Ryder Cup: United States clinches title after victory over Europe

Collin Morikawa made birdie on No. 17 to go 1-up in his match against Viktor Hovland and guarantee the Ryder Cup title for the United States with at least 14 1/2 points locked in over Team Europe. This is only the fourth time in the last 13 tries that the US has won the title.

This had the makings of a historic rout. Later, Dustin Johnson became the fifth player in the history of the cup to close out a 5-0 tournament. He is also the first American to do so since 1979.

Johnson closed the tournament with a 1-up win over Paul Casey and wrapped up the game after the United States had already secured the cup. Johnson joins Larry Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Gardner Dickenson, and Francesco Molinari on the shortlist of players to go 5 for 5.

Johnson’s victory gave the United States 17 1/2 points, three over the threshold it needed to win the event, and one short of its biggest Ryder Cup blowout in the modern era, which began in 1979. The US led in one match and was tied in two others still on the course. So the blowout may be surpassed after all.

The youngest American team ever may well surpass the record of 18 1/2 points set by the 1981 US team in what was the biggest American rout of the modern era.

Before Morikawa clinched the title, Patrick Cantlay defeated Shane Lowry 4 and 2, Scottie Scheffler beat world number 1 Jon Rahm 4 and 3, and Bryson DeChambeau beat Sergio Garcia 3 and 2 to set the stage for Morikawa, who hit his tee shot on 17 to 3 feet to set up the birdie putt.

“I woke up this morning and I was trying to tell the guys, ‘Let’s get to 20 points,’ because this is going to be the next era of Ryder Cup team for the US side,” Cantlay was quoted by the Associated Press as saying.

“We’ve got a lot of young guys. I think they’re going to be on teams for a long time, and I wanted to send a message,” Cantlay added. 

Now it is just a matter of the final margin.