Another Ryder Cup is in the books.
Europe was able to pull off the Ryder Cup victory with some incredibly strong play. The USA put in a good showing on the final singles matches of the Ryder Cup; they were just too far behind to turn it into a win.
Now, let’s recap today’s events!
The European team certainly had the advantage with the home crowd, the course setup, and the way they prepared ahead of the event. The USA took a slightly different approach to their Ryder Cup preparation, and many will question if that is what cost them the win.
Ryder Cup Final (Europe 16.5: USA 11.5)
Sunday at the Ryder Cup leaves players on their own to battle head-to-head. The matches were tough, and it didn’t take all that long for Hovland to put the first of the four points needed for Europe on the board.
- Jon Rahm vs Scottie Scheffler (Halved)
- Victor Hovland (4&3) vs. Collin Morikawa
- Justin Rose vs. Patrick Cantlay (2&1)
- Rory McIlroy (3&1) vs. Sam Burns
- Matt Fitzpatrick vs. Max Homa (1 Up)
- Tyrrell Hatton (3&2) vs. Brian Harman
- Ludvig Aberg vs. Brooks Koepka (3&2)
- Sepp Straka vs. Justin Thomas (2 Up)
- Nicolai Hojgaard vs. Xander Schauffele (3&2)
- Shane Lowry vs. Jordan Spieth (Halved)
- Tommy Fleetwood (3&1) vs. Rickie Fowler
- Robert MacIntyre (2&1) vs. Wyndham Clark
The Rahm vs. Scheffler match could have set the United States up for a little run and some positivity. However, after Scheffler struggled on the final hole, things started to really turn towards negative for the Americans.
Patrick Cantlay put up the first points for the Americans. He played incredible golf all week long and handled lots of chatter and stories. His response to all of it is, “None of it is true.” We will take Cantlay’s word for it; we have no reason not to!
Rory McIlroy came out and did what he needed to do today. He was strong in all areas and dominated Sam Burns the entire day. Rory is a passionate player, who knows how to get it done; today was certainly no different.
Finally, we have to look at the match that decided the entire Ryder Cup. Europe only needed 4 points going into the day. When just a half point was necessary for the Ryder Cup to be over, there was quite a bit of red on the board.
However, in the end, it came down to Tommy Fleetwood winning the 16th hole against Rickie Fowler (who hit is drive in the water) to secure a half a point and win the Ryder Cup. Rickie conceeded the putt like the gentleman he is.
Ryder Cup Final Recap: What Did We Learn This Week
At the end of a Ryder Cup event, it’s fun to look back and see some things we learned. One of the most glaring differences that we noticed between the two teams was in their approaches to the Ryder Cup.
Europe took a bit more of a calculated approach. They were confident but quiet about it and went through the week making putts from everywhere!
The US team took a more laid-back approach to their preparation, which may have had them come up just a little short in the end. One thing we can say with absolute certainty is that the golfers on both teams are certainly the best players in the world.
Now, the only problem is having to wait another 2 years for the next Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
