After dominating the opening four sessions, Europe took a commanding 11.5-4.5 lead into the final day of competition.<\/p>\n
It meant just three more points were needed to take the Ryder Cup<\/a> back to Europe as winners.<\/p>\n But the Americans came roaring back and threatened the unlikeliest of comebacks.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t WILD RYDE<\/p>\n Why Luke Donald’s Band of Brothers clinched the Ryder Cup for Europe on US soil <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t FIRM DEALS<\/p>\n Free bets and new customer offers for upcoming Rangers and Celtic fixtures<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n In the end, it was all rather nervy from a European standpoint.<\/p>\n In fact, out of the 12 match-ups, only Ludvig Aberg secured a full point for Europe.<\/p>\n Six Americans won their matches.<\/p>\n Half points, therefore, proved absolutely crucial.<\/p>\n Shane Lowry\u2019s half got Europe to the magic 14-point mark<\/a> and meant the cup was retained.<\/p>\n Tyrrell Hatton<\/a>\u2018s own half made it 14.5 and got Europe over the line as winners<\/a>.<\/p>\n Had Europe finished on 14.5 points, the American narrative would\u2019ve been set.<\/p>\n Viktor Hovland<\/a> was forced to withdraw from singles action after suffering a neck injury.<\/p>\n The Norwegian was due to face American opponent Harris English, but he too was withdrawn following Hovland\u2019s exit.<\/p>\n As per a little known rule, the point was automatically shared between the players and edged Europe a step closer to the victory without a ball being struck.<\/p>\n The rule sees both captains each provide a sealed envelope containing the name of one player and that player would sit out singles action if an opponent was forced to withdraw \u2013 as Hovland had to.<\/p>\n Had Europe finished on 14.5 points, the Americans would likely have pointed to the fact they only got the victory over the line due to Hovland\u2019s half point.<\/p>\n Thankfully from a European point of view, Scots hero Bob MacIntyre made sure the narrative didn\u2019t need to come into play.<\/p>\n MacIntyre headed down the 18th one down to Sam Burns<\/a>.<\/p>\n But he rallied at the last, winning the hole to get things tied with his final putt of the competition.<\/p>\n It secured Europe one final half point \u2013 and one that took them onto 15 points.<\/p>\n And European fans were quick to take to social media<\/a> to hail the Oban native for ensuring the US team didn\u2019t get the chance to focus on any potential controversy!<\/p>\n One fan wrote: \u201cThank god for Bob MacIntyre. Now the envelope rule half point doesn\u2019t matter. We would\u2019ve won anyway!\u201d<\/p>\n A second added: \u201cDo the Americans not realise that Robert MacIntyre<\/a> drew with Sam Burns? Why do they keep going on about the Hovland half point?\u201d<\/p>\n A third commented: \u201cWhilst I agree that it\u2019s a ridiculous rule and you should have been given the point\u2026\u2026.Bob MacIntyre\u2019s 1\/2 point at the end means it didn\u2019t win us the Ryder Cup!\u201d<\/p>\n Another said: \u201cMacIntyre secured the biggest 15th point in modern Ryder Cup history. Saved us from this being the narrative.\u201d<\/p>\n Another post read: \u201cWon it fair and square with MacIntyre\u2019s half.\u201d<\/p>\n While another added: \u201cSo glad Bob MacIntyre got that last half point so that we don\u2019t have to hear about this for the next two years!\u201d<\/p>\n A further post commented: \u201cMacIntyre halving his match means that English beating Hovland would have changed nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n Another happy European fan said: \u201cHappy MacIntyre got that half as 14.5-13.5 would\u2019ve felt a bit odd due to the envelope rule. That can\u2019t be mentioned as a controversy now!\u201d<\/p>\n Despite MacIntyre\u2019s point meaning Hovland\u2019s half point did NOT prove crucial in the end, US captain Keegan Bradley<\/a> called for a rule change<\/a> in the aftermath of the dramatic competition.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cIt has to change. I think it\u2019s obvious to everybody\u2026 that rule needs to change by the\u00a0next\u00a0Ryder Cup.\u201d<\/p>\n However, European captain Luke Donald dismissed those suggestions and pointed to the fact that the Americans have actually benefited FROM the so-called \u2018envelope rule\u2019 in the past.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cThe US have used it before. The rule is the rule and it\u2019s been in place for a long time.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s been in place since 1971. The US have used it before. I think it happened in 1991 with Steve Pate. That was a tight Ryder Cup, too, 14.5-13.5.<\/p>\n \u201cIt happened in 1993; Sam Torrance couldn\u2019t play with an injured toe. The US won that one.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead more on the Scottish Sun\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t A CUT ABOVE<\/p>\n Scots butcher to shut just months after winning huge national award<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/TM-28-09-Ryder-Cup-Leckie_COMP.jpg\"\/)
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