Ryder Cup: Team USA defeat Europe 17-11 to win trophy for first time in eight years
Here's a look at how they did it match-by-match during Sunday's singles...
By Raz Mirza
Last Updated: 03/10/16 1:35am
Team USA proved too powerful for Europe as they won the 41st Ryder Cup for the first time since 2008 on Sunday.
Europe needed to overturn a three-point deficit in Sunday's 12 singles matches at a hostile Hazeltine to claim an unprecedented fourth straight win in the biennial contest.
But Team USA proved far too strong led by Patrick Reed from the front, however it was left to Ryan Moore to clinch victory for the hosts at a raucous Hazeltine.
Here, we take a look at how the drama unfolded as the USA claimed a 17-11 victory in Minnesota.
Patrick Reed beat Rory McIlroy 1up
The first match of the day turned out as good as advertised with McIlroy suffering his first singles defeat in the competition in a highly-charged contest with Patrick Reed on the 18th.
Best shots
McIlroy celebrated holing from 50 feet for a remarkable birdie on the eighth, cupping his hands behind his ears and roaring "I can't hear you" at the packed grandstands.
Reed responded with a birdie of his own from 15 feet and again wagged his finger at third-ranked McIlroy, but the pair then exchanged a fist-bump and warm smiles.
Delighted Reed
"We're playing the Europeans, but at the same time we play golf with these guys every single week," Reed said. 'We want to beat them at their best, they want to beat us at our best."
Henrik Stenson beat Jordan Spieth 3&2
The Ice Man Stenson had lost three of his four matches coming into the singles but recovered from an early deficit with the aid of four birdies in the space of six holes from the sixth.
It was all over when two-time major winner Spieth tried to play the ball from the edge of the hazard on the par-five 16th but picked up a penalty after causing his ball to move. With Stenson on the green in two, Spieth conceded.
Spieth blunder
The world No 4 hit his approach into the lake by the side of the green at the 16th he then appeared not to know the rules as, after taking off his shoes and socks and rolling up his trousers, he stepped into the water and his ball immediately moved - costing him a shot and ultimately forcing him to concede the hole and the match.
Thomas Pieters beat JB Holmes 3&2
Europe's rookie sensation Pieters made it four wins from five matches over a remarkable weekend by recovering from losing the first two holes.
The Belgian wild card hit back with birdies at the third and fourth and then the 24-year-old birdied the seventh and carded four more on the back nine on his way to a convincing win.
Rickie Fowler beat Justin Rose 1up
Opting to play match four after beating Phil Mickelson from that position in the 'Miracle of Medinah' in 2012, Rose made the ideal start with a birdie to win the first, but could never shake off Fowler and crucially missed from two feet to win the 12th. Fowler took the lead in the match for the first time with a birdie on the 16th and Olympic champion Rose was unable to birdie the last to force a half.
Rafa Cabrera Bello beat Jimmy Walker 3&2
Spain's Cabrera Bello produced a stunning display to cap off a wonderful week against the US PGA champion Walker. He birdied the third and fifth to go two ahead and played consistently well.
Although his lead briefly fluctuated from three up to one up he always remained in control and closed things out on the 16th when Walker could make only double-bogey.
Sergio Garcia halved with Phil Mickelson
In arguably the match of the day, Garcia went one up at the first before Mickelson rolled back the years with birdies at the par-five third and short next to set the tone with both players going at it hammer and tongs. 'Lefty' finished with 10 birdies, Garcia nine and bogey free.
What a final hole
Watch the moment when the match ended with both players holing birdie putts on the last for a half.
Ryan Moore beat Lee Westwood 1up
Moore was the man to bring it home for Team USA. He made birdies at the third and fifth. However, an out-of-form Westwood found some rhythm to fight back and go two up at the 15th only for his opponent to finish eagle-birdie-par to win and regain the Ryder Cup.
Magical moment for Moore
"I was just out there trying not to let my team down," he told Sky Sports. "To be where I was a week ago to then clinch the last place for the United States is just incredible. There's nothing like it and there's nothing better [than the Ryder Cup]. This is something I want to be a part of every single year."
Putting woes over?
Westwood may have lost a tight contest, but he came good with a couple of stunning putts to end an off week on a high.
Brandt Snedeker beat Andy Sullivan 3&1
After Snedeker's kick-in birdie at the short fourth cut the lead to one, he added four birdies from the fourth to move ahead by two holes and rookie Sullivan could not turn things around, eventually losing on the 17th.
Individual points total USA:
Matches | Points | |
Patrick Reed | 5 | 3.5 |
Brandt Snedeker | 3 | 3 |
Brooks Koepka | 4 | 3 |
Phil Mickelson | 4 | 2.5 |
Jordan Spieth | 5 | 2.5 |
Rickie Fowler | 3 | 2 |
Dustin Johnson | 4 | 2 |
Zach Johnson | 3 | 2 |
Matt Kuchar | 4 | 2 |
Ryan Moore | 3 | 2 |
JB Holmes | 3 | 1 |
Jimmy Walker | 3 | 1 |
Dustin Johnson beat Chris Wood 1up
Wood made four birdies in his first five holes but Johnson took the initiative with a birdie at the par-three eighth. The American extended his lead at the 10th and, although rookie Wood rallied on the back nine, Johnson was not to be denied.
Did you know...
The final score of 17-11 was the biggest winning margin for the United States since a nine-point success at Walton Heath in 1981.
Brooks Koepka beat Danny Willett 5&4
The week ended on a low note with a heavy singles loss for Masters champion Willett. He started with a birdie on the second but then things started to go against him before the turn. He lost six out of eight holes and was forced to accept defeat on the 14th.
Individual points total Europe:
Matches | Points | |
Thomas Pieters | 5 | 4 |
Rory McIlroy | 5 | 3 |
Rafa Cabrera-Bello | 3 | 2.5 |
Sergio Garcia | 5 | 2 |
Justin Rose | 5 | 2 |
Henrik Stenson | 5 | 2 |
Martin Kaymer | 4 | 1 |
Chris Wood | 2 | 1 |
Andy Sullivan | 2 | 0 |
Matt Fitzpatrick | 2 | 0 |
Danny Willett | 3 | 0 |
Lee Westwood | 3 | 0 |
Zach Johnson beat Matt Fitzpatrick 4&3
Rookie Fitzpatrick was level after falling two behind after four holes but then lost momentum with a bogey on the ninth. Johnson then went four up on the back nine and when Fitzpatrick failed to match his birdie on the 15th, the 2015 Open champion secured the point, prompting 'chicken dance' celebrations.
Martin Kaymer beat Matt Kuchar 1up
Former world No 1 Kaymer recovered from falling three behind after seven holes. The German won three in succession on the back nine to take a lead he did not relinquish but it mattered little in the bigger picture.