Europe holds on to the Ryder Cup to prevent a remarkable American comeback

Drama at Beth Page: A Ryder Cup Near Miss

What a spectacle at Beth Page! The Dominant Ryder Cup for Team Europe almost took a dramatic turn. A comeback reminiscent of “The Miracle of Medina” nearly unfolded after 13 years.

Early on Sunday, Team USA had high hopes during the singles matches, but the ghosts of their rough start weighed heavily on them. A crucial tie between Tyrrell Hatton and Colin Morikawa sealed the deal, giving Europe an unassailable lead of 14.5 points.

Fans packed the course, particularly around holes 15 to 18. Every drive, every putt, every cheer or sigh came with an air of anticipation. Would the Americans pull off their biggest comeback since 1979? Or could Europe stave off disaster?

The afternoon kicked off with the Americans trailing 12-5, especially after Viktor Hovland had to withdraw due to a neck injury, giving both teams a half point. Yet Cameron Young put on an impressive display in his Ryder Cup debut, and Justin Thomas holed putts on the 18th, winning two matches. At one point, Team USA was either tied or leading in nine of the 11 matches as the final pairing headed to the back nine.

Bryson DeChambeau struggled early, but even he managed to surprise Matt Fitzpatrick, sharing the points. Meanwhile, Scotty Scheffler, the world’s top golfer, claimed victory over Rory McIlroy. In another exciting match-up, Ludvig Åberg took down Patrick Cantlay.

Still, it seemed Team USA could only tread water, given the mistakes made over the first two days.

The energy in Beth Page took a hit when Russell Henley found the bunker with his opening shot on the 18th, while Shane Lowry kept his drive on the fairway. That moment felt like the culmination of a weekend marred by errors—a nearly clean Sunday wasn’t enough to shake off the feeling.

Henley did manage to recover and set up for a birdie putt alongside Lowry, but it wasn’t enough. Lowry stepped up and nailed it, sealing Europe’s fate. They had managed to avert the dreaded collapse, surviving to write their own chapter in the history books with a significant road victory.