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Venue: Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, Rome Dates: 29 Sep – 1 Oct |
Coverage: Live radio commentary on BBC Sounds, live text updates on BBC Sport website and daily highlights on BBC Two |
England’s Tommy Fleetwood secured the winning point as Europe regained the Ryder Cup in dramatic fashion in Rome.
With Europe needing four points from Sunday’s 12 singles matches to beat the United States, Fleetwood won the 11th game to pass the 14½ required.
Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre added a further point and, with hundreds of fans on the edge of the 18th green, Shane Lowry wrapped up a 16½-11½ win.
“They trusted me and they delivered for me,” said Europe captain Luke Donald.
“I am pretty emotional. It’s been a long process, an amazing journey and I have really enjoyed this one.
“It was stressful as the US put up a fight, so hats off to them. But I am so proud of my 12 guys. We formed a bond from day one and they gave me everything.”
Donald’s mantra all week was about getting off to a “fast start” and his players had delivered on Friday and Saturday, winning both morning sessions 4-0 and 3-1 as Europe built a 10½-5½ lead to take into Sunday.
And the Englishman, who won all four Ryder Cups he contested as a player, stacked the top singles matches with his best players.
The plan seemed to be working with European blue flooding the scoreboards as they led in five of the top six matches.
World number four Viktor Hovland delivered the first point, racing three up after six against Collin Morikawa before sealing a 4&3 win.
But it was the top match that was providing all the drama.
World number three Jon Rahm was taking on top-ranked American Scottie Scheffler in a heavyweight contest that was the Ryder Cup in microcosm, ebbing and flowing as the momentum switched between the pair.
Rahm was two ahead after five, then Scheffler punched back with three birdies in the next six holes to sneak one ahead after 11.
The intensity increased as Rahm birdied the next two to retake the lead; Scheffler retaliated with successive birdies of his own to claim the next two.
But the American was unable to deliver the knockout blow, missing from 15 feet to win the match on the 17th.
And when Rahm cosied a putt from about 60 feet to six inches on the last, it proved enough to win a half point and put Europe 12-6 ahead.
World number two Rory McIlroy and Englishman Tyrrell Hatton added two more points, seeing off Sam Burns and Open champion Brian Harman respectively to take Europe to 14 points and on the brink of regaining the trophy they lost so heavily at Whistling Straits in 2021.
More to follow.
By Peter Scrivener
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