Europe Wins Dramatic Ryder Cup in New York

After a day of gut-wrenching drama, Luke Donald’s European Ryder Cup team created a bit of history for themselves, beating the hosts 15-13 to retain the trophy.

They went into the final-day singles leading 11.5-4.5. It should have been a formality. It was anything but. 

Keegan Bradley’s American side came so close to producing what would arguably have been the greatest sporting comeback of all time. It fell to Shane Lowry to hole the putt that ensured that Europe could not be beaten - and boy did he celebrate.  

Lowry said: "I was nervous but this is where I belong. I have experienced some amazing things on the golf course but this is like, God, I cannot believe it. It’s something that I will remember forever.

"This is the best team in the world. I don't care what anyone says. This is the best tournament in the world. This is the only thing I want to do for the rest of my life.

"You think back to the Irish greats in the game, they have all holed putts to win the Ryder Cup and I got my moment today. It's the best day ever."

A few minutes later Tyrrell Hatton secured the half point that won the trophy.

Ludvig Aberg was the only European to win a full point on a day when the unthinkable very nearly happened.

It was fitting that Hatton secured the winning point given he was one of two undefeated players. The other was Lowry.

It is a triumph that cements Luke Donald's status as a Ryder Cup legend. 

After masterminding a one-sided victory in Rome two years ago, Donald, who also won all four Ryder Cups he played in, became only the second captain after Tony Jacklin in 1985 and 1987, to lead the side to home and away victories. And there is now certain to be pressure for him to do the job one more time.

He said: "It has been the most stressful 12 hours of my life. 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.

"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. There will be talk for generations to come as someone going down in history. Couldn't be more proud."

Bradley said: "The boys really fought today. That was incredible. I didn't expect anything different. These guys are really an incredible group. The way they played the last two days, when we were way down - you wouldn't have known we were way down.

"They looked like they were battling. Their body language was good. They were pumping up the crowd. They were fighting the whole way, even when things were not looking good, and I didn't expect anything different today. That was a coin flip there for a second."

The USA needed 10 points to regain the trophy. No side had ever won more than 8½ from the 12 singles matches.

Before a shot had been hit came the news that Viktor Hovland was unfit to play, meaning that both teams were awarded half a point each. It meant Harris English was also forced to sit things out as Europe moved to 12-5 ahead.

When Cam Young and Justin Rose emerged on the first tee for the opening match, nobody could have imagined what was about to unfold. New York-born Young birdied the first to give the Americans the perfect start.

But Rose bounced back to go one ahead after five. Behind him Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Rory McIlroy and Aberg were all leading, but it didn’t last. Young battled back to win one up and give the Americans their first point.

After seven holes, Fitzpatrick was five up on Bryson DeChambeau but the big-hitting American produced some fabulous golf to grab a half on the final green. Fleetwood, who had won all four matches in the foursomes and fourballs, ran out of steam and lost on the final green to Justin Thomas. Mclroy admitted before he started his match against world number one Scottie Scheffler that he was exhausted. And it showed. He did well to take Scheffler to the 18th before also losing.

Aberg beat Patrick Cantlay 2&1, but Xander Schauffele thrashed Jon Rahm 4&3, and JJ Spaun defeated Sepp Straka 2&1. It was all going horribly wrong for Europe. 

But then up stepped Lowry. After holing a pressure-filled seven-foot putt on the 18th he celebrated wildly as he secured the vital half point against Russell Henley. His emotion was entirely understandable. He had been involved in several unsavoury spats with fans doing his round with McIlroy on Saturday.  

Mclroy said: "It was a rough week for all of us. But at the same time, we shut them up by our performance."

Ben Griffin beat Rasmus Hojgaard, also on the final green. And then Hatton ended his game against Collin Morikawa all square to win the trophy before Robert MacIntyre and Sam Burns also finished on level terms.