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Ryder Cup Rundown: Sunday Singles

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4 years ago

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2021 signified a seminal switch in many ways for both sides of the Ryder Cup exhibition matches. Farewell was bid to a number of golfers who had represented their colors over the years, and welcome was offered to others who donned team kits for the first or second time.

Whistling Straits was an appropriate venue for this upgrade to Ryder Cup 3.0. In appearance, it is a blend of both competing units. It looks for all the world to be an Irish or Scottish links, and yet it lies along the shore of Lake Michigan, well within the continental United States.

Sunday’s singles matches began with Europe in a 5-11 deficit needing nine points in 12 matches to retain possession of the cherished chalice. There was a prior blueprint for such a comeback, and it was written in 2012, also on midwestern U.S. soil. At Medinah Country Club near Chicago, the Euros erased a 6-10 deficit in singles. They would need to go one point better to hold bragging rights until 2023 when the matches are played in Italy for the first time.

Match One: McIlroy vs. Schauffele

Rory McIlroy arrived on the 11:04 flight to Haven, Wisconsin. He looked none the worse for wear. Still, the local authorities have been alerted to apprehend the imposter who somehow maneuvered into partner matches over the past two days and lost a passel of points to the American side. Inserted into the leadoff spot on Sunday, McIlroy took down American strongman Xander Schauffele with relative ease. The Northern Irishman played 3-under golf through the 16th green, and claimed a 3 & 2 victory over the 2020 Olympic gold medalist in golf. Schauffele managed to win a pair of holes on the day, but his two-over effort would only have been victorious in a hurricane. Would McIlroy’s headlamp heroics charge up his teammates? If not today, maybe tomorrow. In his words: “I love my teammates so much. I should have done more for them this week.”

Match Two: Lowry vs. Cantlay

Ever wonder why nicknames are never self-awarded? Now you do. Patty Ice wanted no part of an Emerald Isle double victory to begin Sunday at the Straits. For those who follow golf intimately, Cantlay should have been a generational talent since 2012 or so, but life brutally inserted itself into the equation. Bowed but not broken, bent but not laid flat, Cantlay re-emerged and at age 29, has reclaimed his lofty position in the world of golf. On Sunday, a stretch of three birdies and a par erased Lowry’s early, 1-up lead, and placed the Californian in a dominant position. Lowry, always a fighter, chipped two holes from the margin as the home stretch beckoned. In true Ice fashion, Cantlay won three consecutive holes from 14 on and claimed the first of 3.5 needed points for a Team USA victory.

Match Three: Rahm vs. Scheffler

If the man formerly known as Captain America wants to claim he should have replaced someone on this year’s USA side, it won’t be fellow Texan Scottie Scheffler. Opponent Jon Rahm played the opening quartet of holes in even par — and found himself a quick 4 down to the Ryder Cup rookie. If you’ve played Whistling Straits, you know that those four holes aren’t so easy to par, much less birdie. Rahm won a hole back at the fifth but gained no momentum over the next five holes, which were halved in pars. Spain’s Atlas was exhausted after carrying the team on his shoulders for two days and simply could not mount a charge against Team USA’s other raging rookie. In the end, it was Scheffler by 4 & 3, and a point number two of 3.5 for the home squad.

Match Four: García vs. DeChambeau

The Ryder Cup may never again see a start like this one: 345-yard drive to green, 41-foot putt for eagle, DeChambeau by one. The #BigBangTheory had the good fortune to face Sergio García who, like the aforementioned Atlas Rahm, had carried the continent for 48 hours. García won four holes on the day, but he also lost seven. You cannot lose seven holes and hope to win, unless astronomical odds are in your favor. After the first-hole fireworks, DeChambeau claimed the second and fourth holes with García winning three and five. There was no quit in either dog, but #CaptainPhysics claimed another pair as the front nine closed, to claim a 3-up lead heading into the second side. The pair exchanged four consecutive holes midway home, and BDC ended it with par at the 16th. Half a point to go for Team USA.

Match Five: Hovland vs. Morikawa

14 of 18 holes were won outright in this tilt. Hovland won two, then Morikawa won four, then they traded, then Hovland won three and Morikawa one, then they traded the last two holes. The match was halved, and it provided Team USA with the half-point it needed to claim the Cup. It also marked what might be a great rivalry for future cups. Morikawa (California) and Hovland (Oklahoma State) came out together, and although Morikawa has two majors to Hovie’s none, there’s a sense that Hovland has what it takes to be a major champion. Let’s raise a glass to the potential of these two as Ryder Cup standard-bearers for a few decades.

Match Six: Casey vs. Johnson

Grampa Dustin, tell us again how you went 5-and-oh in 2021! I’ll pull up a cushion and listen. Reality check number one came when DJ was identified as the old man on Team USA for this playing of the Ryder Cup matches. Reality check number two came when we remembered how great he can be. DJ coached Collin Morikawa into Ryder Cup comfort over the first two days while simultaneously adding to his legacy. DJ might have had a few spirits to cast off in Haven (remember that PGA Championship b.s.?) and he sent them packing. Casey was a solid opponent on day three, but despite owning the forearms that Tiger envied, the Englishman came up just a bit short against South Carolina’s tallest icon.

Match Seven: Wiesberger vs. Koepka

There stands a very good chance that Bernd Wiesberger will make the European side for next year’s matches. In the interim, the Austrian should go and get a full-chest tattoo of some fierce and mythical creature, like a Krampus. I don’t know that there is anything about him that strikes fear into Team USA, and I suspect that he’ll need it in 363 days or so. The match was even through fifteen holes, true. Koepka seemed to toy with the super collider until the moment he chose to strike. I may be spitballing here, but that’s how it looks from this bluff. Perhaps that was Harrington’s bluff as well: pit someone so non-controversial against Koepka to lull the Florida Man into a malaise. Hey, it almost worked. Brilliant!

Match Eight: Poulter vs. Finau

Ian Poulter added a 2021 Finau Roadster to his massive collection of unique sports cars. Experts say it is a one-of-a-kind model, improved over the 1.0 edition, and worth the price Poulter paid. The Englishman seems to embody the spirit of the Ryder Cup better than any other European golfer. He hasn’t claimed a major championship like Danny Willett, and he doesn’t have loads of tour wins like Westwood and Casey, but every two years, Poulter comes alive. Sad to say that 2021 might have been his last. Poulty doesn’t have the length to compete in partner events, but he is crafty enough to post 4  under in singles and let the other guy make mistakes. That’s precisely what he did with Utah’s favorite son, and it resulted in a second win for Team Blue during Sunday singles play.

Match Nine: Hatton vs. Thomas

Between us, Tyrrell Hatton is tightly wound. Perhaps it’s the three sets of double consonants in his name, but there needs to be a loosening from this vantage point. Tension simply doesn’t get the job done in Ryder Cup, and that might explain the Englishman’s half-point-in-three-matches performance. Facing Justin Thomas is no small task, even if the Kentuckian’s beer tolerance currently stands at one foamy light beer (intel arriving soon). When it takes 14 holes for your opponent to make a birdie, unless it’s the third flight at your local muni, you’re in a good position. Thus it was for Thomas, and thus did another point go up in the RWB column.

Match Ten: Westwood vs. English

The best meme from Sunday is Harris English’s putter grip. The man has how much money and that’s his putter wrap? Other than that, it’s great to see the other old man, Lee Westwood, win a singles match in what might be his swan song in Ryder Cup play. We’ve seen Westy for three decades, it seems, and he’s always given us cause and pause for enthusiasm. On day three, Westy stood two down to Harris English with four to play … and won three of those holes to take the match. Isn’t that what the Ryder Cup is about? Cheers to you, Lee, on competing in 47 matches over the years, more than any other player.

Match Eleven: Fleetwood vs. Spieth

It can’t be called anything beyond disappointing for Fleetwood, and mildly disappointing for Spieth. Both came into this Ryder Cup with high expectations for leading their teams to victory. Fleetwood never found the partner that he had in Molinari, and Spieth was the victim of bad luck and great play by opponents. It’s fitting that their Sunday match should end in a tie. Spieth was two up after six, but Fleet won the next two to square the match. From that point on, it was a match of pawns. Each won two more holes, but could never put the opponent away.

Match Twelve: Berger vs. Fitzpatrick

If I told you that Matt Fitzpatrick won four holes in a five-hole span on the back nine, you probably could not fathom that he somehow lost the match. Well, he did. By the 11th hole, Daniel Berger had a two-up lead. Fitzy won 11 and 12 to square the match, then lost the 13th. He rebounded to win 14 and 15, and stood tall with three to go. That’s when Berger played one-under golf to the end, winning the 16th and 18th holes. The 18th is miserable and unforgiving, and anything less than your best, results in bogey. Both hit cracker drives, and then Fitzpatrick the 16-handicap golfer showed up. Chunk into the stream and away went hopes for … anything. Berger landed safely on the frog hair and two putts later, had another hole won and another RWB point on the board.

Closing Arguments

The final tally was 19 USA and 9 Europe. That’s a lot of wound-licking for one side and much chest-thumping for the other. If the two worst moments were Brooks swearing and American fans bloated with beer, we did all right.

It will be interesting to see how Rome 2023 shapes up. Molinari should be back in form, and perhaps Renato Paratore or Guido Migliozzi will enhance their stature and join Moli on the team.

Golf is enjoyed in Italy but is not the country’s passion. Perhaps something will change over the next 24 months.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Tear Jerker

    Sep 27, 2021 at 10:20 am

    USA made Rory cry.

    Reply Report comment

  2. Throat;uncher

    Sep 26, 2021 at 7:46 pm

    Wish Pádraig would’ve throat punched Jimmy Roberts.

    Reply Report comment

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Tour Rundown: Bend, but don’t break

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3 weeks ago

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Aug 4, 2025

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I’m going to gush in this intro paragraph, to get the emo stuff done early. I’ve not pulled harder for a professional to win, than Cameron Young. I coach golf in New York state, and each spring, my best golfers head to a state championship in Poughkeepsie. I first saw Cameron there as a 9th grade student. I saw him three more times after that. I reconnecected with Coach Haas from Wake Forest, an old interview subject from my days on the Old Gold and Black, the Wake newspaper. He was there to watch Cameron. After four years at Wake Forest, Young won on the Korn Ferry Tour, made it to the big tour, almost won two majors, almost won five other events, and finally got the chalice about 25 minutes from the Wake campus. Congratulations, Cameron. You truly are a glass of the finest. #MotherSoDear

OK, let’s move on to the Tour Rundown. The major championship season closed this week in Wales, with the Women’s Open championship. The PGA Tour bounced through Greensboror, N.C., while the PGA Tour Americas hit TO (aka, Toronto) for a long-winded event. The Korn Ferry lads made a stop in Utah, one of just two events for that tour in August. The many-events, golf season is winding down, as we ease from summer toward fall in the northern hemisphere. Let’s bask in the glory of an August sunrise, and run down a quartet of events from the first weekend of the eighth month.

LET/LPGA @ Women’s Open: Miyu bends, but she doesn’t break

Royal Porthcawl was not a known commodity in the major tournament community. The Welsh links had served as host to men’s senior opens, men’s amateurs, and Curtis and Walker Cups in prior years, but never an Open championship for the women or the men. The last-kept secret in UK golf was revealed once again to the world this week, as the best female golfers took to the sandy stage.

Mao Saigo, Grace Kim, Maja Stark, and Minjee Lee hoped to add a second major title to previous wins this season, but only Lee was able to finish inside the top ten. The 2025 playing of the Women’s Open gave us a new-faces gallery from day one. The Kordas and Thitikulls were nowhere to be found, and it was the Mayashitas, Katsus, and Lim Kims that secured the Cymru spotlight. The first round lead was held at 67 by two golfers. One of them battled to the end, while the other posted 81 on day two, and missed the cut. Sitting one shot behind was Miyu Yamashita.

On day two, Yamashita posted the round of the tournament. Her 65 moved her to the front of the aisle, in just her fourth turn around a women’s Open championship. With the pre-event favorites drifting off pace, followers narrowed into two camps: those on the side of an underdog, and others hoping for a weekend charge from back in the pack. In the end, we had a bit of both.

On Saturday, Yamashita bent with 74 on Saturday, offering rays of hope to her pursuing pack. England’s Charley Hull made a run on Sunday closing within one shot before tailing off to a T2 finish with Minami Katsu. Katsu posted the other 65 of the week, on Saturday, but could not overtake her countrywoman, Yamashita. wunderkind Lottie Woad needed one round in the 60s to find her pace, but could only must close-to’s, ending on 284 and a tie with Minjee for eighth.

On Sunday, Yamashita put away the thoughts of Saturday’s struggles, with three-under 33 on the outward half. She closed in plus-one 37, but still won by two, for a first Major and LPGA title.

PGA Tour @ Wyndham: Young gathers first title near home

Cameron Young grew up along the Hudson river, above metro New York, but he also calls Winston-Salem home. He spent four years as a student and athlete at Wake Forest University, then embarked on tour. This week in Greensboro, after a bit of a break, Young opened with 63-62, and revved the engine of Is this the week once more. Runner-up finishes at the Open, the PGA, and a handful of PGA Tour events had followers wonder when the day would come.

On Saturday, Young continued his torrid pace with 65, giving him a five-shot advantage over his closest pursuer. Sunday saw the Scarborough native open with bogey, then reel off five consecutive birdies to remind folks that his time had, at last, arrived. Pars to the 16th, before two harmless bogeys coming home, made Young the 1000th winner of an official PGA Tour event (dating back to before there was a PGA Tour) throughout history. What’s next? I have a suspicion, but I’m not letting on. Mac Meissner closed with 66 to finish solo 2nd, while Mark Hubbard and Alex Noren tied for third.

Korn Ferry Tour @ Utah Championship: Are you Suri it’s Julian?

Who knows exactly when the flower will bloom? Julian Suri played a solid careet at Duke University, then paid his dues on the world’s minor tours for three years. He won twice on two tours in Europe, in 2017. Since then, the grind has continued for the journeyman from New York city. At age 34, Suri broke through in Beehive state, outlasting another grinder (Spencer Levin) and four others, by two shots.

Taylor Montgomery began the week with 62, then posted 64, then 68, and finally, 70. That final round was his undoing. He finished in that second-place tie, two back of the leader. Trace Crowe, Barend Botha, and Kensei Hirata made up the last of the almost quintet. As for Suri, his Sunday play was sublime. His nines were 32 and 31, with his only radar blip a bogey at ten. He closed in style with one final birdie, to double his winning margin. Hogan bloomed late…might Suri?

PGA Tour Americas @ Osprey Valley Open presented by Votorantim Cimentos – CBM Aggregates

Some tournament names run longer than others. This week in Toronto, at the Heathlands course at TPC Toronto, we might have seen the longest tournament title in recorded history. The OVOPBVCCBMA was a splendid affair. It saw three rounds of 62 on Thursday, but of those early risers, only Drew Goodman would stick around until the end. 64 was the low tally on day two, and two of those legionnaires managed to finish inside the top three at week’s end. Saturday brought a 63 from Patrick Newcomb, and he would follow with 64 on Sunday, to finish solo fourth.

Who, then, ended up winning the acronym of the year? It turns out that Carson Bacha had the right stuff in TeeOhhh. Bacha and Jay Card III posted 63 and 64, respectively, on day four, to tie for medalist honors at 23-under 261. Nathan Franks was one shot adrift, despite also closing with 63. If you didn’t go low on Sunday, it was about the check, not the championship.

Bacha and JC3 returned to the 18th hole twice in overtime. Card nearly chipped in from the thick stuff for birdie, while Bacha peeked and shoved a ten-feet attempt at the win. On the second go-round, Card was long with his approach, into the native grasses once more. He was unable to escape, and a routine par from the fairway was enough to earn the former Auburn golfers a first KFT title.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2025 Wyndham Championship

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4 weeks ago

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Jul 29, 2025

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GolfWRX is live this week from the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season, the Wyndham Championship.

Photos are flowing into the forums from Sedgefield Country Club, where we already have a GolfWRX spirit animal Adam Schenk WITB and plenty of putters for your viewing pleasure.

Check out links to all our photos below, which we’ll continue to update as more arrive.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.

 

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BK’s Breakdowns: Kurt Kitayama’s Winning WITB, 3M Open

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4 weeks ago

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Jul 28, 2025

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Kurt Kitayama just won his 2nd PGA Tour event at the 3M Open. Kurt is a Bridgestone staffer but with just the ball and bag. Here are the rest of the clubs he used to secure a win at the 2025 3M Open.

Driver: Titleist GT3 (11 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD VF 7 TX

3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees, A3 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 8 TX

7-wood: Titleist GT1 (21 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 9 TX

Irons: TaylorMade P7CB (4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (52-12F, 56-14F), Vokey Design WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2 Tour Prototype
Grip: SuperStroke Zenergy 1.0PT

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet

Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS (with Mindset)

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