Rory McIlroy hails “absolutely phenomenal” Ryder Cup captain, Darren Clarke

Team USA won the Ryder Cup for the first time since 2008 and inflicted Europe’s heaviest defeat for 35 years with a rousing 17-11 victory at Hazeltine on Sunday.

US captain Davis Love, the 2012 captain whose team suffered its greatest collapse in Ryder Cup history to fall, and the task force that spent two years revamping the US Cup program saw their effort rewarded.

Andy Sullivan – Played well alongside McIlroy in foursomes until crucially finding water with his tee shot on the 17th and did not play again until the singles, where he birdied the first and third to move two up on Brandt Snedeker.

“This team had to come together”.

“Unfortunately for us we didn’t quite hole them and the Americans did”.

“I wanted to take the bull by the horns. go out there and lead by example.I just ran out of steam on the back nine”.

Key statistic: The Americans led in every singles match at some point except for one.

Reed rolled home a six-foot birdie putt on the 18th to finally close out a titanic contest littered with birdies and eagles. “I think the only one that I possibly may have changed, yesterday morning’s pairings had to be in at 1140 when there were still some matches in the group and that’s the tricky one trying to see what’s what”.

Successive wins by Sweden’s Henrik Stenson over Jordan Spieth (3-2), Belgium’s Thomas Pieters over J.B. Holmes (3-2) and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello over Jimmy Walker (3-2) gave the Europeans a little breathing room – and a good bit of momentum.

It was the fourth point in five matches for one of Clarke’s wild card picks.

McIlroy said Europe are looking to build a team for the future and that is one of the reasons they chose to include six rookies this year.

Mickelson leapt higher than when he won his first major at the 2004 Masters after an 18-foot birdie putt that was worth a half-point when Sergio Garcia matched him with a clutch birdie of his own. It keeps The Ryder Cup interesting going into France in a couple of years’ time.

Ryan Moore, the rookie who only got called up a week ago by Love, was the man to give United States of America that decisive 14 and a half points, when he got the better of the disappointing Lee Westwood, who, most likely finished his Ryder Cup career, without a single point at Hazeltine.

“When he said after the first day that that’s as much pressure as he’s ever felt in a Ryder Cup, I thought to myself, ‘Well, he’s certainly acknowledging the fact that there’s a lot, maybe more, riding on it for him than some other folks, ‘” Mickelson’s caddie, Jim Mackay said. “I can’t digest what just happened”.

Brooks Koepka, thrashing 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett 5 and 4, Dustin Johnson over Chris Wood and Zach Johnson against Matt Fitzgerald, also secured United States wins. Love’s last one went to Moore, who was selected to the roster of 12 the previous weekend after he lost a four-hole playoff to Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland at the Tour Championship in Atlanta. And we’re all gutted and disappointed. We didn’t make many birdies on both sides.

“Unbelievable golf and I’m proud of what Darren’s done”.