Ryder Cup results: Europe wins over US today to reclaim title

Ian Poulter, “Mr Ryder Cup”, then produced probably the loudest cheer of the week when world number one Dustin Johnson conceded on the 18th green to leave Europe on the verge.

It was the first time Europe had won all four foursomes matches – having suffered a 4-0 reverse in the format en route to defeat in Hazeltine two years ago – and their first sweep in either format since 1989.

He clearly underestimated the likes of Tommy Fleetwood, last year’s Race to Dubai victor, and Francesco Molinari, the Open champion.

Trailing 10-6 coming into Sunday’s final-day singles, the United States of America got the ideal start when Justin Thomas took the first match by beating Rory McIllroy on the final hole to reduce the deficit to three points.

Given a second chance by Bjorn after losing first time out, Paul Casey and Tyrell Hatton repaid that faith by producing the best golf of the morning.

Casey recounted one story from when he was on an airplane with his wife and they were sitting on opposite sides of the aisle both watching a documentary about the late Formula One driver, Ayrton Senna.

The Americans gave themselves a glimmer of hope, picking up the final two points. Molinari made it official. Poulter’s signature move is to pound the Ryder Cup crest on his chest with his fist. He ended it by setting a more dubious Ryder Cup record with 22 losses. His fellow Dane, Thorbjorn Olesen, will be making his first appearance since a first-morning defeat in the company of Rory McIlroy.

“This team has been incredible from the start, ” Molinari said.

Because what happens today will determine whether we see any of that or it will be all wiped out in a sea of Sunday red on the board in the singles. “Playing against a team like that, that’s putting that well, you’re going to have to make a lot of birdies, and we didn’t”. “And you saw it on the course”.

The defeat was part of a hard day for the American team, trailing 10-6 after four rounds of play and needing to win eight of 12 singles matches Sunday to keep the Cup.

Webb Simpson and Tony Finau, the lone bright spot among the wild-card picks for U.S. captain Jim Furyk, won easily.

But that proved merely the scene-setter for Garcia, who settled it on the 17th by draining a superb, sliding 20-footer for a birdie to send the packed galleries ballistic.

‘This is such special event, when you come in with right attitude it’s such a great thing.

And then at the Ryder Cup, it was another result with which he is far too familiar.

With the contest all square, Molinari reeled off three successive birdies from the 11th before Fleetwood sealed the match on the 15th as Woods could only manage bogey.

Molinari (who almost had a hole in one at one point) and Fleetwood fired up the team and the crowd at Le Golf National just outside Paris. “So I’ve had the ability to kind of freewheel a bit and just go for things”.

Sergio Garcia had returned to the course at dawn to complete his third round. That message will certainly be hammered home to his players by Thomas Bjorn, the home captain.

Thomas, last year’s PGA Championship victor, then birdied the 16th and 17th – the latter to clinch the match. Europe now has won nine of the last 12 times.