US regains Ryder Cup
Chaska (Minnesota), Oct 3 (IANS) The United States triumphed over Europe on the last day of the Ryder Cup, the golf tourney held every two years and played out this week at the Hazeltine National Golf Club here.
The US team had a three-point lead starting the second and final day of play on Sunday, which included 12 singles matches, reports Efe.
The European team came close to beating the Americans in the early going on Sunday, racking up a quick three points in the morning rounds and pulling even in the overall tally.
Successive wins by Sweden’s Henrik Stenson over Jordan Spieth (3-2), Belgium’s Thomas Pieters over J.B. Holmes (3-2) and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello over Jimmy Walker (3-2) gave the Europeans a little breathing room — and a good bit of momentum.
However, Patrick Reed knocked off Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy in a fabulous face-off that wasn’t decided until a birdie putt on the 18th hole, and — with other wins during the day — the Americans were finally able to reclaim the Ryder Cup for the first time since 2008.
Although the Europeans had got off to a fabulous start in the first three matches on Sunday, later in the day, US captain Davis Love had Brandt Snedeker, Brooks Koepka and Ryan Moore going up against their rivals, and it was Moore who triumphed over Lee Westwood and sealed the US victory, prevailing 17-11.
That score recalls the leadership of the legendary Arnold Palmer, who died a few days ago and was paid tribute to by the US team all week. He had headed the memorable US victory in the Cup competition in Laurel Valley in 1975.
Although European captain Darren Clarke said that he and his teammates were “obviously very disappointed”, he added that they all had to acknowledge the great achievement of Love and his team.
With this year’s win, the US brings a halt to Europe’s three-Cup streak, including its wins in Celtic Manor in 2010, Medinah in 2012 and Gleneagles in 2014, and it will next defend its newly-recovered title in Paris in 2018.