Fleetwood secures Ryder Cup for Europe after American fightback

When the Ryder Cup involves Europe, the house staff has been unbeatable.

Tommy Fleetwood of England landed the decisive blow Sunday afternoon for Team Europe to lastly vanquish the United States staff and win the forty fourth Ryder Cup 16 1/2-11 1/2 at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club outdoors Rome.

Europe has claimed eight of the final 11 Ryder Cups, because the Americans failed to finish a Ryder Cup highway drought that dates to 1993.

“Proud, proud, proud moment for me. They play for more than themselves, they play together,” emotional Team Europe captain Luke Donald mentioned in a post-match TV interview.

Team Europe led 10 1/2-5 1/2 getting into Sunday’s 12 singles matches needing 4 factors to win, with the U.S. staff required to get 8 1/2 factors to retain the cup.

After falling behind 14-7 Sunday, the U.S. needed to sweep the ultimate seven matches of the day. Brooks Koepka completed off Swedish rookie Ludvig Aberg 3 and a couple of, and Max Homa made an enormous determination on the 18th gap that paid off to protect a 1-up win over Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick.

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Xander Schauffele defeated Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard 3 and a couple of, however the Americans’ faint hopes fell aside when Rickie Fowler, 1 all the way down to Fleetwood, lower his drive into the water on the brief par-4 sixteenth.

Fleetwood’s ensuing drive rolled to 23 ft from the flagstick. His eagle putt was brief, however Fowler conceded the birdie, making certain Europe would acquire a minimum of half a degree from the match. Fleetwood made it official on the subsequent gap, successful 3 and 1 for Europe’s fifteenth level.

“I didn’t think it was going to go down to the back end,” Fleetwood mentioned. “Just to have played a part in it all this week, in particular today. I wasn’t really planning on it coming down to us but I always had it in my mind. It was pretty nervy coming down to the last few.”

The Americans wanted a file comeback Sunday to retain the cup; the biggest Sunday rally in Ryder Cup historical past belongs to the 1999 U.S. staff, from 4 factors down.

“I think the European team played phenomenal golf. I think it truly is that simple. I think my guys showed true heart, true grit,” U.S. captain Zach Johnson mentioned post-match, choking up with emotion. “I’m honoured to represent my country. I’ll do the interviews, I’ll do the media, I’ll take the burden. I’ll take my 12 any Cup.”

Europe’s “big three” — Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, Jon Rahm of Spain and Viktor Hovland of Norway — mixed to earn 2 1/2 factors early within the day. Tyrrell Hatton of England beat Brian Harman 3 and a couple of to convey Europe to 14 factors earlier than the Americans discovered methods to remain afloat.

Homa was 1 up on Fitzpatrick on the par-5 18th when each gamers missed to the fitting of the inexperienced on their second photographs. While Fitzpatrick chipped on, Homa’s ball was so buried within the tall, snaking tough that he took an unplayable lie and yielded a penalty stroke.

It was the fitting determination. Homa chipped it to 7 1/2 ft along with his fourth shot, Fitzpatrick missed a birdie putt that might have received the cup and Homa transformed the must-have par to protect the complete U.S. level.

“(Caddie) Joe Greiner’s the brains, I just swing it,” mentioned Homa, who led the U.S. this week with a 3-1-1 file. “That was an awful break. I don’t know how (his second shot) didn’t get into the bunker, and I was frustrated, my head was spinning. (Greiner) said, ‘We’re gonna take an unplayable here, you’re gonna chip it down to 10 feet, and you’re gonna make it.’”

McIlroy led all gamers within the 2023 occasion, successful 4 of a attainable 5 factors. He cruised previous Sam Burns 3 and 1 after Rahm had tied Scottie Scheffler in a back-and-forth match.

“I was so disappointed after Whistling Straits. We all were,” McIlroy mentioned, referencing the Americans’ 19-9 win in 2021. “And we wanted to come here to Rome this year and redeem ourselves a bit. We’ve got some fresh blood on the team that I think has worked really, really well.”

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Hovland scored the primary level of the day by soundly defeating Collin Morikawa 4 and three. Hovland went 3-1-1 for the competitors, the one European participant moreover McIlroy (4-1-0) to play all 5 classes this weekend.

Cantlay staved off decided Englishman Justin Rose 2 and 1 for the Americans’ first full level of the day. Cantlay denied a report from Sky Sports the day past that the U.S. staff room was “fractured” as Cantlay declined to put on the staff’s hat in protest of not getting paid for his companies this week.

“I just try to use it as fuel,” Cantlay mentioned of the adversity in Rome. “You know, you can take all that energy and turn it into focus and turn it into good adrenaline. That’s what I tried to do this week.”

Cantlay additionally made a 43-foot birdie putt Saturday to win his four-ball match. His efforts weren’t sufficient to beat a European facet led by Englishman Donald, who changed Henrik Stenson of Sweden as captain 14 months earlier than the competitors resulting from Stenson becoming a member of LIV Golf.

“All of Team Europe, we obviously play for each other, and that’s such a massive strength for us and our unity,” Fleetwood mentioned. “And one step above that is Luke, and we all wanted to do it for him.”