By Associated Press - Sunday, October 1, 2023

GUIDONIA MONTECELIO, Italy (AP) - The final score is in: Europe beat the United States 16½-11½.

Robert MacIntyre defeated Wyndham Clark 2 and 1 in the bottom singles match, before Shane Lowry and Jordan Spieth tied the last match out on the course.

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Europe has passed the magic 14 1/2-point mark and the team is in tears.

Tommy Fleetwood got the point that officially took the Europeans over the line. He beat Rickie Fowler 3 and 1.

Fleetwood was weeping as he hugged European captain Luke Donald, who also cried in a TV interview on the course.


PHOTOS: Live updates | US faces tough climb to end Ryder Cup losing streak in Europe


“It’s been a wave of emotions,” said Donald, who replaced Henrik Stenson as skipper, “from asking myself if I could do this. Just a proud, proud moment.

“You always doubt yourself - (but) a lot of my career I have backed myself. And I had faith in these 12 guys.”

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The Europeans are assured of regaining the Ryder Cup and delivering a seventh straight win on home soil.

They are guaranteed to get the 14½ points needed to wrest the 17-inch golden trophy off the United States because Tommy Fleetwood is certain to claim a half-point against Rickie Fowler. Fleetwood is 2 up with two holes to play.

It’s a strong response from Europe after its record 19-9 loss to the Americans at Whistling Straits in 2021.

The U.S. team has not won on the road since 1993.

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Max Homa has kept the Americans’ hopes alive at the Ryder Cup.

Homa holed a par putt from 7 feet at No. 18 to seal a 1-up win over Matt Fitzpatrick.

With Brooks Koepka also beating Ludvig Aberg 3 and 2, the United States has reduced its deficit to 14-9.

Homa claimed 3 1/2 points on his Ryder Cup debut.

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The Europeans cannot lose this Ryder Cup. They are a half-point away from regaining the trophy.

Tyrrell Hatton beat Brian Harman 3 and 2 to move Europe to 14 points.

The U.S. leads five of the remaining seven matches on the course.

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Rory McIlroy has his biggest haul at a Ryder Cup after gaining a fourth point of the week by beating Sam Burns 3 and 1.

Patrick Cantlay has defied the digs and barracking from the galleries at Marco Simone to defeat Justin Rose 2 and 1.

The point for each of the teams left Europe 13-7 ahead of the United States.

The Europeans need 14 1/2 points to reclaim the 17-inch golden trophy.

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The heavyweight lead singles match between Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm at the Ryder Cup ended in a tie.

Rahm was 1 down as they reached the par-5 No. 18 and hit his second shot to the front of the long green, leaving him 90 feet to the pin. His first putt was judged perfectly to leave a gimme and Scheffler needed to chip in from the fringe for the win.

The world No. 1 leaked it right and they shook hands for a half-point apiece from an absorbing match where the lead changed hands four times.

Europe moved to 12 points and needs 2 1/2 more to regain the golden trophy.

The match between world No. 3 Rahm and Scheffler was a rematch of their singles contest in the 2021 Ryder Cup. Scheffler won that 4 and 3.

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Viktor Hovland has given the Europeans the first of the four points they need in the singles matches to regain the Ryder Cup.

The Norwegian beat Collin Morikawa 4 and 3 and finishes the week with three wins and 3 1/2 points. He didn’t win any of his five matches at Whistling Straits in 2021 in his debut.

Europe leads 11 1/2-5 1/2 and there are 11 singles matches still out on the course.

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All the singles matches are out on the course at the Ryder Cup and there’s an even split of blue and red on the boards around Marco Simone.

Europe is up in five of them, including the heavyweight lead match after world No. 3 Jon Rahm won Nos. 12 and 13 against world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler to go 1 up.

The Europeans front-loaded their team with their big names and it is working, with Viktor Hovland, Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton leading.

The U.S. also leads five matches. Brooks Koepka is 3 up on Ludvig Aberg and Jordan Spieth is 3 up on Shane Lowry.

Patrick Cantlay continues to get stick from fans on every hole but is in control against Justin Rose at 2 up.

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Europe is leading five of the seven singles matches that are underway at the Ryder Cup on Sunday.

Viktor Hovland is 3 up over Collin Morikawa through six holes, while Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton are all 1 up in their matches.

Only Patrick Cantlay (1 up over Justin Rose through 5) and Brooks Koepka (1 up over Ludvig Aberg through 1) have leads for the Americans.

Europe leads 10½ to 5½ and needs to win only four points from the 12 singles matches to regain the cup.

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Patrick Cantlay is still being targeted by fans at the Ryder Cup following a report that he wants to be paid to play in golf’s biggest team event.

“Money, money, money” and “Cheat” were some of the shouts heard from the massive grandstand surrounding the 1st tee at Marco Simone before Cantlay’s singles match against Justin Rose on Sunday.

Cantlay responded by making a 25-foot putt for a birdie on the par-4 2nd to go 1 up over Rose.

The report alleged that Cantlay is not wearing a U.S. team cap as a form of protest. Cantlay said on Saturday that there’s no truth to the report and simply the hat isn’t a good fit for him.

There was also some controversy over the way Cantlay’s caddie, Joe LaCava, celebrated a win in Saturday’s fourballs.

“Stay out of his line, Joe,” was also heard from the gallery.

Europe leads 10½ to 5½ and needs to win only four points from the 12 singles matches to regain the cup.

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Jon Rahm got Europe off to a strong start in Sunday’s singles matches at the Ryder Cup.

The big Spaniard made a 17-foot birdie on the opening hole of his match against top-ranked Scottie Scheffler to go 1 up.

Scheffler missed a chance from 9 feet on No. 2 to even the match.

Patrick Cantlay was still hatless as he drove his opening tee shot right down the middle for his match against Justin Rose. But Cantlay then missed a short putt that would have won the hole.

Collin Morikawa also had no hat on for his match against Viktor Hovland.

Europe leads 10½ to 5½ and needs to win only four points from 12 matches to regain the cup.

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Europe has history on its side as the Sunday singles matches begin in the Ryder Cup. No team has ever lost a five-point lead on the final day. Europe needs to win only four points from 12 matches to regain the Ryder Cup.

The first match is compelling enough - Scottie Scheffler against Jon Rahm.

Not only have they traded places as No. 1 in the world this year, this is a rematch from two years ago at Whistling Straits. Scheffler birdied the opening four holes in a 4-and-3 victory.

Scheffler is No. 1 in the world. The last No. 1 player to lose in singles was Rahm two years ago.

Also worth watching is Patrick Cantlay against Justin Rose. The European crowd has targeted Cantlay for not wearing a cap amid an unsubstantiated report that it’s a form of protest for not being paid. Cantlay said there’s no truth to that and simply the hat isn’t a good fit for him.

Cantlay had the last word Saturday night. He birdied the last three holes to at least give the Americans some hope, and maybe some momentum. But it’s a tall hill to climb.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

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