Farmingdale, N.Y. — Team Europe was disappointing and disappointing the Americans with another Ryder Cupromp on Saturday, but it wasn’t finished.
The final match of a long, loud and uncomfortable day at Beth Page Black was all square when Matt Fitzpatrick heard European cheers as he blasted out of a fairway bunker and the ball spun two feet away. Next to the play was Tyrrell Hutton. His 18th hole shot, the fire spun backwards and knuckled his teammate’s ball.
It summarized how the exquisite golf of European teams took on every challenge – the gallery was so hostile that additional security was needed – and entered the record book of the Ryder Cup with the biggest lead in modern format: Europe 11.5, US 4.5.
“I never really imagined this,” said European Captain Luke Donald.
Europe will have to win just three of its 12 singles matches on Sunday and bring its precious gold trophy home throughout the Atlantic. Donald turned to 45-year-old Justin Rose to lead Cameron Young, followed by Tommy Fleetwood.
The main attraction is Rory McIlroy against Scotty Scheffler, the top two players in the game, which has won three majors and ten wins during this year.
The real appeal is Europe. The bigger the vulgar and the more vulgar the better they played.
“It got difficult, and it fired them even more,” Donald said. “They managed to get better through these difficult moments there, and that’s why I’m the most proud of me as a captain, their ability to take the punch and come back even stronger.”
McIlroy was borne by verbal abuse and at one point he turned to the audience and said, “f — up!” And he packed the shots five feet for birdies. It closed the Fourthorm match on the 16th hole for another blue point.
There was nothing less strange US teams could do.
“I think it’s one of the best performances of a road team in any sport. They played incredibly. They played great. “They came to hostile circumstances and played great golf.
“You know, as a competitor, as an athlete, you need to take a step back and tilt your cap to something like that again.”
That’s all he can do.
Europe became the fourth team to win each of the first four sessions of the Single Rider Cup. Previous teams also won single-player on a good scale.
His previous record after four sessions of team play was 11-5. On the final day, no teams have gathered from a deficit of 4 points or more.
Schaeffler also entered the Ryder Cup record book. The world’s number one player has now reached 0-4 in its current format.
The Americans were leading on Saturday afternoon in three of three of the 70 holes they played in four balls. US Open Champion JJ Span hit tightly for birdies on the 17th and 18th.
The other belonged to Bryson Deccanbo and Young in the opening foursome match.
“The course is set up relatively easily, and they make a lot of birdies, but we’re not,” Schaufele said. “They just flat out us. I’m happy to get points at JJ.
What is at stake for Europe on Sunday is the chance to break the 19-9 record by Americans in the Whistle Strait in 2021.
When asked what message he would give to his team to keep hope alive, the New England native pointed out a stunning comeback in 2017 for the New England Patriots’ Atlanta Falcons.
“28-3. I was in that Super Bowl,” Bradley said. “I saw it. How cool it was to witness it.”
I feel that 11.5-4.5 is much larger in how this Rider Cup is deployed.
This report used information from ESPN Research and Associated Press.