US team ryding high!

The sun went down at Hazeltine on Sunday long after European hopes of retaining the Ryder Cup had vanished. Yet amidst the clear skies, golden leaves and pristine fairways there was a sense that the rivalry, as a genuine sporting contest, had been renewed.

A weekend that started with mourning the loss of Arnold Palmer and fittingly ended with the Americans celebrating in style leaves images to savour and a weekend that will linger in golfing folklore.

The United States team beat Europe 17 to 11 in the 41st Ryder Cup, their first victory since 2008 and their biggest win since 1981. Davis Love III’s final Captain’s pick, Ryan Moore, clinched the trophy for the US on the 18th Hole.

Patrick Reed led the way for the United States with 3.5 points, while Brooks Koepka and Brandt Snedeker each scored three.

All 12 members of the captain’s Ryder Cup team had a hand in winning at least one match this week at Hazeltine … a feat completed by the end of Saturday afternoon’s session. The last time every member of a US Ryder Cup Team earned at least one win in a single Ryder Cup was in 1975 at Laurel Valley, when Arnold Palmer’s squad beat Europe, 21 to 11.

Trailing by three points heading into the singles matches the Europeans had evoked the memory of the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ when they had found a way to win, paying tribute to the late Seve Ballesteros who had passed away the year before.

This year, as the Americans sank putt after putt it felt as though it was they who were receiving spiritual assistance from ‘The King’. A few birdie putts never hurt. The 12 US players made 62 of them on Sunday and two eagles. This massive victory affords redemption to the American captain who was also the man at the helm in 2012.

The American success is testimony to the hard work that went into restructuring their structure. It took pain and deep disappointment to convince the US to rework its Ryder Cup organisation and effort, with Phil Mickelson its most visible proponent. The same Mickelson, who at the twilight of his career, made 10 birdies on Sunday.

Yet the overall quality of the golf on offer meant that even this was insufficient to claim victory as he halved his match against a fellow veteran warrior, Sergio Garcia. For either man to lose it would have been an injustice although this may be the last time that we witness either man playing on this stage.

Europe had history against them with only two teams having ever recovered from a deficit in excess of two points. The final scoreline meant that Lee Westwood’s agonising miss with the final stroke on Saturday evening to gift the American’s a point was largely irrelevant. However ‘momentum’ is a phrase regularly used and, if you believe in the psychological impact of success, victory can be measured in millimetres.

The swings on the scoreboard were perfectly encapsulated by Brandt Snedeker who was two down after three holes and two up after eight!

Europe needed to get off to a strong start behind their talisman, Rory McIlroy. He responded by taking the first and then delivering back-to-back birdies between the fifth and eighth. It was not enough as his opponent, Patrick Reid, who the day before had carried his partner, Jordan Speith, went one better by throwing in an eagle and then matching the birdies!

There cannot have been many better individual performances over the course of the three days. For one magnificent hour Sunday, Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy traded blows in a scintillating stretch of one-upmanship. The battle was unprecedented in a Ryder Cup, unlike any golf ever seen on TV.

In a must-win match certain to set the tone for either side, Reed and McIlroy’s four-hole front nine stretch will live forever in TV highlight packages.

The frantic nature of the contest and the showmanship wore them out. The last 10 holes they were 3-over, but Reed had two birdies left and they gave him a 1-up victory in a classic, McIlroy not having the chance to putt as Reed sank another.

Each celebration topped the last. They stared down each other and incited the crowd. They screamed, shook, turned red in the face and punched the sky. They bumped fists and patted backs while walking off the green.

It was interaction from golf’s new generation, their passion and talent on display. Arnold Palmer may not have recognised the theatrics, but he would’ve appreciated the sportsmanship.

Amidst the exhibitionism there was a wonderful moment on the 15th when both players conceded medium-range putts.

The US had another hero of the moment in Ryan Moore who was simply sensational over the closing holes. Two down with three to play, the captain’s final pick only a week before the start made a stunning eagle at 16, hit a gorgeous tee shot at 17 to set up birdie, and closed things out on 18 in an ice- calm fashion.

Elsewhere, Brooks Koepka put an end to Danny Willett’s miserable week. The pair shared the 14th in par which sealed a 5&4 victory for the US debutant. The Brit would no doubt be heading home to give his brother Peter some beneficial advice on the subjects of manners and righteousness.

One of the lighter moments came on the 16th when Jordan Speith removed his footwear to play his wet ball only to be advised by the referee that he had moved his ball when dipping his toe in the water, thereby losing to Stenson.

Much had been made about the large number of European rookies that had qualified, two of whom provided bright parks for the future.

With his 3 and 2 Singles victory on Sunday Thomas Pieters set the European rookie record for most points and wins in a single Ryder Cup. His four wins surpass the previous record of three set by several European greats, including Sir Nick Faldo, José María Olazábal and Sergio Garcia. Additionally, the four points scored by Pieters puts him past the 3½ tally set by Paul Way (1983), Sergio Garcia (1999) and Paul Lawrie (1999).

In addition Rafa Cabrera Bello was the lone European without a loss during the 41st Ryder Cup.

This has been a Ryder Cup team of generational change for the Europeans and they will become stronger players because of it, despite three players failing to record a point - Matthew Fitzpatrick, Andy Sullivan and Danny Willett.

The next hosts, France, will also have to contend with baying crowds with the land of 10,000 lakes having been turned into 150,000 screamers. While the players themselves intervened to calm down the baying Americans many acknowledged that there was a minority that brought an edge that no-one wants to see in the sport.