CHASKA, UNITED STATES: Shaking off three consecutive defeats, the United States recaptured the Ryder Cup on Sunday, ripping Europe 17-11 for their most decisive triumph since 1981 in the biennial team golf showdown.
Cup newcomer Ryan Moore, selected with a captain’s pick only a week earlier, won the last three holes to defeat England’s Lee Westwood 1-up and secure the trophy by giving the Americans an unbeatable edge in a tension-packed test at Hazeltine.
“To score the clinching point in the Ryder Cup is just incredible,” Moore said. “I can’t digest what just happened. I was trying my hardest not to let my team down.”
Moore was 2-down before an eagle at 16, birdie at 17 and conceded par at 18, admitting, “I just wanted to hit a couple of good shots coming in.”
Earlier singles triumphs by Patrick Reed, Rickie Fowler, Brandt Snedeker and rookie Brooks Koepka plus a vital half point from Phil Mickelson had put the US team on the brink.
“We’ve got a memory and life experience that we will cherish forever,” said Mickelson, who made 10 birdies in halving with Spain’s Sergio Garcia.
{{/usCountry}}“We’ve got a memory and life experience that we will cherish forever,” said Mickelson, who made 10 birdies in halving with Spain’s Sergio Garcia.
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