Europe survives Bethpage to make history

The Ryder Cup has never been short on drama, but Bethpage Black last week took the spectacle to new, unhinged heights. From the moment the gates opened, New York crowds were simply out of control. You see behaviour like this at a baseball or football game, but not at a golf tournament. Even the MC hired by the PGA of America to rev up and entertain the fans before tee off got in on the act with a "F@#% you Rory" chant. Sadly, over the course of three days, it turned into an ‘abuse the opposition’ fest rather than a ‘let’s cheer for our guys’ scenario.  

Somehow, though, Europe thrived. We’d heard how Captain Luke Donald went to extreme lengths to prepare his team for any and all scenarios; case in point the VR headsets to simulate what NY fans would be like. But virtual reality is still just that – a simulation, it’s not real. Yet Europe were able to play their best golf under the most intense duress I’ve ever heard on a golf course, and I was only watching on TV. Imagine what it was like on the grounds!  

By the end of Day 2, they’d produced the most dominant away performance in Ryder Cup history since Europe joined Great Britain & Ireland in 1979. 6-2 in foursomes and 5.5-2.5 in fourballs, winning each session decisively for an 11.5 to 4.5 advantage. Rory McIlroy, who undoubtedly copped the most abuse, led from the front as leaders often do. He let his golf do the talking, but how he kept silent (for the most part) is beyond me. Tommy Fleetwood and Shane Lowry were the perfect complement to his game in both formats, with Lowry doubling as protector at the same time.  

Heading into the final day singles, everyone knew (or thought they knew) it was over. Surely Europe would cruise to the finish line. It seemed that way at least with the board littered in Continental blue the front nine. But this is sport, reality TV at its finest, and you never know what might happen. Suddenly, the US found a spark, and with the wild and willing crowd, the fightback began. Red numbers started appearing on screens, and the locals went from chaotic to completely demented.  

In the first match out, Cameron Young holed a 15-foot putt on 18 to take down Justin Rose 1up. Then Justin Thomas went ballistic after making a similar length putt at the last to defeat Tommy Fleetwood. Bryson DeChambeau somehow eked out a half point after being 5 down against Matt Fitzpatrick.  

As match after match tilted in the U.S. direction, what had looked like a coronation was now a dogfight. Every shot felt like life or death. Missed putts from Europe were magnified by apoplectic roars while made ones by the US sent the grandstands into convulsions. Players on both sides were digging deeper than ever before. 

In the end, it was Shane Lowry who holed a 6-foot putt for a half against Russell Henley to earn the last half point needed to retain the Cup for Europe. His reaction was one of sheer exhilaration… and relief. He called the back nine the hardest two hours of his life and, not surprisingly, was struggling to breathe after his victory histrionics. The only thing left was for Europe to win the Cup outright, which Tyrell Hatton sealed with a par at the last for a half point against Collin Morikawa.  

The final tally was 15-13, but for Europe, it wasn’t just a victory; it was vindication. They had stared down not only a world-class American squad but also one of the most partisan, rowdy, and hostile crowds the event has ever seen. The aftermath will no doubt result in fingers being pointed in Keegan Bradley’s direction for his captaincy, some of the decisions the US made with pairings, course setup, and so on. But when all is said and done, we’ll remember this Ryder Cup as being loud, wild, and unforgettable—one where Europe overcame the noise by making history.