Europe reasserts Ryder Cup dominance with thrilling victory over US

Europe secured another Ryder Cup triumph, defeating the United States 15–13 at Bethpage Black in a tense finale that nearly produced history. Staked to a record seven-point lead heading into Sunday’s singles, Europe seemed assured of victory, but the Americans launched a furious comeback that had the crowd roaring and the outcome in doubt.

The US stormed to 8½ points in the singles, tying a Ryder Cup record, but they needed 10. Justin Thomas and Cameron Young edged out wins on the final hole, Bryson DeChambeau fought back from 5 down to earn a half, and Scottie Scheffler beat Rory McIlroy to restore pride. Xander Schauffele and J.J. Spaun also added crucial wins. With Europe struggling, the Americans suddenly had hope.



The decisive moment came from Shane Lowry, who endured a hostile New York crowd all week. Trailing Russell Henley late, he birdied three of the final four holes, including a six-footer at the last, to clinch the half-point Europe needed. His emotional celebration etched his name alongside fellow Irish Ryder Cup heroes Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke, and Paul McGinley.


Captain Luke Donald joined Tony Jacklin as the only Europeans to win consecutive Ryder Cups, praising his team’s resilience and unity. Tyrrell Hatton, unbeaten in four matches, also halved with Collin Morikawa to secure Europe’s outright win.


Though the US captain Keegan Bradley admitted mistakes in course setup, his side showed grit after early struggles from top players like Scheffler and DeChambeau. Still, Europe’s dominance continued - 11 wins in the last 14 editions and five in the last 10 on US soil.


“We tried to set the course up to help our team. Obviously it wasn’t the right decision,” Bradley said. “I definitely made a mistake on the course setup. I should have listened a little bit more to my intuition.”

The United States still holds a 27–16–2 advantage in the overall series dating back to 1927. However, the modern Ryder Cup truly began in 1979 with the inclusion of continental Europe, and since then, Europe has dominated by winning 13 of the 19 editions.