The Team USA rallied around a hat debate that was fuelled by a parking lot feud . But the spark proved to be too little, too late. The momentum from a foursomes win on Friday at the first Ryder Cup held in Rome carried Team Europe through to Sunday. This continued a long-standing tradition of home victories.
Viktor Hovland was one of only two players who played all five matches in Team Europe. He scored the first point for Luke Donald’s squad at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club. After Rickie Fowler smashed the ball into the water, Europe had 14 1/2 points and won the cup. Tommy Fleetwood had driven the green of the par-4 16th hole on the driveable course. Fowler gave up the birdie after Fleetwood’s eagle was lowered to 2 feet 8 inches. This gave Europe the necessary half-point to win.
The last time the U.S. won a Ryder Cup abroad was in 1993.
Jamie Weir reported on SkySports that Patrick Cantlay refused to wear the team hat because he wanted Ryder Cup players paid. European fans waved their hats all weekend at the American golfer. Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava waved his hat on Saturday night after Cantlay made a match-winning putting to give the U.S. a lifeline heading into singles.
Rory McIlroy was not happy with LaCava for his antics on the green. In the parking lot, his frustrations reached a boiling point when he was restrained from talking to caddie Jim “Bones Mackay” while he was talking.
Rory = NOT happy pic.twitter.com/AgGdvZ4ibd
— Golfweek 30 September 2023 HTML0
McIlroy won four points at Rome after a loss in Whistlingstraits two years earlier brought him to tears. McIlroy said to NBC that he took advantage of the incident at the 18th hole and in the parking lot on Saturday night.
McIlroy said that the finish was “a little deflating last night”, but he added, “but what happened on that final green gave us some fire in our belly to get it done today.”
Cantlay said that after the singles match, NBC, after the 2-and-1 win over Justin Rose had improved his team singles record to 4-0-0, the reports about Ryder Cup division and money in the U.S. Team Room were totally false.
Cantlay said, “It’s not true at all.” Cantlay said, “I haven’t heard a word about that this week.” “The U.S. has been very close to winning all week.”
