Fleetwood and Thomas played through the nine rear and also reached the last square. Again, the Americans would come out victorious, Thomas dropping a 15 feet. 12-7.
In the only real shot distributed, Xander Schauffele was walking against Jon Rahm, winning four of the five holes over the nine rear to facilitate a 4 and 3 victory. 12-8.
The European eyes suddenly traveled the dashboard to see where the necessary 2½ points were going to come.
Aberg provided one. A peer on the 17th was enough to see Cantlay’s challenge. But that would be the only full point in Europe – the lowest in the history of the single of 12 games. 13-8.
Dechambeau’s conduct and desire had transported to Fitzpatrick. The sensational birdies in the 14th and 15th, and a peer on the 17th, were sufficient to send them also to the last square. This time, there would be no American Birdie and Europe had half a point. 13½-8½.
Dechambeau has always celebrated him as if he had won the Ryder Cup. And suddenly, the American team believed that this could be possible. Fans have certainly been invested. Maybe too much sometimes.
McILroy was again at the center of their attention. The Northern Irishman was mistreated all week and Sunday was no exception, the beards being taken from the sidelines.
But in a way he had kept his head to deliver 3½ points of four games. His opponent on Sunday, the world number one Scottie Scheffler, had lost his four outings. The American owed one point.
And he delivered. McILroy, who conceded that none of the two players was at their best, pushed him to the 18th but could not get a monster birdie while Scheffler put another point on the set. 13½-9½.
Europe was still half somewhere. Anywhere. But for the first time in three days, there was no blue to see.
Hatton and Robert Macintyre were in dog fights with Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns respectively in the last two games on the course.
US Open Champion Spaun held Straka. 13½-10½.
But then hope. Lowry observed the 15th to bring Henley back to an advance of a hole and they became the fifth match to go down 18 years. The two players found green with their second shots. Henley put first and missed. Lowry, from eight feet, had the chance to win the hole, half the match and reach the 14 points that Europe needed as holders to keep the trophy.
He fell. And Lowry exploded.
The emotion flooded as he made fun of and went through green. He had been involved in several spots with the fans during his round with McILroy on Saturday so that you can understand his celebration levels while American fans were starting not to get out of the route. 14-11.
Europe had not come for the tie and retention.
The last three games have also gone to the last hole. Griffin retained Hojgaard. 14-12.
It seemed that Hatton would be that one. His birdie on the 12th had pulled him to Morikawa and the two could not separate. If English could match Morikawa’s score on the 18th, the trophy would be won.
The long birdie of the American has missed. Hatton had two putts to win the Ryder Cup from 20 feet. He cost his birdie who tries to do an approach. Morikawa conceded. Celebrations could start properly. 14½-12½.
Macintyre in Scotland raised the back and won the last hole with a peer to tear a half-point against Burns. 15-13.
This also meant that the United States had remarkably equaled the Ryder Cup record of 8½ points in simple, but all the celebrations were blue.
McILroy said after the victory in Rome two years ago that they would win at Bethpage. He also said that “winning is the most difficult thing to do with golf”.
He was right on both fronts.
