If you walked away from your TV on Saturday night during the last Ryder Cup, you probably thought it was over. Done. A total blowout. Most people looking for current Ryder Cup scores are trying to wrap their heads around how a seven-point lead nearly evaporated into the greatest collapse in golf history.
Honestly, the atmosphere at Bethpage Black was something else. It was rowdy, loud, and at times, just plain mean. But that is exactly what we expected from a New York crowd. In the end, Team Europe walked away with a 15–13 victory, but that score hides a massive amount of Sunday drama that saw the Americans claw back from the brink of humiliation.
The Final Tallies and That Sunday Surge
Let's look at the numbers. Europe won 15 to 13.
Coming into Sunday, Europe was sitting on an 11.5 to 4.5 lead. They only needed three more points to keep the cup. It looked like a cakewalk. But then the singles matches started, and the scoreboard started turning red. A lot of red.
The U.S. actually won the Sunday singles session 8.5 to 3.5. Think about that for a second. If they had just played a tiny bit better on Friday morning—where they got absolutely swept 3–1 in foursomes—the trophy stays in America.
Why the Scoring Felt So Weird
You've got to remember how the points work here. There are 28 total points available.
- 14.5 points wins it outright for the challenger.
- 14 points allows the defending champion to keep it.
Europe reached the magic number because of a weird technicality involving Viktor Hovland. He had to withdraw on Sunday due to an injury. Because of Ryder Cup rules, Captain Keegan Bradley had to put one of his players "in the envelope" to sit out so the match could be halved. He chose Harris English. Basically, both teams got a half-point without a ball being hit. That half-point was exactly what Europe needed to nudge them over the line when the U.S. was charging.
Breaking Down the Session Scores
If you want to understand why the current Ryder Cup scores ended up where they did, you have to look at the Friday morning massacre. Europe came out like they were playing a different sport.
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Friday Morning (Foursomes): Europe 3, USA 1
The big shocker here was Rahm and Hatton taking down DeChambeau and Thomas 4&3. People expected the American "power" pairing to dominate. They didn't. They looked out of sync.
Friday Afternoon (Four-balls): Europe 2.5, USA 1.5
The U.S. got a spark from Justin Thomas and Cameron Young, who crushed Aberg and Hojgaard 6&5. It was the only time the home crowd really had something to scream about on Day 1.
Saturday Morning (Foursomes): Europe 3, USA 1
Same story. Different day. Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood—the "Fleetwood Mac" duo—were just too clinical. They beat English and Morikawa 3&2, and you could feel the air leaving the stadium.
Saturday Afternoon (Four-balls): Europe 3, USA 1
This is where it felt like it was over. Europe went into the final day with a massive seven-point cushion. 11.5 to 4.5.
The Sunday Singles Scoreboard
This is the part everyone talks about. The U.S. won 7 of the 12 matches and halved three others.
- Scottie Scheffler took down Rory McIlroy 1-up in a match that felt like a heavyweight fight.
- Xander Schauffele dismantled Jon Rahm 4&3.
- J.J. Spaun (the rookie!) beat Sepp Straka 2&1.
If the Americans hadn't dug such a deep hole in the team formats, this would have been a blowout for Team USA. But golf is a game of 18 holes, and the Ryder Cup is a game of three days. You can't win it on Sunday if you lose it on Friday.
The Captaincy Factor
Keegan Bradley took a lot of heat for the course setup. He's the one who decided how the rough was cut and where the pins were. After the 15–13 loss, he actually admitted he might have overthought the Bethpage setup. He wanted it tough, but it turned out the European "ball-strikers" like Ludvig Aberg and Shane Lowry thrived in the chaos.
Luke Donald, on the other hand, played it cool. He brought back 11 of the 12 guys who won in Rome. That chemistry showed. They didn't panic when the U.S. started making putts on Sunday. They just waited for their moments.
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Looking Forward to 2027
So, what does this mean for the next one? The Cup heads back to Ireland (Adare Manor) in 2027.
Europe has now won on the road, which is notoriously hard to do. In fact, this was the first time an away team won since the "Miracle at Medinah" in 2012. The U.S. team is going through a bit of an identity crisis. They have the best players in the world on paper—Scottie Scheffler is basically a machine at this point—but they can't seem to figure out the team chemistry until it's too late.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
- Watch the Foursomes: If you're betting or just following along, the alternate shot (foursomes) is where the Cup is won or lost. The U.S. has a massive weakness here.
- Chemistry Matters: Europe picks players who like each other. The U.S. often picks the "best" players who don't always mesh.
- Home Field Isn't Everything: Bethpage Black was supposed to be a fortress for the Americans. It wasn't.
If you are tracking the current Ryder Cup scores for historical context or future bets, remember that the "envelope rule" and the Friday sweep are the two biggest reasons Europe is still holding the trophy.
To stay ahead of the next cycle, keep an eye on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour crossover events. The players who perform well in those high-pressure, mixed-field events are usually the ones who end up making the biggest impact when the Ryder Cup rolls around again.