Breaking: High-powered U.S. beats Europe to win 43rd Ryder Cup

Yes, Europe wanted to win the Ryder Cup on Sunday at Whistling Straits; of course it did. But the Europeans needed an epic comeback, a “miracle,” as Ian Poulter called it. The 11-5 advantage the U.S. held heading into Sunday was its largest ever. In a way, it was a European goal simply to make sure it wasn’t an American coronation before happy hour.

But that didn’t happen, either.

Rory McIlroy won the first match of the day, but it was all red, white and blue behind him, as the Americans responded with three consecutive convincing victories, plus a tied match, pushing the U.S. to the 14.5 points it needed to secure the 43rd Ryder Cup. The victory was sealed with seven matches still on the course.

Rookie Collin Morikawa earned the Ryder Cup-clinching point. He birdied the par-3 17th to go 1 up on Viktor Hovland, which secured at least a half point to get to 14.5, but it wasn’t official until about 15 minutes later, when Hovland won the 18th to tie the match. But it was still a half-point for Morikawa and the U.S. on the scoreboard — enough for the victory to be set in stone. The U.S. wins back the Cup it lost in Paris in 2018. It’s the Americans’ second win in the last six meetings, and just the third in the last 10.

Europe has long dominated the biennial match-play exhibition, but now, the U.S. hopes, this week at Whistling Straits was the official turning of the tide. Europe has often been the underdogs on paper yet has still found a way to be the better team come Ryder Cup week. Call it commitment. Call it luck. Call it team unity. Doesn’t matter, the Europeans have always had Ryder Cup magic the U.S. lacked — until this week.

The Americans, with nine players in the top 11 of the World Ranking, dominated with a roster comprised of six rookies. Europe, on the other hand, might be on the verge of a changing of the guard, as four of its Ryder Cup mainstays are in their 40s and at least a couple of them have likely played in their last.

McIlroy took down Xander Schauffele 3 and 2 in the first of 12 singles matches on Sunday, giving McIlroy his first win of the week after two previous days of disappointing play.

But the board was red behind the first pairing, and the first win came from rookie Scottie Scheffler, who has yet to win on the PGA Tour but earned 2.5 points this week as a captain’s pick. He even punctuated his week by taking down World No. 1 Jon Rahm in singles play, dusting the Spaniard — and the best player all week long — 4 and 3. It was Rahm’s only loss of the week.

Patrick Cantlay soon beat Shane Lowry 4 and 2, and about 45 minutes later Bryson DeChambeau beat Ryder Cup stalwart Sergio Garcia 3 and 2. That pushed the U.S. advantage to 14-6, meaning the Americans were just a half-point away from victory. When Morikawa stuck an iron from 221 yards to 3 feet on the 17th hole and made birdie, the U.S. win was guaranteed, but it wasn’t official until the 18th. Hovland won the hole with a par but Morikawa still earned the half-point necessary.

The celebration was underway.

Josh Berhow

Golf.com Editor

Josh Berhow is the managing editor at GOLF.com. The Minnesota native graduated with a journalism degree from Minnesota State University in Mankato. You can reach him at joshua_berhow@golf.com.