Europe thump US to regain Ryder Cup
PARIS: Europe’s finest golfers, sparked by a record-setting victory for Italy’s Francesco Molinari, recaptured the Ryder Cup on Sunday, denying a dramatic United States fightback to complete a 17.5-10.5 upset victory.
Reigning British Open champion Molinari defeated five-time major winner Phil Mickelson 4 and 2 as Europe took an insurmountable edge over the favoured Americans in the biennial team showdown at Le Golf National. “It was amazing,” Molinari said. “It’s an incredible achievement. We did just an amazing job.”
In the process, Molinari -- who had been winless in six prior Ryder Cup matches -- became the first European and only the fourth player ever to go 5-for-5 in a Ryder Cup and did so just two months after hoisting the Claret Jug. Spaniard Sergio Garcia set a record when his victory in his Ryder Cup singles match on Sunday gave him more points than any other player in the history of the competition.
In beating American Rickie Fowler 2&1, Garcia collected his 25th-and-a-half point for Europe in the biennial team event, taking him half a point above England’s Nick Faldo.
Europe had seized a 10-6 edge in Saturday’s foursomes and fourballs matches and got the points they needed to swipe the trophy after an early US surge. Every European player won at least once in the event.
It turned out to be the most lopsided European triumph since an 18.5-9.5 victory at Ireland’s K Club in 2006.
WOODS’S ADMISSION
A despondent Tiger Woods admitted that he “was a contributing factor” as to why the United States surrendered the Ryder Cup to Europe, after losing all four of his matches at Le Golf National. His Ryder Cup record now stands at 13 wins, 21 losses and three halves.
“It’s disappointing because I went 0-4, and that’s four points to the European team,” admitted Woods. “I’m one of the contributing factors to why we lost the Cup, and it’s not a lot of fun.”