Europe triumphs at Bethpage to reclaim Ryder Cup
Donald’s men withstand U.S. surge to end 13-year wait for away glory
Seoul, South Korea - Europe have won the Ryder Cup on U.S. soil for the first time since 2012, with Luke Donald’s side surviving a stirring American fightback at Bethpage Black to prevail 15-13.
Donald, the first captain to lead Europe to consecutive victories since Tony Jacklin in the 1980s, saw his team seize control with an unprecedented seven-point advantage after the first two days. “It’s been the most stressful 12 hours of my life,” Donald admitted. “Shout-out to the Americans… I knew it would be tough. I didn’t think they would be this tough.”
The hosts, urged on by captain Keegan Bradley, stormed back in singles. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler finally avoided a winless week by edging Rory McIlroy, while Bryson DeChambeau staged a remarkable recovery against Matt Fitzpatrick. “Man, I gave it everything I had today for the team,” DeChambeau said. “You can’t give up. That’s what I did today.”
Shane Lowry’s nerveless six-footer on the final green ensured Europe retained the trophy, and Tyrrell Hatton’s half against Collin Morikawa sealed outright victory. “I’ve been so lucky to experience amazing things in this game,” Lowry said. “That was the hardest couple of hours of my whole life.”
For McIlroy, who finished 3-1-1 and led Europe for the sixth time in eight Cups, the triumph reaffirmed the essence of team golf. “When you win a Ryder Cup, it isn’t about you,” he said. “It’s about the team, and we did enough to get the job done.”