Europe retains the Ryder Cup after surviving a late American charge

Event date: 2025-09-28

Europe kept the Ryder Cup after holding off a determined United States comeback at Bethpage Black, finishing with a 15-13 victory that turned a potential runaway into a nervy final day. The Independent reported that the away side only needed a small number of points to retain the trophy, but the U.S. closed hard enough to make Europe sweat deep into Sunday.

The decisive moments came late. Shane Lowry forced his match to the final shot on the 18th and holed from close range to secure the point that retained the cup, and Tyrrell Hatton later halved his match with Collin Morikawa to clinch the trophy outright. The result ended an American push that had briefly raised the possibility of one of the biggest comebacks in Ryder Cup history.

The match swung several times during the day. Cameron Young and Justin Thomas led the early American charge, while Scottie Scheffler beat Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele beat Jon Rahm. Bryson DeChambeau also rallied from five down against Matt Fitzpatrick to force Europe to keep fighting. Ludvig Aberg steadied the European position with a point from Patrick Cantlay, giving the visitors the breathing room they needed.

The packet also reported heated scenes around the course. McIlroy was targeted with abuse during the week, and a video circulated showing a drink thrown at his wife, Erica Stoll. McIlroy said no one should be subjected to that kind of treatment, while Luke Donald also criticised the behaviour of some spectators. Those episodes became part of the broader story of a Ryder Cup that was as tense off the greens as it was on them.

The article in the packet framed the U.S. response as a sign that captain Keegan Bradley had rallied his side effectively, even if the early deficit proved too large to erase. It also pointed to the importance of Europe’s depth: Lowry, Hatton, Aberg and Fitzpatrick all helped blunt the American surge, even as several of the U.S. stars found form on Sunday.

For Europe, the result delivered another Ryder Cup title after a week that had threatened to unravel. For the United States, it offered enough evidence of a late rally to leave room for optimism, but not enough to change the outcome.

The final margin was narrow, the pressure high, and the finish fittingly dramatic for golf’s most combustible team event. Europe left New York with the trophy still in hand, having answered the American challenge when it mattered most.