The United States crushed Europe 19-9 to recapture the Ryder Cup on Sunday in a performance captain Steve Stricker called the “greatest of all time.”
Collin Morikawa, the 24-year-old reigning British Open champion and World No. 3, delivered the winning half point when he tied his match with Viktor Hovland at Whistling Straits.
He was one of eight 20-somethings on a US team that featured nine players in the world’s top 11 — all gunning to regain the coveted trophy won by Europe in France three years ago.
GOAT
“This is the greatest team of all time,” Stricker said, saying his youthful line-up represented “a new era for USA golf.”
World No. 2 Dustin Johnson, at 37 the oldest member of the team, provided a template for his younger colleagues, his 1-up singles victory over Paul Casey giving him a perfect 5-0 record in a maximum five matches. He became the first American since Larry Nelson in 1979 to go five-from-five.
The US took an 11-5 lead into Sunday’s 12 singles matches, the six-point gap more than either team has ever overcome on the final day to lift the trophy.
It meant the Americans needed just 3.5 points to win the Cup. Padraig Harrington’s Europe needed nine to retain it.
The scores:USA bt Europe 19-9 [Singles: Xander Schauffele lost to Rory McIlroy 3&2; Patrick Cantlay bt Shane Lowry 4&2; Scottie Scheffler bt Jon Rahm 4&3; Bryson DeChambeau bt Sergio Garcia 3&2; Collin Morikawa tied with Viktor Hovland; Dustin Johnson bt Paul Casey 1-up; Brooks Koepka bt Bernd Wiesberger 2&1.
Tony Finau lost to Ian Poulter 3&2; Justin Thomas bt Tyrrell Hatton 4&3; Harris English lost to Lee Westwood 1-up; Jordan Spieth tied with Tommy Fleetwood; Daniel Berger bt Matthew Fitzpatrick 1-up.]
