Staff WriterThe Ryder Cup 2025 at Bethpage Black promised theatre, and by Sunday afternoon it delivered a Broadway-level drama with a brass band thrown in. Europe retained the cup with a 15–13 win over the United States, but not before Keegan Bradley’s men threatened to pull off what would have been the greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history.
At sunrise, the Americans faced a seven-point deficit — 11½ to 4½ — the sort of hole that makes you wonder if you’ve accidentally turned up at the U.S. Open instead. But unlike the sea of blue that had swamped Friday and Saturday, Sunday’s singles session brimmed with red flashes of hope.
Cameron Young set the tone by toppling Ryder Cup stalwart Justin Rose on the final green, draining a 10-footer that lit up his home state crowd. “He went out there in front of the whole world, in front of his home state, and made a 10-footer to beat Justin Rose, who is an all-time Ryder Cupper,” Bradley said proudly.
Minutes later, Justin Thomas—who looked as doomed as a tourist in Times Square with a map—fought back from two down to beat Tommy Fleetwood with a nerveless putt at 18. The board now read 12–8. For the first time all week, the Americans could feel it. So could Europe’s captain Luke Donald. “It’s been the most stressful 12 hours in my life,” he admitted. “Shout-out to the Americans . . . I knew it would be tough. I didn’t think they would be this tough.”
Schauffele Shakes Rahm, DeChambeau Refuses to Die
Xander Schauffele’s 4&3 dismantling of Jon Rahm cranked up the decibels, while Bryson DeChambeau somehow clawed his way from five down after seven to halve with Matt Fitzpatrick, like a golfer possessed by the ghost of Seve. The impossible had started to look plausible.
Yet Europe, needing just 2½ points to retain the trophy and three to win it outright, dug in. Ludvig Åberg beat Patrick Cantlay 2&1 to edge them closer, before the fate of the 45th Ryder Cup hung on Shane Lowry’s broad Irish shoulders.
Lowry the Hero
Standing on the 18th tee, one down against Russell Henley, Lowry’s pulse must have been audible from the Bronx. “I said to Darren (Reynolds, his caddie) walking down 18, I have a chance to do the coolest thing of my life here,” he said later, tears streaming. “The Ryder Cup for me is everything and to do that there today on the 18th green in front of everyone . . . ”
From 119 yards, he lasered an approach to six feet. Henley missed his birdie try, leaving Lowry to roll in the putt for a halved match and the half-point that sealed Europe’s retention. Hatton and MacIntyre added halves of their own for good measure, leaving the final tally at Europe 15, USA 13.
The Numbers and the Legacy
The Ryder Cup 2025 marks Europe’s fourth win in the last eight contests on U.S. soil and their 11th triumph in the past 15 editions. The Americans, for all their fire and fury, equalled a singles session record with 8½ points but fell agonisingly short of the 10 they needed.
Scottie Scheffler, who finally grabbed a win by edging Rory McIlroy 1 up, summed up the mood. “After the butt-whooping we got the first two days of this tournament, to come back today and play like we did . . . I think it really shows a lot of heart.”
Heart, yes. But history? That belonged to Lowry and a European side that once again proved maddeningly resilient when the cup was on the line.
