Ryder Cup: Recaps Sunday Singles

A record-setting victory is complete.

The United States continued its dominance at Whistling Straits, rolling in the Sunday Singles to a 19-9 victory. It is the most points scored by either side since this current format debuted in 1979.

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The home team started the day with an 11-5 lead and quickly quashed any hopes of a European comeback. The U.S. went on to win Sunday’s session, 8-4.

“It's such a great group of guys, great group of captains,” said Justin Thomas. “As soon as we had our practice last week, something … felt right. I said that to everyone on my team, just this feels like a team that is determined, and we are all really good players. And Strick knew that, and he did a great job of just asking us our input and just let us go play.”

Scottie Scheffler took down World No. 1 Jon Rahm on Sunday and Dustin Johnson completed a 5-0-0 week. Collin Morikawa, who’d already taken the Claret Jug home earlier this year, also ensured that the United States would be taking home the Ryder Cup. He did it in dramatic fashion, befitting his place as the PGA TOUR’s top iron player, by stiffing his tee shot on the treacherous, par-3 17th. That birdie ensured the half-point the United States needed.

Read recaps of all 12 Singles matches below to learn more about how the United States completed an incredible week (Note: matches listed in order of tee time).

SUNDAY SINGLES

Rory McIlroy, Europe def. Xander Schauffele, USA, 3 and 2

Recap: It had been a disastrous Ryder Cup for McIlroy, who started 0-3, but Harrington, the European captain, gave McIlroy a vote of confidence by putting him in the leadoff spot. McIlroy never trailed Sunday, winning the first hole after Schauffele missed a 3-foot birdie putt. McIlroy was 1 up at the turn but then won the first two holes of the back nine. After Schauffele won 13 with a birdie, McIlroy responded with a 12-foot birdie on the 14th to go 3-up. Even after the victory, McIlroy broke down during his TV interview while describing what had been a difficult week.

Quotes: "I've been extremely disappointed that I haven't contributed more to the team. ... It's been a tough week. ... I've never cried over what I have done as an individual." -- Rory McIlroy

Score at end of match: USA 11, Europe 6

Patrick Cantlay, USA def. Shane Lowry, Europe, 4 and 2

Recap: Cantlay lost the second hole but responded by winning Nos. 3-6, three of them with birdies, to go 3 up. Lowry, winner of the 2019 Open Championship, won the 12th hole to pull within 1-down, but Cantlay responded with another run, making birdies on 14-16 to win the match. The FedExCup champion went 3-0-1 in his Ryder Cup debut.

Quote: "I woke up this morning and I was trying to tell the guys -- this is going to be the next era of Ryder Cup teams for the U.S. side." -- Patrick Cantlay

Score at end of match: USA 13, Europe 6

Scottie Scheffler, USA def. Jon Rahm, Europe, 4 and 3

Recap: Scottie Scheffler was the only member of this U.S. Team without a PGA TOUR victory, but he earned the United States’ first, and biggest, point Sunday, taking down the World No. 1. Rahm beat Tiger Woods in Singles three years ago in his debut. This time it was Scheffler, the 2020 Rookie of the Year, who had a memorable Singles win in his Ryder Cup debut. He came out of the gate hot, winning the first four holes with birdie. The victory ensured Scheffler would go undefeated (2-0-1) in his Ryder Cup debut.

Quote:"I got off to a good start today. I birdied five of the first six. ... Really only made one mistake on No. 12, and other than that I kept the pressure on him the whole day." -- Scottie Scheffler

Score at end of match: USA 12, Europe 6

Bryson DeChambeau, USA def. Sergio Garcia, Europe, 3 and 2

Recap: DeChambeau made a statement on the opening hole, driving the green with a blast of more than 350 yards and holing the 41-foot eagle putt. He also drove it pin-high on the par-4 sixth hole (with a 3-wood!) before sinking a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-3 seventh hole to take a 2-up lead. He added another birdie at No. 9 to take a 3-up lead at the turn. The 10th was halved with birdies after DeChambeau drove it greenside and Garcia chipped in. Garcia won the 12th to pull within 2-down but DeChambeau stiffed his approach at 13. They traded wins at Nos. 14 and 15 before DeChambeau closed it out. It was Garcia’s first loss in Singles since 2008.

Quote: "I was fortunate to hit a couple great wedge shots and a couple good bombs out there, especially a great start on 1, that was a great start that pumped me up for the rest of the round." -- Bryson DeChambeau

Score at end of match: USA 14, Europe 6

Collin Morikawa, USA tied Viktor Hovland, Europe

Recap: He took home the Claret Jug. Then he took the Ryder Cup from Europe, securing the United States’ victory with his tap-in birdie on the difficult par-3 17th. That birdie gave him a 1-up lead with one hole remaining, ensuring the half-point that the United States needed to reach 14.5 points. He bogeyed the 18th hole but it didn’t matter, as the Cup was over. This match between two players who were in college two years ago was a back-and-forth affair. They tied just four holes. Hovland won the opening two holes but Morikawa responded by winning Nos. 4-7. A birdie at 13, where Morikawa holed a 14-footer, got him back to 2-up but Hovland responded by winning the next two holes. Then Morikawa delivered on 17, hitting his 221-yard tee shot to 3 feet.

Quote: "It means so much, everything, wanting to make that putt, it was a great match against Viktor. I don't think he really missed too many shots. I had to earn my birdies. But to clinch this and bring the Cup back to home soil, it feels so good." -- Collin Morikawa

Score at end of match: USA 14.5, Europe 6.5

Dustin Johnson, USA def. Paul Casey, Europe, 1 up

Recap: What a week for Johnson. The United States’ oldest player went all five sessions and he won them all. He may have saved his best for last, making eight birdies Sunday. Poor Casey had to face Johnson four times this week. They halved the first five holes of their singles match before Johnson holed a 12-foot birdie putt to take a 1-up lead. He never trailed and is the first American since 1979 to go 5-0-0.

Quote: "Starting the week, if you had told me I was going to go 5-0-0, I probably would have said you were crazy. I didn't think I was going to play five matches." -- Dustin Johnson

Score at end of match: USA 17.5, Europe 6.5

Brooks Koepka, USA def. Bernd Wiesberger, Europe, 2 and 1

Recap: Koepka closed the match in style, nearly acing the long, treacherous par-3 17th with a 6-iron to end the match. His 2-up lead after 17 was the first time that either player led this match by more than 1-up. They were tied after 15 holes but Koepka birdied the next two holes to move to 2-0-1 in Ryder Cup singles.

Score at end of match: USA 15.5, Europe 6.5

Ian Poulter, Europe def. Tony Finau, USA, 3 and 2

Recap: Poulter was overmatched off the tee but you can never question his heart in the Ryder Cup. This win moved his Ryder Cup Singles record to 6-0-1. He went 3 up with six birdies in his first 12 holes. After Finau made birdie at 13 to pull within 2-down, Poulter got up-and-down from 143 yards, including a 15-foot putt, to save par on 15 and regain a 3-up lead. He won a hole later.

Quote: "Today was playing with a bit of pride and making sure you put something on the board. It's a heavy defeat. It's not good. But you know, just to put something on the board is quite nice." -- Ian Poulter

Score at end of match: USA 17.5, Europe 7.5

Justin Thomas, USA def. Tyrrell Hatton, Europe, 4 and 3

Recap: Thomas came out of the gates with back-to-back birdies to take a 2-up lead. He holed a 30-footer from off the eighth green to take a 3-up lead and also won the ninth. They halved the next four holes before Hatton won the 14th. Thomas won the 15th with a birdie, however, to clinch the match and win a point for his father and instructor, Mike, who was watching from home because of a blood clot that barred him from traveling.

Quotes: "I've watched a lot of Ryder Cups on TV. This is only my second one. I was at Valhalla when I was, what, 15 years old and watched Team USA win. I'm just glad I get to hold that cup tonight on the winning team and enjoy the night." -- Justin Thomas

Score at end of match: USA 16.5, Europe 6.5

Lee Westwood, Europe def. Harris English, USA, 1 up

Recap: English was 2-up after 14 but Westwood won the next two holes to tie the match. English conceded the match after hitting his approach into the penalty area by the 18th green, however. It gave Westwood his first win of the week and the 21st of his Ryder Cup career.

Score at end of match: USA 17.5, Europe 8.5

Jordan Spieth, USA tied Tommy Fleetwood, Europe

Recap: They were tied when they walked to the 17th tee and halved that hole with birdies. Spieth, seeking his first win in Singles in either the Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup, holed an 18-footer for birdie before Fleetwood holed out from 11 feet to tie him. They also tied the 18th hole after conceding par putts to each other on the final green.

Score at end of match: USA 18, Europe 9

Daniel Berger, USA def. Matt Fitzpatrick, Europe, 1 up

Recap: A heartbreaking finish for Fitzpatrick, who like Spieth was seeking to win his first Ryder Cup Singles match (and his first Ryder Cup match in five tries). Fitzpatrick fought back with five birdies in the first six holes of the back nine. Fitzpatrick missed a 4-foot birdie putt to lose the 16th, however, and hit his approach into the water on 18.

Score at end of match: USA 19, Europe 9