European Team Retains Ryder Cup, Holds Off American Surge on Sunday 

Europe won its second straight Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black golf course in Farmingdale, New York, on Sept. 28, narrowly emerging victorious after entering the final day of competition with the largest lead in history.

“These are 12 amazing players,” Luke Donald, European captain, told reporters after clinching the team’s second consecutive Ryder Cup.

Team U.S.A. was down by seven points after the first two days of matches and needed to win 10 points on Sunday to capture the cup. They managed to win seven and a half points out of the 12 up for grabs on the last day.

“The Europeans played incredible golf,” American captain Keegan Bradley told reporters after play was complete, accepting his role in defeat.

“I’ve got to take responsibility for this outcome, for sure.”

He commended Donald for his leadership skills.

“He turned this European team into an unstoppable force, especially the first two days,” Bradley said.

Europe’s Jon Rahm praised Donald’s professionalism and “attention to detail” for setting up the team for success.

Shane Lowry of Ireland sunk a six-foot birdie putt on the 18th green to bring his match with America’s Russell Henley to a draw, giving Europe the half-point it needed at the time to retain its title.

“We knew it was going to be hard,” Lowry said, beaming with pride. “But I never imagined having to make a birdie to win the Ryder Cup.”

One of the singles matches resulted in an automatic tie after Europe’s Viktor Hovland withdrew before teeing off on Sunday due to a neck injury. Bradley criticized the rule and called for officials to rethink the regulation.

“It needs to change by the next Ryder Cup,” he said.

The opposing captain rejected the criticism, noting that the rule dates back to 1971. It was last used in 1993 when Europe’s Sam Torrance was sidelined with an injury, and previously in 1991 when America’s Steve Pate withdrew after a car accident.

“We have captains’ agreements for a reason,” Donald said. “The rule is the rule, and it’s been in place for a long time.”

Approximately 50,000 people packed the course, many wearing red, white, and blue to support the home team, and others sporting yellow and blue for the European squad.

Crowds at Ryder Cup events are notoriously louder and more boisterous than in traditional professional golf tournaments. But the behavior turned toxic on Saturday when some spectators were ejected for abusive language, and a beer can was thrown at the wife of European star Rory McIlroy.

“I don’t think we should ever see that in golf,” McIlroy said. “This should not be what is acceptable in the Ryder Cup.”

After sinking a tricky downhill birdie putt from the fringe of the 15th green, he turned to the crowd and pounded his shirt where the team’s logo and a badge on the reverse honoring legendary golfer and former Ryder Cup champion Seve Ballesteros were positioned over the heart.

“I’m quite an impulsive character, if you haven’t noticed,” Rory McIlroy said. “Sometimes I’ll engage, sometimes I won’t.”

Most in the crowd were well-behaved, and the momentum and energy grew throughout the final rounds of play as the American team mounted a comeback.

“That last bit there, where we were making a run … I’ve never felt anything like that before playing golf,” Cameron Young, who drained a birdie putt on the 18th green to win his match on Sunday, said. “I think that’s really a testament to how much it means to all of us to be here.”

His teammates agreed and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete together.

“We all fought hard,” Bryson DeChambeau said after fighting back from a five-hole deficit after seven holes to earn a tie. “I’m so proud to be a part of this team.”

Despite coming up short, the Americans applauded each other’s efforts.

“I can’t speak enough for the fight these guys have in this room,” Scottie Scheffler said. “I think it shows a lot of heart.”

The top-ranked golfer in the world was held to one point for the American team for the week. His victory over McIlroy on Sunday gave the Americans a chance to pull off the largest upset since the competition was founded in 1927.

“I think everybody was surprised how good of a scare we gave the Europeans today,” Scheffler said.

The Ryder Cup is a competition held every two years between two teams of the 12 best golfers from Europe and the United States.

Named after its founder, Samuel Ryder, the match play competition utilizes a combination of formats, including foursome, where two players on each team alternate shots against two competing players—four-ball—where teammates play their own shots and record the lowest score on each hole against two opponents, and singles matches.

One point is awarded for each match win, with 28 points in play. The European team needed to win 14 points to retain the title, while the Americans needed 14.5 points to capture the trophy.

President Donald Trump became the first sitting president to attend a Ryder Cup when he visited with his granddaughter, Kai Trump, on Sept. 26.