FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Team Europe is taking the Ryder Cup back across the Atlantic Ocean, leaving the Americans to search for answers in what is becoming a lopsided series.
Shane Lowry added his name
to Irish lore in the Ryder Cup with a 6-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole Sunday that assured Europe of retaining the cup. Tyrrell Hatton halved his match to make Europe an outright winner for the 11th time in the last 15 matches.
Luke Donald became the first European captain to win back to back in the Ryder Cup since Tony Jacklin in 1985 and 1987. He had 11 of the 12 players who won big in Rome two years ago. Even more impressive was doing it on U.S. soil — at Bethpage Black, no less — with hostile fans that were loud and vulgar and relentless.
The final score tally — Europe 15, United States 13 — was the only real surprise. The Americans tied a Ryder Cup record by winning 8 1/2 points from the 12 singles matches. They needed 10 points.
The Americans still have a 27-16-2 lead in the series that date to 1927, but the modern Ryder Cup didn’t start until 1979 when continental Europe was invited to the party. Since then, Europe has captured the cup 13 out of 19 times.
Bernhard Langer, the 68-year-old ageless German, broke his age for the third straight day by closing with a 6-under 66 to win by six shots in the Winstongolf Senior Open on the Legends Tour. Langer, still winless on the PGA Tour Champions in America this year, has now won in 19 consecutive years worldwide since turning 50. ... Anna Huan, a 16-year-old from Canada, won for the second straight week on the Ladies European Tour when she closed with a 6-under 65 for a two-shot victory in the Lacoste Ladies French Open. It was the third time this year the LET has had players win in consecutive weeks. ... Ryo Katsumata closed with a 2-under 69 for a one-shot victory in the Panasonic Open on the Japan Golf Tour. ... Rattanon Wannasrichan won the Mercuries Taiwan Masters on the Asian Tour with a 1-over 73 for a one-shot victory. ... Jacques Kruyswijk overcame a double bogey on the final hole for a 2-over 73 by beating George Coetzee (71) in a playoff in the Vodacom Origins of Golf-Devonvale on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa. ... Fuka Suga rallied to win the Miyagi TV Cup Dunlop Ladies Open by closing with a 7-under 65 for a two-shot victory on the Japan LPGA. ... Yujin Sung closed with a 3-under 69 and won with a birdie on the fourth hole of a playoff against Seunghui Ro in the Hite Jinro Championship on the Korea LPGA. ... Jay Card III won the Fortinet Cup Championship at Morgan Creek in Surrey, British Columbia, for his second PGA Tour Americas victory of the season. He closed with an 8-under 62, playing the front nine in 6-under 29, for a three-stroke victory.
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