USA seal dominant victory over Europe to regain the Ryder Cup with a RECORD winning margin of 19-9 at Whistling Straits, with Bryson DeChambeau and Co in scintillating form after Rory McIlroy won the first match
- The United States have beaten Team Europe at Whistling Straits Wisconsin
- Another day of disaster for Europe saw them suffer a record defeat of 19-9
- USA clinched the Ryder Cup thanks to a half point from rookie Collin Morikawa
- The US required only 3.5 of the 12 points available on Sunday to secure the win
Against a riotous backdrop of colour and noise, the 43rd Ryder Cup was reclaimed by the United States on Sunday with a record margin of victory to justify the belief that this might be as good a side as the old competition has seen.
It was the sixth time in the last eight Ryder Cups that the home side has won by a margin of five points or more but this 19-9 success - the first time any team has reached the magical mark of 19 points - felt different to the others. With an average age under 30, this one surely marks a new era for American golf.
Team USA clinched the 43rd Ryder Cup with a record victory of 19-9 at Whistling Straits
Patrick Cantlay, who delivered four points out of four in a glittering debut, summed up the mood.
'This American Ryder Cup team is going to be around for a while and we wanted to send out a message as to what we can do,' he said.
Buddies for the most part since they were playing one another in college golf, the feeling that they were ready to make a statement was fully realised.
US rookie Patrick Cantlay delivered four points out of four in a glittering debut in Wisconsin.
Appropriately enough, it was the Open Champion Collin Morikawa, the youngest of them all at 24, who clinched a trophy-winning half-point against Viktor Hovland.
'We didn't just want to win, we wanted a dominant win,' said Morikawa. 'Everyone showed up.'
Indeed, everyone did and particularly Dustin Johnson, the oldest man in the team who became the first American since Larry Nelson in 1979 to win five points out of five.
Leading by a margin of six points going into the singles, American captain Steve Stricker front-loaded his order in an effort to get the party started early and it paid spectacular dividends. The trophy was won by the fifth singles match, the earliest it has been claimed by America since 1981.
Collin Morikawa secured the vital half point needed to tip the US to victory in the Ryder Cup
Viktor Hovland fought valiantly against Morikawa to battle back to all square in a tight match
You had to feel for the two Spaniards who had practically played America on their own for much of the first two days. Like Seve Ballesteros and Jose-Maria Olazabal before them, the singles proved a struggle as exhaustion set in, playing two opponents feeding off the energy of the crowd.
Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau were impressive in keeping the hammer down. The former won the first four holes against world number one Jon Rahm, all of them with birdies.
Naturally Rahm responded with a couple of birdies on his own but Scheffler was not to be cowed at the end of a week when he has announced himself as yet another great young American golfer.
Jon Rahm suffered a heavy defeat to Scottie Scheffler after dazzling matches earlier this week
Scheffler was unstoppable winning the first four holes with birdies against the World No1
The result was disappointing for Rahm who had been Europe's shining light earlier in the week
As for Mr Box Office, DeChambeau followed his prodigious drive on to the first green with a second golden moment at the sixth, another par four that is driveable for him.
This one was playing a bit shorter and his caddie wisely talked him into hitting a three wood. As he put his driver back into the bag, an audible groan went up from the packed gallery.
'Hey guys, relax!' the Mad Scientist shouted over to them. 'I'm still going for the green!' At his best, he's pure gold, isn't he?
Garcia chipped in at the 10th to halve the hole and then got back to two down at the 12th. Credit DeChambeau with his reply at the par four 13th, a lovely wedge that finished six inches from the hole. So it continued, before ending in a three and two victory for DeChambeau.
Bryson DeChambeau did his job and kept veteran Sergio Garcia out of the match to bag a point
The American was exuberant in his celebrations after losing all three of his matches in 2018
After losing all three of his matches in Paris, this was a triumphant change of fortune, as he inflicted the first singles loss on Garcia since 2008. 'I'll remember this for a lifetime,' he said, as he basked in the electric atmosphere and the unabashed adoration.
They used to say that putting the first point on the board in each series of matches was vital. Well, for the fourth time in five sessions Europe won the first point on offer and little good it did them once more.
This time it was Rory McIlroy, posting an unexpected success against Olympic gold medallist, Xander Schauffele for his first point of the week and his first singles victory since Gleneagles in 2014.
It was a welcome contribution, of course, but far too late from a player in whom Europe invests so much. McIlroy let out a loud bellow when he sank a birdie putt to go three up at the 14th.
Rory McIlroy led Europe out with a win but struggled to keep the tears at bay after his match
There's been plenty of social media chatter that he doesn't care but the truth of the matter was shown in that moment and particularly in emotional television interviews he gave after his victory, as the responsibility he feels was made plain.
'I should have done more for my team mates,' he said, as he broke down in tears. 'I can't wait for another shot. It is, by far, the best experience in golf.' McIlroy is hardly alone in being a big name not living up to expectation at a Ryder Cup. Tiger Woods, anyone? Phil Mickelson? People should give him a break. It happens.
Next up was Lowry, fresh off his stupendous winning putt the previous evening in his fourballs match alongside Tyrrell Hatton. Now he was up against a man who really can putt. What a month it has been for Cantlay. Then came Scheffler and DeChambeau and now the Americans were queuing up to put the winning point on the board.
The fifth match out was Morikawa against Hovland. They were playing matches against one another in college when the last Ryder Cup was played in 2018. They turned pro on the same day in 2019 and now, just over two years later, Morikawa is a double major winner and Hovland is ranked 14th in the world.
Rookies Morikawa and Hovland were blockbuster and will be playing Ryder Cups for decades
They might be playing Ryder Cup matches against one another for the next 20 years and, if so, this was a pretty good start as they barely made a mistake between them. This Ryder Cup ended in appropriate fashion at the 17th, the ferocious par three that sorts the good from the great. With the sweetest five iron imaginable, Morikawa struck the ball to 2ft. He was one up with one to play and the guaranteed half-point was all that America needed.
Coming up behind, there was no stopping the relentless red tide. Well, not until the trophy was won, that is. Thereafter, there were victories for Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, personal milestones on what will surely be their final Ryder Cup appearances but meaningless in the grand scheme of things.
By then, the focus was firmly elsewhere as celebrations broke out all over this wonderful course. What a American team this proved to be. There really might never have been one better.
Source: Daily Mail
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/article-10025445/Ryder-Cup-Day-Three-Live-Result.html
