It’s been all Team Europe all week long in Italy at the 2023 Ryder Cup.
The Europeans, led by Luke Donald, entered Sunday singles on the final day of play at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club near Rome with a 10½-5½ advantage over Team USA and will need just four points to reclaim the Cup. On the flip side, Zach Johnson’s American side will need to complete the biggest comeback in the history of the biennial event and claim 8½ points to retain the Cup.
Here’s a breakdown of each of the 12 Sunday singles matches at the 2023 Ryder Cup, updated as they finish.
FINAL SCORE: Team Europe 16½, Team USA 11½
Europe’s celebration for winning @rydercup has officially begun 🎉 🍾 @golfweek pic.twitter.com/fJ9MEnVHJy
— Adam Schupak (@AdamSchupak) October 1, 2023
Sunday singles results
Viktor Hovland (Europe) def. Collin Morikawa (USA), 4 and 3
Hovland singles record: 1-0-1
Morikawa singles record: 0-1-1
Hovland capped his impressive season with a stellar 3-0-1 record this week, dispatching Morikawa with ease, 4 and 3. The Norwegian made seven birdies to Morikawa’s four, and the American won just two holes in the match.
Soak it in Viktor, you deserve it! 🤩#TeamEurope | #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/1SYGxzeYnQ
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) October 1, 2023
Scottie Scheffler (USA) tied Jon Rahm (Europe)
Scheffler singles record: 1-0-1
Rahm singles record: 1-1-1
This was a great appetizer of a match as Rahm and Scheffler battled all the way to the 18th.
Rahm won three of the first five holes, but Scheffler played his way back with birdies at Nos. 6, 9 and 11 to flip the match. The Spaniard quickly responded with consecutive birdies on the following two holes, and just like a card game Scheffler followed suit on Nos. 14 and 15 to take a 1-up lead that lasted to the 18th, where Rahm clutched up steal a ½ point.
Patrick Cantlay (USA) def. Justin Rose (Europe), 2 and 1
Cantlay singles record: 2-0-0
Rose singles record: 2-3-1
Cantlay, the Hat Gate antagonist, was greeted by a chorus of boos on the 1st tee and took the lead over the European veteran Rose early with a birdie at No. 2. He added a pair of gas station wins on the 7th and 11th, but Rose didn’t go quietly. The Englishman three of the next four holes to decrease his deficit to 1 down, but Cantlay was able to clutch up and end the match with birdie on the par-3 17th.
Rory McIlroy (Europe) def. Sam Burns (USA), 3 and 1
McIlroy singles record: 4-2-1
Burns singles record: 0-1-0
Paul Azinger comically said McIlroy may come out flat after the dust-up on the 18th green Saturday evening, but the Northern Irishman was anything but. McIlroy came out firing and made eight birdies over 15 holes compared to his competitor Burns, who only notched four birdies and an eagle alongside a handful of bogeys. The match ended early despite a late push from Burns as a conceded birdie to McIlroy sealed the deal.
Tyrrell Hatton (Europe) def. Brian Harman (USA), 3 and 2
Hatton singles record: 1-2-0
Harman singles record: 0-1-0
Like Georgia vs. Gonzaga, this was a battle of the bulldogs, and it was Hatton who had the louder bark and stronger bite.
The fiery Englishman won three of the first four holes to take an early 3-up lead before Harman stopped the bleeding with birdies on Nos. 5 and 9 to bring his deficit to 1 down. With his cage rattled, Hatton clawed back to 3 up with birdie wins at Nos. 11 and 13 and held on for the win that brought the Europeans within half a point of the Cup.
Yesssss @TyrrellHatton!! 🤩
We need just half a point to win the Ryder Cup. #TeamEurope | #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/0Gm4k7KKSK
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) October 1, 2023
Max Homa (USA) def. Matt Fitzpatrick (Europe), 1 up
Homa singles record: 1-0-0
Fitzpatrick singles record: 0-3-0
This was a fun one. Fitzpatrick claimed the opening hole but the majority of the front nine was in Homa’s control after wins at holes 4, 8, 9 and 10. The Englishman threw water on the American fire with a win at No. 11 and the pair tied their way to the 16th, where Homa missed a putt that would’ve guaranteed at least half a point.
Each tied the 17th and the match went to No. 18, where Homa had to take an unplayable lie to try and get up-and-down for par after Fitzpatrick missed a birdie putt that would’ve clinched the Cup for Europe. The American erupted with a roar after he made his six-footer for par to win 1-up and keep the U.S. hopes alive.
Brooks Koepka (USA) def. Ludvig Aberg (Europe), 3 and 2
Koepka singles record: 3-0-1
Aberg singles record: 0-1-0
Aberg had performed well this week, but a ticked-off Koepka made quick, easy work of his European rookie counterpart. Koepka never trailed in the match and ended it early to improve his stellar singles record.
A point for the U.S., courtesy of Brooks. @bkoepka | #RyderCup | #GoUSA pic.twitter.com/xMnBD5f2Zh
— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) October 1, 2023
Xander Schauffele (USA) def. Nicolai Hojgaard (Europe), 3 and 2
Schauffele singles record: 1-1-0
Hojgaard singles record: 0-1-0
Schauffele woke up and put his first point on the board on Sunday to give the Americans a crucial point (that may have been too little, too late). Schauffele responded to two early wins from the rookie Hojgaard with three in a row on Nos. 5-7 and eventually cruised to the win after claiming holes 10, 12, 15 and 16.
Adding to the tally. 👏@xschauffele | #RyderCup | #GoUSA pic.twitter.com/ksa7F9NpVb
— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) October 1, 2023
Justin Thomas (USA) def. Sepp Straka (Europe), 2 up
Thomas singles record: 3-0-0
Straka singles record: 0-1-0
This match was steady as it goes with Thomas holding at most a 2-up lead, but to Straka’s credit, he never backed down and sent the duel to the 18th with a chance to earn the clinching half-point with a win. Thomas won with birdie and delayed the inevitable win for Team Europe for a few more minutes.
Tommy Fleetwood (Europe) def. Rickie Fowler (USA), 3 and 1
Fowler singles record: 1-3-1
Fleetwood singles record: 1-1-1
Fowler was 1 down to Fleetwood on the 16th hole but found the water, giving Fleetwood the chance to two-putt for birdie to win the hole and guarantee a half point that would deliver the Cup to Europe. The Englishman won the hole and officially brought the Cup back to Europe with two holes still to be played. He went on to win the 17th and claim the match, 3 and 1.
The moment @TommyFleetwood1 secured the half point that guarantees we win the Ryder Cup 🤩#TeamEurope | #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/45MHGfK516
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) October 1, 2023
Robert MacIntyre (Europe) def. Wyndham Clark (USA), 2 and 1
MacIntyre singles record: 1-0-0
Clark singles record: 0-1-0
The anchor battle of the rookies. MacIntyre took control of the match early and Clark did well to fight back and put the pressure on late, but the Scot delivered his first singles win to add to the growing European total.
Jordan Spieth (USA) tied Shane Lowry (Europe)
Spieth singles record: 0-3-2
Lowry singles record: 0-1-1
The Cup was already decided and the final two matches on the course were playing for pride, and each took home half a point. The match went back-and-forth and got interesting down the stretch where the last five holes were all won, four with birdie.
