It’s a first away win for Europe in the event for 13 years and an exhausted McIlroy and his family had to endure a torrent of abuse
Rory McIlroy fought back the tears after achieving what he described as ‘the hardest thing in golf’. Luke Donald’s European Team won the Ryder Cup at the hostile New York course against the odds after surviving a stunning US fightback on the final day.
It’s a first away win for Europe in the event for 13 years and an exhausted McIlroy had to endure a torrent of abuse on all three days of the competition. The Holywood man lost his singles game on the final day to world number one Scottie Scheffler but had contributed handsomely on the first two days as Europe claimed what turned out to be an unassailable lead.
Ludvig Aberg was the only European to win his singles match on the final day but they eventually fell over the line when Shane Lowry halved his match and then Tyrell Hatton made sure with another half point.
“I’m extremely proud to be a part of this team, extremely proud of every single one,” McIlroy said at the side of the 18th green at Bethpage Black.
“This was an unbelievable collective effort. As soon as we won in Rome we turned our attention to doing something everyone thought was pretty impossible, not just winning in America but here in New York.
“The comments, what people were saying after Whistling Straits about this decades of US dominance, we let that fuel us.
“We got so lucky in getting an incredible leader like Luke Donald, who shepherded us through this – so a lot of the credit has to go to him.
“We did what we needed to do and we’re going to celebrate like there’s no tomorrow.”
The host side, trailing by seven points heading into Sunday’s singles session, roared back into contention with a series of tight wins but the holders just did just enough to cling on.
Lowry delivered the crucial half-point that took Europe to an unassailable 14 when he secured a draw in match number eight by holing a winning putt on the 18th. Hatton then added another half in match number 10 to ensure an outright victory.
Aberg claimed Europe’s only singles win and a further half came from Robert MacIntyre to make the final score 15-13.
Lowry sank a decisive putt on the 18th hole to earn a half against Russell Henley and he said aftewards that he lives for the Ryder Cup.
“I’ve been so lucky to experience amazing things in this game,” he said. “That was the hardest couple of hours of my whole life, honestly. I just can’t believe that putt went in.
“I said to (caddie) Darren (Reynolds) walking down 18, I said, ‘I have a chance to do the coolest thing in my life here’.
“The Ryder Cup means everything to me. Honestly, I’ve won the Open in Ireland; it’s amazing, it’s a dream come true.
“But the Ryder Cup for me is everything.
“To do that there today on the 18th green in front of everyone, it was so hard out there.”
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