Europe retain Ryder Cup glory

Europe produced the greatest comeback in Ryder Cup history to reel in the United States and retain the trophy at Medinah Country Club on Sunday. Trailing by 10-6 going into the closing 12 singles, Jose Maria Olazabal’s men thrillingly won the first five matches out and went on to make sure of victory when Martin Kaymer defeated Steve Stricker 1 up in the penultimate match. The German clinched it with a six-foot putt at the last. That gave the Europeans the 14 points they needed to make sure of keeping the small, golden trophy for another two years and then Tiger Woods missed a four-footer at 18 to hand overall victory to Europe 14 1/2 to 13 1/2. The Americans had started the 12 closing singles 10-6 ahead and needing just 4 1/2 points to win the cup for just the second time in the last decade. Jose Maria Olazabal’s team were left with the mammoth task of winning eight out of the 12 singles to put the overall match score at 14-14, thus ensuring Europe retained the cup as holders. Olazabal loaded his top guns at the start of the singles slate and there was some early momentum as Luke Donald quickly went 2 up on Bubba Watson in the lead match and Europe were ahead in three of the first five matchups with one all-square. Watson took the 15th and then chipped in to nick the 16th before Donald clinched it with a superb bunker shot at 17. Then Paul Lawrie pulled off an upset by trouncing Tour Championship winner Brandt Snedeker 5 and 3. And when world No.1 Rory McIlroy completed a 2 and 1 win over the previously unbeaten Keegan Bradley, and Ian Poulter finished a perfect 4-0 by defeating Webb Simpson 2 up, the overall match was tied at 10-10.