USA Earns Landslide Ryder Cup Victory In Wisconsin

The United States got off to an early lead Friday and didn’t let up, winning Wisconsin’s first Ryder Cup in dominant fashion this weekend.

The Americans defeated the European squad in the biennial tournament, which took place at Whistling Straits in Sheboygan County. It came down to the last hole of the last singles match, but the Americans managed to secure their victory in record fashion, winning 19-9. Before Sunday, no team had ever earned 19 points since the current Ryder Cup format was established in 1979. The U.S. team was captained by Wisconsin native Steve Stricker. After the victory was official, Stricker said he was speechless. It’s a new era in American golf, he said.

“These guys all came together,” he told NBC. “They had a mission this week, and you could tell.”

The tournament was set for 2020 before it was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The PGA postponed the event so that fans could attend, and they showed up in huge numbers. About 40,000 people per day took in the festivities, most wearing red, white and blue. They packed into grandstands and climbed up rolling hills to see the action, while boats anchored along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

There were some European fans in the crowd, but with travel challenges brought on by the pandemic, the U.S. enjoyed a heavy home-field advantage. Fans wore suits, kilts and rompers adorned with the stars and stripes. Many waved small American flags from the bleachers.

Featuring sweeping views, clear skies and crisp weather, Whistling Straits was one of the biggest stars of the weekend — even with 13 of the world’s Top 15 golfers on the course.

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The U.S. entered the final day of competition with its largest lead since 1975, and the Americans came to play in their singles matches. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day was Scottie Scheffler’s win over No. 1 Jon Rahm. The Spanish superstar went into Sunday having not lost a point. But the American captain’s pick beat him handedly on Sunday. It’ll give him a lot of confidence going forward, he said.

“This week was a lot of fun,” Scheffler said. “I think it was a good week for me. I played solid golf.”

Rising star Collin Morikawa clinched the victory for the Americans. He hit a spectacular tee shot on the 17th hole and capped it off with a short putt to guarantee the U.S. would earn at least 14.5 points — the number needed to win.

“To clinch this and bring the cup back to home soil, it feels so good,” he said after wrapping up his round.

Perfectly played.#RyderCup pic.twitter.com/g5i5aL4fel

— Ryder Cup (@rydercup) September 26, 2021

Despite their loss, the Europeans spoke highly about the experience, especially Shane Lowry, who made a big put to win the 18th hole on Saturday afternoon.

“I’m having the week of my life here, honestly, I really am,” said Lowry, a Ryder Cup rookie. “It’s just an incredible experience.”

The players joined in the fun — from Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth chugging beers at the behest of fans to the Europeans wearing cheeseheads to a practice round.

“It’s unbelievable, the atmosphere is electric, and I wouldn’t want it any other way,” said American Bryson DeChambeau. “It’s quite a scene, one to remember for a lifetime.”

Ryder Cup festivities took over Sheboygan throughout the weekend. The event was expected to bring more than $100 million to the region. The next Ryder Cup will take place in Rome, Italy.