.
Media caption, US captain involved as Rose wins hole after wayward shot
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