Americans fight-back bravely in singles

Emotions were running really high at Bethpage Black in New York, USA for the final day’s play of the 45th Ryder Cup.  The sun shone brightly again for the singles which saw the Americans start the day at 4.5 points with the Europeans at 11.5 points.  However, it would not be an easy win for Europe.  Yet amid scenes of great excitement and huge disappointment, amazingly the Europeans did manage to defend the Ryder Cup with a wee magical victory of USA 13 – 15 Europe.  What a tremendous relief for European Ryder Cup Captain, Luke Donald and his esteemed team!

 

Thrilling Sunday singles

 

Even before the singles started on Sunday, both teams had earned an extra half point due to a neck injury that Norway’s Viktor Hovland had sustained.  He was due to play against Harris English.  The last time this happened in the Ryder Cup was in 1993.  So the score now stood at USA 5 – 12 Europe.

 

Surprisingly the World Number One, Scottie Scheffler, and the World Number Two, Rory McIlroy played against each other in fourth spot.

 

 

 

In fact, the first singles match was Cameron Young against England’s Justin Rose.  With this match on the 12th hole, Young was 2-up on Rose.  In five of the other ten matches, Europe was ahead of the game.  It was only America’s Ben Griffin who was 1-up on Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark) after four holes that gave the hosts a little hope.

 

At this point, victory for the Europeans looked a pretty sure thing.  All they needed to do was win two more points in the singles to retain the trophy.  Sounds easy-peasy, doesn’t it?

 

Well, on the 10th hole, both Scheffler and McIlroy hacked their way to the green.  Scheffler squeezed a win here to go 1-up.  On the next, McIlroy snatched it back.

 

Bryson DeChambeau holed for birdie at the 12th.  But Matt Fitzpatrick (England) did so too which left Europe at 3-up.  These two players were having a tremendous match after surprisingly DeChambeau went 5-down after seven holes.

 

Rose in trouble at the 13th

 

Justin Rose was deep in the problems on the 13th where he hit his second shot with a driver off the fairway.  His ball bounced over the road and lay against a tribune.  The crowds gathered fanatically to see what magic the Englishman could create with the ball.

 

Young was dumb-founded after Rose made a tremendous birdie from four feet or so to get back to 2-down.  Rose had a great patch here as he then made three birdies in four holes to pull-back to level with Young on the 16th.

 

At this point, the Americans were really fighting-back.  The scoreboard was turning more and more red.  Could Europe still muster two more points?

 

At the 14th, DeChambeau holed an enormous putt to get back to 2-down with Fitzpatrick.  It was here that McIlroy lost the hole to Scheffler to go 1-down.

 

The first match of Young/Rose was level heading down the final hole.  The Americans are always strong in the singles but can Cameron Young win against Rose?  Or were the Americans running out of holes?

 

Rose had a putt for birdie at the 18th which he pulled to the right.  Then Young made a delightful birdie to win the first point for America on Sunday.

 

Score: USA 6 – 12 Europe

 

 

DeChambeau won the 17th to draw level with Rose.  Meanwhile Justin Thomas was cheering his victory over Tommy Fleetwood as he had just secured a second point for America on the 18th.  Then Spain’s Jon Rahm, who had played superbly all week, alas, lost his match to Xander Schauffele.

 

Score: USA 8 – 12 Europe

 

J.J. Spaun was 3-up on Sepp Straka (Austria) so another point for America looked pretty certain.  However, Ludvig Aberg had other thoughts.  The Swede scored a much-needed valuable point for Europe on the 17th hole where he beat Patrick Cantlay by 2&1.  Europe needed just one more point (or two half points) to retain the Ryder Cup.

 

Score: USA 8 – 13 Europe

 

DeChambeau and Fitzpatrick then halved their match to see the tally go to USA 8.5 – 13.5 Europe.  Could McIlroy seize a victory over Scheffler?  Well, the player from Northern Ireland lost the 14th hole and played steady pars after that.  On the 18th his drive finished in the bunker and after two putts made par.  Meanwhile Scheffler was on the green in two and also made par to finish 1-up on Europe.

 

Score: USA 9.5 – 13.5 Europe

 

As relaxed and confident as Europe looked on Saturday, you could feel the frustration in the team.  Quite simply, the Europeans just needed to win another half a point.  But which player in the last five matches would that be?

 

Alas, it was not Straka.  Spaun had a superb week at Bethpage Black and played a good match against Sepp Straka which he won 2&1.  America could almost smell Ryder Cup victory now as the score stood at an incredible USA 10.5 – 13.5 Europe.

 

Henley as World Number Three

 

American Russell Henley is ranked as the World Number Three player.  He was up against Ireland’s Shane Lowry on Sunday.  On the 18th, Henley finished in the bunker with his drive.  He splashed out close to the pin which Lowry followed with a super shot just inside Henley’s.  Here was finally a super chance to make a half point.  Lowry seemed very relaxed under the stressful circumstances.  He carefully took aim and holed the putt for a tremendous half point and then danced with sheer delight around the green.  Unbelievable, Shane Lowry from Ireland had scored the crucial half point for Europe to retain the Ryder Cup.

 

“Winning the Open was a dream come true, but winning the Ryder Cup is really special to me”

     –  Shane Lowry

 

Score: USA 11 – 14 Europe

 

Captain Luke Donald and his team were abolutely thrilled, of course.  However, there were still players out on the course.  Ben Griffin then beat Rasmus Hojgaard by 1-up.  Tyrrell Hatton was also alive and kicking out on the course.  Could the Englishman make another half a point for an actual victory over America?  Well, yes, he halved his match with Collin Morikawa.

 

The last player out on the course was American Sam Burns who teed-off on the final hole 1-up on Robert MacIntyre (Scotland).  MacIntyre kept his nerve and made a great birdie at the 18th to seize half a point with Burns.  What an absolute delight for Europe!

 

“This was the twelve most stressful days of my life.”

     –   Captain Luke Donald

 

The final score of USA 13 – 15 Europe will be written in the history books.  It is the fifth time in the long history of the Ryder Cup that Europe has won on American soil.  Captain Luke Donald has had back-to-back victories, home and away, in the Ryder Cup just like former captain Tony Jacklin.   And, naturally, he is so proud of his team and the way they played in America.  Indeed, the whole of Europe is intensely proud of the European Ryder Cup team.

 

The next Ryder Cup:  We’re looking forward to the next edition which takes place in 2027 at Adare Manor, County Limerick.  This will be the second time the Ryder Cup has been played in Ireland.

 

Wendy Hoad

Editor

 

 

MAIN PHOTOGRAPH:  European Team Captain Luke Donald (right) with Shane Lowry.  BELOW (l-r): Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm.