September 29, (THEWILL) — Europe claimed the Ryder Cup with victory at Bethpage Black in New York, ending America’s hopes on home soil. Shane Lowry sealed the triumph by sinking a crucial six-foot putt on the 18th hole, delivering the 14th point needed for victory.
The Irish golfer’s clutch performance came after a tense final day where the United States mounted a determined but ultimately unsuccessful comeback attempt.
The European team entered Sunday’s singles matches with an 11.5-point advantage, which increased to 12 points before play began due to Viktor Hovland’s withdrawal through injury.
This marked the first occasion since the current 28-point format started in 1979 that any team had carried such a commanding lead into the final day. Both Hovland and his opponent Harris English received half points, leaving Europe requiring just two more points for victory.
The competition then witnessed the prospect of the greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history as the American team showed considerable fight in the singles matches.
Cameron Young and Justin Thomas claimed early victories over previously unbeaten opponents Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood respectively, whilst Xander Schauffele dominated Jon Rahm.
However, Ludvig Åberg’s win over Patrick Cantlay pushed Europe to 13 points, leaving them just one point from glory.
The final drama centred on Russell Henley’s match against Lowry, with the Irishman trailing by one hole going into the 17th. After scrambling to take the match to the final hole, Lowry watched Henley’s excellent bunker shot land near the pin.
The 2019 Open champion responded by placing his approach inside Henley’s line, then rolled home the winning putt after his opponent narrowly missed.
This victory is Europe’s second consecutive Ryder Cup triumph and extends their remarkable dominance over American golf.
The Europeans have now won six of the past eight competitions and 11 of 15 since 1995, dispelling theories that home advantage had become the determining factor in recent years.
For Lowry, competing in his third Ryder Cup, the emotional victory fulfilled a dream he has described as meaning more than almost anything else in professional golf.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
