Despite the great advantage, Team Europe has to really tremble on the final day of the Ryder Cup – until Shane Lowry masters the “hardest minute of his life”.
Europe’s top golfers have bought a historical comeback from the US stars in the heated atmosphere of the 45th Ryder Cup and defended their title. On the exciting final day in the Bethpage State Park of Long Island, the Europeans only won the decisive 14th point by the Irish Shane Lowry in the eighth of eleven of eleven.
Lowry made the draw perfect with a short putt at 5:15 p.m. and provided long faces for the majority of over 50,000 fans. “That was the hardest minutes of my life”, he said in tears: “I can’t believe that this ball went in. The Ryder Cup means everything to me. A dream becomes true.”
Historical away win
At 28 points to be awarded, a draw was certain, which, according to the regulations, meant that the Europeans retain the cup as defending champion. Tyrrell Hatton finally got another half point through a draw against Collin Morikawa.
So it was Europe’s eleventh victory in the past 15 editions-and also the first Ryder Cup away win since 2012 when the Europeans performed the “Miracle of Medinah” in Illinois.
Big lead almost playful
The Europeans had gone to the decisive Sunday with a calming 11.5: 4.5 lead. Because the battered Schwede Victor Hofland could not compete on Sunday, his match was rated 0.5: 0.5 in accordance with the rules.
Two victories from the remaining eleven matches reached Europe to victory. A 5:12 deficit, on the other hand, was the largest for the United States before the final day since 1979. And: A team has never made up for a bigger deficit than four points on the Ryder Cup Sunday.
Scheffler defeats McIlroy
In the again heated atmosphere in the US state of New York, the US golfers tried everything to make a “Bethpage-Miracle” reality. Cameron Young shortened against the former US Open Champion Justin Rose, at the age of 45 by far the oldest golfer of both teams, to 6:12. Justin Thomas brought the Americans to 7:12, the world ranking list of Scottie Scheffler defeated Masters winner Rory McIlroy.
Rory McIlroy (r., Team Europe) is a striking next to Scottie Scheffler (USA)
The Swede Ludvig Aberg provided Patrick Cantlay for an immensely important point win for Team Europe. Xander Schauffele and JJ Spaun also scored points for the USA – then Lowry kept the nerve against Russell Henley on the 18th