Team USA win Ryder Cup for the first time since 2008
The United States have regained the Ryder Cup for the first time since 2008, Ryan Moore claiming the point that clinched victory over Europe at Hazeltine.
Davis Love III’s team held a 9.5 – 6.5 lead heading into Sunday’s singles and received a huge boost when Patrick Reed recorded a 1up win over Rory McIlroy in a gripping opening match.
Henrik Stenson, Thomas Pieters and Rafael Cabrera Bello all secured points for the reigning champions, having been sent out early by Darren Clarke, the Belgian breaking new ground as a European rookie with his fourth triumph of the week.
However, by the time Cabrera Bello registered his side’s third success of the day – beating Jimmy Walker 3 and 2 – the outcome was inevitable, with the USA ahead in all but one of the eight remaining contests.
Rickie Fowler and Brooks Koepka duly completed victories, while a sensational halved encounter between Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia, featuring 19 birdies, edged the hosts closer to regaining a trophy they last claimed at Valhalla eight years ago.
Brandt Snedeker then beat Andy Sullivan 3 and 1 before Moore, who won the last three holes against Lee Westwood to triumph on the 18th, had the honour of earning the match-winning point for a US team that had led 4-0 after the opening-day foursomes.
The USA ultimately ran out 17-11 winners, Zach Johnson and namesake Dustin also putting red on the scoreboard as Martin Kaymer got the better of Matt Kuchar for his only point this week.
Home success served as redemption for US captain Love, who had been at the helm four years ago when Europe fought back from 10-6 down in the singles to claim a remarkable victory at Medinah sealed by Kaymer’s putt, and justified the much-talked-about creation of a Ryder Cup task force by the PGA of America following the 2014 event at Gleneagles.
A number of European players made encouraging starts on Sunday, as the tie between McIlroy and Reed lived up to its billing as a must-watch encounter.
Reed eagled the fifth to trigger a sensational passage in play, with the next three holes halved in birdie amid frenzied celebrations from both players.
However, McIlroy faded over the back nine and was beaten on the 18th as Reed holed the last of several impressive putts.
Although Stenson got the better of Jordan Spieth and rookies Pieters and Cabrera Bello rounded off their impressive weeks in style, it soon became clear that the US would triumph with a degree of comfort.
Mickelson and Garcia served up the contest of the day, both men birdieing the last to complete outstanding rounds of 63.
Yet the remaining Europeans were unable to hit such heights, with Masters champion Danny Willett among those to disappoint as he suffered a 5 and 4 defeat to Koepka.
Willett was one of four men in Clarke’s team who failed to score all week, while every home player won at least one match. The latter feat was last achieved in 1975, when the late Arnold Palmer – whose death last Sunday prompted a flood of tributes – served as the American captain.
