Bethpage, N.Y – Team Europe completed the toughest task in golf, winning an away Ryder Cup, and to further the challenge, they did in New York at Bethpage State Park on the storied Black Course. It was their fifth time winning on U.S. soil, the first came in 1987 at Muirfield Village in Ohio. In contrast, Team USA has only pulled off the feat once, in 1993 at the Belfry.
Sunday began with the Euros leading 11½-4½, but when Viktor Hovland pulled out of his singles match because of a neck injury, each team gained a 1/2 point – so before the first tee ball was struck, the score was 12-5. It appeared it was going to be a drama-free day, but it turned out to be the exact opposite, going until match 8 before we knew that Europe would be retaining the Ryder Cup. It was Shane Lowry who holed an 8-footer at the last to secure the meaningful half point vs Russell Henley, which was enough to guarantee the trophy would remain on the other side of the Atlantic. A few matches later, Tyrrell Hatton sealed the outright victory 15-13.
When the day began, needing ten points in singles to pull off the near impossible comeback, the U.S. won five of the first seven matches, turning the final five matches into must-see TV. The lone singles victory for Team Europe was Ludvig Åberg defeating Patrick Cantlay 2&1. Matt Fitzpatrick squandered a 5-up lead early on that only added to the drama, allowing Bryson DeChambeau to gain a half point for the stars & stripes.
The pivotal match was Russell Henley vs Shane Lowry. The Irishman had been two down with four to play against Henley, but a stunning approach to the fifteenth green saw him walking down the eighteenth knowing a full point was on the line, and would be enough for Europe to retain the cup.
Henley found sand off the tee, but hit a fanatstic recovery to ten feet, only to see Lowry hit his own approach inside him on the same line. The University of Georgia Alum left his effort short, and left the door open for Lowry to take it. The Irishman poured the clincher into the cup and began a celebration dance across the green before becoming emotional.
Luke Donald became just the second European Captain after Tony Jacklin to win a Ryder Cup both home and away. “It’s been the most stressful 12 hours in my life,” said Donald. “Shout-out to the Americans, Keegan, his captaincy. I knew it would be tough. I didn’t think they would be this tough on Sunday, they fought so hard, and all the respect to them.
“But this means a lot obviously to me and the team. We came here knowing that the task was very difficult. I couldn’t be more proud of these guys and what they have gone through, how they have come together, how they are playing for history, how they are playing for the people that came before them, and now there will be talk for generations to come as someone going down in history. Couldn’t be more proud.”
It was a week where the Long Island fans crossed the line way too far, and way too often… the PGA of America should think long and hard about bringing another Ryder Cup to the Metropolitan area.
The 2027 Ryder Cup will be held in Ireland at Adare Manor.
Ryder Cup Facts
• This was the closest Ryder Cup (2 points) since 2012 when the European side won 14.5 to 13.5 at Medinah. Each of the last five Ryder Cups entering this year were decided by at least 5 points
• Europe has now won five of the last ten away Ryder Cups, dating back to their first in 1987
• Luke Donald becomes just the second European captain to win back-to-back Ryder Cups, joining Tony Jacklin (1985, 1987)
• The seven-point lead Europe held after the first four sessions was the biggest heading into a final day in the modern era
• Europe is the first team to win each of the first four sessions of a Ryder Cup on away soil
• Europe is the first team since 1979 to amass at least 11.5 points prior to singles
• Europe won the cumulative four-ball battle at any given Ryder Cup for the first time since 2010
• In Friday’s foursomes, Europe won each of the first three matches played in a Ryder Cup played on American soil for the first time
• The American side earned 8.5 points in singles, matching the highest total during the era of 12 singles matches (since 1979)
• Team Europe won one singles match. It is the lowest such total since 1959 when Great Britain managed just one singles win
• Rory McIlroy now has six Ryder Cup wins, one less than the record seven among European players held by Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia
• Tyrrell Hatton (3-0-1) and Shane Lowry (1–0-2) were the only players without a loss
• Tommy Fleetwood finished the week as the player to have won the most holes with 21
• Scottie Scheffler and McIlroy contested the first Ryder Cup singles match between the number one and two in the Official World Golf Ranking
• Fleetwood and Jon Rahm have now won their first six career Ryder Cup foursomes matches. The only other players to win each of their first six career Ryder Cup foursomes matches are Sergio Garcia (8) and Luke Donald (6)
• Scheffler became the first American player ever to lose a match in each of the first four sessions of a Ryder Cup
