AMERICA’S WHISTLING WONDERS ROMP HOME
WOW, what a thrashing. Most people fancied the Americans to win this Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits, but nobody saw this coming.
A brilliant United States team sealed a record-breaking 19-9 victory last night. It felt more like a humiliation for Europe than a mere defeat.
We tried talking up the prospect of a miracle yesterday morning but in all honesty the contest was over before the singles started. The United States had built up a formidable 11-5 lead and there really is no way back from there.
Padraig Harrington’s team had pride to play for, however. And Rory McIlroy, so disappointing in the first two days, finally showed his mettle as he put a point for Europe on the board with a 3&2 win over Xander Schauffele.
The Northern Irishman was full of emotion in a television interview after, saying he wished he could have contributed more to the cause.
Unfortunately for Europe the players behind McIlroy did not follow his lead. Patrick Cantlay produced a performance full of intensity to beat Shane Lowry 4&2 in the second match out.
Scottie Scheffler delivered perhaps the performance of the day, taking the opening four holes against world No.1 Jon Rahm, each time winning with birdies. The damage was done early on, and Scheffler sealed a 4&3 victory.
Bryson DeChambeau, who if anything dialled it up a notch for the final day, drove it onto the green at the first in his showdown with Sergio Garcia.
With the Wisconsin galleries loving it, big-hitting DeChambeau clinched a 3&2 win over the European talisman.
Collin Morikawa had a mighty battle with Viktor Hovland – it finished all square, the half point sealing victory for the US. Dustin Johnson soon made it five wins from his five matches.
The final score of 19-9 will resonate in Ryder Cup history – it is the biggest ever winning margin at this event.
So many singles Sundays in the past have given us incredible sporting theatre. Bernhard Langer at Kiawah Island. America’s comeback at Brookline. The miracle of Medinah. This was more of a coronation. What a triumph for home captain Steve Stricker. There will have been many tears last night.
‘This is a special day for everyone involved,’ Stricker said. ‘The Ryder Cup means a lot to everybody. We finally put in a dominant performance here.
These guys played great, they deserve it. This is my major right here.’
Harrington will be bitterly disappointed. He paid credit to the US last night, saying: ‘They did play very well, a strong team that played on its top form. My team did everything I could ask of them. Their spirits and motivation was high. The US did great.’
The Americans had plenty of advantages at this event but sealed victory in some style. Now they will aim to win on European soil for the first time in three decades in Rome in 2023.