Ryder Cup: Europe defeats the US at Le Golf National

This powerful USA team, with a resurgent Tiger Woods, had to keep the Ryder Cup. They had to end the 25-year wait to win in Europe.

But despite a late indictment on an electric Sunday, Europe was stuck to achieve a stunning 17½-10½ victory in the Versailles area.

Europe & # 39; s victory was built on a dominant display during the first two days, a unity and excellence in team play that generated a 10-6 lead in Sunday's singles. NTERACTIVE: Ryder Cup moments

They also needed the buffer, because the power of the American wave hit back hard. The US won three of the first four games in one point close. For a large part of a blistering afternoon there was an undercurrent of nerves among the massive ranks of singing, singing, cheering European fans at Le Golf National.

But these early skirmishes proved fruitless in the context of the overall struggle.

When Woods fell against the Spanish rookie Jon Rahm, Europe was again three points clear and closed the 14½ needed to win.

Europe's old Ryder Cup talisman Ian Poulter brought them to the brink with a new chest victory against world number 1 Dustin Johnson.

When Phil Mickelson found the water on the 16th and admitted his contest to Italian Francesco Molinari, the cup was back in European hands for the seventh time in nine events.

It gave the unbeaten Molinari, the British open champion, a record fifth point for the week.

"They were great," European captain Thomas Bjorn told Sky Sports amid deafening scenes of the celebration of roaring fans.

"The 12 of them were incredible as they were connected together, they were determined to do a job for themselves. For me it was an easy task to guide them in that direction. They wanted it desperately. It's all on 12 players and only them. "

READ: Why the Ryder Cup is like a cure for Ian Poulter READ: How the Ryder C up became rock & # 39; n & # 39; roll READ: France falls in love with Tiger Woods

Molinari, who won four points with rookie mate Tommy Fleetwood, said: "It means more than majors, more than anything else.

"It's hard not to become emotional when you think of the other players, the vice-captains, the women, they probably had the strongest team ever, but we were just that good. It's unreal."

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The US team was touted as one of the strongest ever and was determined to build an ongoing dominance in the event after the 17-11 victory over Hazeltine two years ago to make Europe's three-event winning series.

In addition to Woods, the recent winner of the Tour Championship, the US world No.1 Johnson, a double big winner this year in Brooks Koepka, boasted nine big winners in total, six of the world's top 10 and an average world rank of just over 11.

But when Europe won eight consecutive matches, including a historic money laundering session in the afternoon session on Friday, the American superstars were reduced to tourists with big eyes who were dragged into a maelstrom of sound and color.

Europe had five big winners, four of the world's top 10, including world number 2 and the recent $ 10 million Fed Ex-Cup winner Justin Rose, and an average of the world rankings of 19.

Bjorn & # 39; s side, however, the sum was larger than the individual parts.

All twelve members of the team, including five Ryder Cup rookies, contributed at least one point to victory.

Sergio Garcia from Spain, chosen as wildcard for his experience despite a bad season, won his third point of the week with the win against Rickie Fowler. By doing so, he became the leading point shooter in the Ryder Cup history, taking over Nick Faldo with 25½ points overall.

Bjorn added: "This is a special event and experience, when you come up with the right attitude (you) can achieve great things."

Furyk said he was "proud" on his team because he had fought hard in the singles of Sunday, but there would be no major return to equal the 10-6 US reverse on Brookline in 1999 or Europe's "Miracle in Medinah" in 2012.

"There was a time this morning when it seemed like we had a chance," Furyk told Sky Sports. "My hat for Europe, they played well, they turned it around." Hats off to Thomas, he was a great captain, his 12 team members played very well from top to bottom. "

The postmortem for the US will start and mess up until the next Ryder Cup in Whistling Straits, Wisconsin in 2020.

A point of intense debate is the US-perceived lack of Preparedness for Le Golf National.

In total, the Americans had played only eight competition rounds on the runway before the event, compared to 236 for Europe.Only one American, Justin Thomas, came to the venue for this year's French Open play.

The tight fairways and thick rough seemed to stir up the Americans, who preferred a more open, driver-friendly layout.

Furyk was, however, resolute. " We were prepared, we understood the golf course, we were played out, "he said in a gloomy press conference of the team.

The performances of some of his players will also be watched, despite his exploits in the final of the P GA Tour, Woods did not score any points, as did the failing veteran Phil Mickelson and rookie Bryson DeChambeau. Patrick Reed, named Captain America for his previous Ryder Cup heroics, was not upset either.

"We did not do the things we planned," said a dejected Woods as the persistent "Ole, ole, ole" There were chans of jubilant European fans.

"Personally, I went from 0-4 so it's disappointing to get a Ryder Cup end this way, it does not feel very good." At the end of the day came here as a team to win or lose Unfortunately we lost it. "

For Europe, the only thing that stuck is the taste of victory.