Bob MacIntyre was told there could be no mercy in his Ryder Cup singles match, even though European golfers had already guaranteed victory at Bethpage.
Luke Donald’s side were desperate to triumph by more than a point in last September’s match to prevent the United States from citing Viktor Hovland’s injury withdrawal as a potentially deciding factor.
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The Norwegian picked up a guaranteed half-point after saying he could not play due to neck pain with Harris English missing for the home side.
In what was one of the biggest sports stories of the year, Europe claimed its first victory over the United States in 13 years by 15 points to 13.
But if MacIntyre had lost to Sam Burns, with the American leading with one to play in the final match on the course, Europe could have only gone home by the narrowest of margins.
Hovland’s injury prevented the Englishman from claiming a full point for the home side on the final day.
Tyrrell Hatton’s tie with Collin Morikawa finally allowed Europe to resist a superb American fightback to reach the magic number of 14 and a half points.
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“Where do we gain two and a half points?
When the visitors’ celebrations began, MacIntyre and Burns left the 17th green with the home player leading the way. The match was now academic, but two European vice-captains nearby did not see it that way.
“Thomas (Bjorn) and one of the Molinari brothers came to me and said we need your half point,” MacIntyre told BBC Sport. “We really need your half point.
“And I didn’t really understand when we were playing the 18th. I wanted to give Sam the putt, (because) it’s over. But I think the whole team didn’t want to be bothered by the Hovland thing and that half point took that away from them.”
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Burns three-putted from long distance on the final green and his Scottish opponent held his nerve for a winning par. This resulted in half a point which created a margin which meant victory could not be in question.
Earlier in the round, MacIntyre admitted he “thought the world was ending” when the United States won five and a half points in the first seven singles. Suddenly there was potential for the most powerful comeback in Ryder Cup history.
“I wonder, where do we gain two and a half points?” said Macintyre. “And then the longer it went on, the more I started to think: we’re not going to get those two and a half points.”
“You get yelled at from every angle”
Europe dominated the first two days, building a seven-point advantage. But even with Ludvig Aberg’s victory over Patrick Cantlay, it took until the eighth singles match for Europe to be sure of retaining the trophy.
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Shane Lowry holed a birdie putt to snatch a half against Russell Henley. The Irishman had previously warned against complacency.
“I told the boys on Saturday night, there’s always an hour (where things can change dramatically) on the Sunday of a Ryder Cup, whatever the score,” he told BBC Sport.
“From the outside, or if you’re sitting at home on your couch watching the game, it doesn’t look like that, but it certainly does when you’re on the course. So I knew the Americans were going to shoot.”
Lowry had teamed up with Rory McIlroy over the previous two afternoons, helping the Masters champion withstand vile abuse from parts of the American crowd. “I felt like no matter what happened, he could lean on me,” Lowry said.
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“I think the four of us were, you know, me, him, Darren (Reynolds’ caddy, Lowry) and Harry Diamond (McIlroy’s caddy). Darren and Harry are really close. We’re all really close and I think that’s what you needed in an environment like that.”
Such hostility was anticipated by Donald, who distributed virtual reality headsets to help prepare his players. Nothing was left to chance.
While the two Irishmen resisted the worst excesses of the crowd, other Europeans enjoyed the New York atmosphere. “You get yelled at from every angle,” Matt Fitzpatrick told me.
“How you’re going to play this hole wrong and how you’re a loser and all this crazy stuff and at that point you just have to laugh.”
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Sheffield’s Fitzpatrick has been mocked for his shoe brand and for wearing braces until relatively recently. “I think it’s hilarious, I really loved it,” he said.
“But from what I’ve heard, they definitely crossed a line with Rory and Shane and some of the other boys. So I think that’s obviously the disappointing part of it.
“And like we say, we knew what was going to happen and I think that’s why the boys were so mentally prepared for it and that’s another reason why we did so well.”
Fitzpatrick clinched a crucial point on the final hole of Saturday’s fourball session playing with Hatton, who had been recalled late for the injured Hovland. They beat Burns and Cantlay on the final green.
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This meant that Europe won the session and would take an unprecedented advantage into the final day. I interviewed the two Europeans on that green and it was clear that Fitzpatrick was desperate to celebrate with the exultant visiting fans.
“You walk up to the 18th and you see everyone leaving,” he recalled more than two months later. “The chants come: ‘Is there a fire drill?’ And you’re like, wait a minute. There are no Americans in this position.
“And you finish on 18 and everyone is on the green, I mean, it gives me goosebumps now to think that everyone in that stand is European.
“And they sing and sing and it was potentially a once-in-a-lifetime feeling to experience that.”
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“It will take a lot for me to reach the top this week”
Fitzpatrick, who had a poor Ryder Cup record before Bethpage, was the captain’s choice and scored two and a half points in his four matches. Only Tommy Fleetwood (four) and McIlroy and Hatton (three and a half each) contributed more.
Fleetwood looked forward to partnering the Masters champion in the morning’s alternating-shot foursomes and after lunch with Justin Rose, the man McIlroy beat in the Augusta play-off in April.
“It was in our heads,” Rose said. “For 10 years, people were saying how hard it was going to be.
“And going there as a team and being so perfect, almost, for the first two days. Really, we didn’t allow them to get into the game at all.
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“What happened on Sunday shows how great we were on Friday and Saturday.”
Rose and McIlroy were two of 37 Europeans to have already tasted an away victory. The goal was for the other 10 team members to make 37 become 47.
They were repeatedly told that Bethpage, last September, would be their place and time. “We are very aware of what we do and what we play for and how special it is,” Fleetwood said.
“And we’re very proud of that. I think being a part of this team brings out the best version of you.”
This year’s FedEx Cup champion added: “A point at the Ryder Cup seems to mean a lot and be so exhausting to finish.”
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The morning after the game ended, Lowry was struggling with his voice. He happily refused broadcast interviews because he knew how to perform his raspy vocal chords.
And yes, he had partied the day before. His moment to ensure Europe could not be beaten, he felt, was bigger than when he won the Open at Royal Portrush in 2019.
Subsequent halves from Hatton and MacIntyre ensured it was an unqualified victory, so it was well worth the loud chants on the team bus.
Champagne was more sprayed than drunk, although there were celebratory libations later at the team hotel. But Lowry hasn’t gone crazy. He preferred to savor one of the most beautiful weeks in European golf.
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“At one point during the night, I retreated to a corner of the room and sat there watching people party for a half hour and 40 minutes,” Lowry said.
“And I’m just trying to soak it all in. Because I feel like it’s going to take me a long time to get through that night or that week.
“You know, Ryder Cups are the best weeks ever, but this week in general I think would be hard to beat.”
5 Live Golf’s year in review, including the Ryder Cup and McIlroy’s Masters triumph, will take place at midday on December 26 and midnight on January 1 on 5 Live and BBC Sounds.
