SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France (AP) - The Latest on the Ryder Cup at Le Golf National (all times local):
6:15 p.m.
Alex Noren has closed out Europe’s dominating win in the Ryder Cup with a brilliant putt.
The Swedish golfer rolled in a 40-foot birdie at the final hole Sunday to secure a 1-up victory over Bryson DeChambeau.
That made the final score: Europe 17½, United States 10½.
Noren was finally able to celebrate with his teammates, who charged onto the green to embrace him. Europe had already gone into party mode after clinching its victory an hour earlier, but the matches still on the course were played to the end.
Noren made it all worthwhile with his long putt, a fitting capper to Europe’s joyous day at Le Golf National. It was the home team’s third-highest margin of victory, surpassed only by 9-point wins in 2004 and 2006.
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5:45 p.m.
Captain Thomas Bjorn is crediting his four veteran picks as a big reason for Europe’s decisive triumph in the Ryder Cup.
Along with the eight players who qualified for his team with their stellar play, Bjorn selected 42-year-old Ian Poulter, 42-year-old Henrik Stenson, 41-year-old Paul Casey and 38-year-old Sergio Garcia.
All came through at Le Golf National.
Stenson was perfect in his three matches. Garcia went 3-1 to give him 25.5 points in his career, more than any other player. Poulter posted a 2-2 mark, while Casey chipped in with a 1-1-1 showing.
Bjorn says the attitude of those four players “was unbelievable, and that made life easy for me.”
Compare that with the players selected by U.S. captain Jim Furyk.
Tiger Woods lost all four of his matches. Phil Mickelson went 0-2. Bryson DeChambeau was 0-2 and trailing late in the meaningless final singles match against Alex Noren. Tony Finau was the only significant contributor, going 2-1.
Furyk says Bjorn “did a better job than I did. Their team played great. There’s not much more you can say.”
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5:30 p.m.
Sergio Garcia has set a Ryder Cup record with his third victory at Le Golf National.
Garcia’s 2-and-1 triumph Sunday over American Rickie Fowler gives the Spaniard 25.5 points in his career, surpassing Nick Faldo’s record of 25 points.
Garcia went 3-1 at this Ryder Cup, also pushing him past Arnold Palmer (23), Lee Westwood (23), Colin Montgomerie (23.5), Billy Casper (23.5) and Bernhard Langer (24).
The celebration is on in France, though there is still one match left on the course.
Sweden’s Alex Noren holds a 1-up lead over Bryson DeChambeau with four holes to go, looking to add one more point to what has become a decisive victory. Europe leads 16½-10½, actually extending its lead in singles play after coming into the final day with a four-point lead.
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5:05 p.m.
The Ryder Cup is heading back to Europe.
The home team secured the victory when Phil Mickelson knocked one in the water at the par-3 16th hole, conceding his match to Francesco Molinari right on the tee box. The home team has a 14½-9½ lead with three matches still on the course at Le Golf National.
Molinari became the first European player to go 5-0 in the competition since the current format was adapted in 1979.
The Americans came into Sunday facing a daunting 10-6 deficit, and there was a glimmer of hope when they closed to within a point midway through the afternoon. But some of their biggest names failed to come through.
Tiger Woods lost all four of his matches in France, capped by a 2-and-1 loss to 23-year-old Jon Rahm of Spain, the youngest player in the event. Jordan Spieth was blown out 5 and 4 by lowest-ranked player on the European team, Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark. The world’s top-ranked player, Dustin Johnson, fell 2 and 1 to Ian Poulter of England. And Molinari finished if off by beating Mickelson, who lost both of his matches.
The Americans have not won a Ryder Cup match in Europe since 1993.
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4:40 p.m.
Tiger Woods went winless in France.
Spain’s Jon Rahm knocked off the 14-time major champion at the Ryder Cup on Sunday, rolling in a short birdie putt at the 17th hole for a 2-and-1 victory.
Woods dropped to 0-4 over three days at Le Golf National, a big reason Europe is on the brink of reclaiming the trophy.
It was certainly not what Woods envisioned after winning the Tour Championship a week ago - his first victory in more than five years and 80th overall.
Europe holds a 12½ -9½ lead and needs only two more points to capture the Cup.
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4:05 p.m.
The Americans are only a point behind Europe after wins for Webb Simpson and Tony Finau in the singles.
Finau had a 6-and-4 victory over Tommy Fleetwood, one of the stars of the European team over the first two days. Simpson beat Justin Rose 3 and 2.
The Europeans’ lead has been trimmed to 10 1/2-9 1/2.
In the second match out, Paul Casey and Brooks Koepka finished all square. It was the first halved match at this Ryder Cup.
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3:40 p.m.
The United States has won the first point of the singles at the Ryder Cup, with Justin Thomas beating Rory McIlroy 1-up in the opening match.
It reduced the Americans’ deficit to 10-7. They need 14 points to retain the cup.
A tight match, featuring many missed putts, went to the 18th hole. McIlroy’s drive found a bunker and the ball was plugged. He attempted to chip out but the ball rolled back into the sand, and his next shot went into the water.
They shook hands before either made it to the green.
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3 p.m.
Without close friend Francesco Molinari by his side, Tommy Fleetwood is having a tough time in the Ryder Cup singles.
Fleetwood is 5-down to Tony Finau after nine holes and looks unlikely to complete a sweep of wins at Le Golf National this week.
Fleetwood teamed with Molinari to win four points for Europe across the fourballs and foursomes.
No European player has won five points at one Ryder Cup, but Molinari is on target to do so. He is 2-up on Phil Mickelson after six holes.
Justin Thomas slipped 1-down to Rory McIlroy after missing a par putt from 3 feet at No. 13. Thomas reacted by picking up his ball and throwing it behind him into the water in disgust.
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2:20 p.m.
All 12 singles matches are out on the course, and the Europeans have made the solid start they needed as they look to bring back the Ryder Cup.
Europe is up in six of the matches, the United States leads in two of them, and the others are all square.
Webb Simpson holds the biggest lead at Le Golf National, 3-up on Europe’s Justin Rose. Tiger Woods, looking for his first point of the week, is 2-down to Jon Rahm.
Rory McIlroy was 2-up on Justin Thomas after four holes in the opening match but they are all square heading to the back nine.
The Europeans are 10-6 ahead and need 14 1/2 points to regain the cup.
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12:30 p.m.
Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas got things started on the final day of the Ryder Cup, with Europe holding a commanding lead and the United States hoping for another historic comeback.
Europe went into Sunday’s singles with a 10-6 edge, needing only 4 1/2 points from the 12 matches to reclaim the prize it lost two years ago at Hazeltine. The Americans must get eight points to keep the Cup.
On a sunny day with temperatures climbing toward the mid-60s at Le Golf National, the United States put Thomas in the leadoff spot against the four-time major champion from Northern Ireland.
The home team was looking for another strong showing from Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari, who became the first European duo ever to win all four of their matches in fourballs and foursomes. Fleetwood is facing Tony Finau, while Molinari takes on Phil Mickelson, who didn’t play at all Saturday after a poor showing in his only match so far.
Tiger Woods was facing Spain’s Jon Rahm, looking for his first victory of the weekend. Woods went 0-3 over the first two days.
Only two teams have rallied from a four-point deficit heading into the final day: the Americans at Brookline in 1999 and Europe at Medinah in 2012.
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