30/09/2025

SPORTS TUESDAY | SEPT 30, 2025

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‘This is no one’s fault but mine’

PIN HIGH Donald won’t rule out captaincy return

the leader of the team … and you lose, you have to take the blame.” Justin Thomas, a two-time major winner, said all Bradley needed was more made putts by US players in the first two days. Bradley indicated he would not expect to return. “Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. But we have some momentum going forward,” Bradley said. “I’ll help out the best I can to help the next captain.” Bradley was disappointed at soft greens soaked by days of rain before the event, his plans for months undone by unpredictable weather. “I’ve never seen Bethpage greens play this soft ever. “I definitely made a mistake on the course

UNITED STATES captain Keegan Bradley accepted the blame for the United States’ loss yesterday in the Ryder Cup despite a furious final-day singles fightback. “I’ve got to take responsibility for this outcome for sure,” Bradley said. “I definitely feel I made a few mistakes there. I wish I could have some of those decisions back.” Bradley, ranked 13th in the world and ahead of four of his players, said he had all the resources and support needed by the organisers. “The PGA of America put me in an amazing position to succeed. They gave me every resource. They gave me every option. I had everything at my fingertips,” Bradley said. “This is no one’s fault but mine. When you are

setup. I should have listened a little bit more to my intuition,” he said. “At a Ryder Cup the captain is to be blamed or to be celebrated. “We all have to do a better job, but most importantly I have to do a better job as a captain.” Bradley said Europe played “as high of a level as a Ryder Cup team has ever played for those two days,” calling it “one of the best performances of a road team in any sport.” “They’ve played incredible. They’ve putted even better. They have come into a hostile environment and played great. You have to take a step back and tip your cap to something like that.” – AFP

EUROPE captain Luke Donald was soaking up the praise from players and rivals after years of preparation paid off at Bethpage Black. And as his triumphant team chanted, “Two more years” around him, Donald didn’t say no. “My answer is I’m going to enjoy tonight,” the Englishman replied. Donald, who also guided Europe’s 2023 win at Rome, became the first captain to win back-to-back Cups since English compatriot Tony Jacklin in 1987. Asked on the course after the victory about a 2027 return, Donald said, “I don’t think my heart can take two more years. We’ll see.” “He’s the greatest captain I think that has ever lived,” Shane Lowry said. “He’s the most amazing man in the world. Honestly, he has done the best job.” Donald returned 11 players for the winning side in Rome for a formidable roster that included second-ranked Rory McIlroy and Spanish star Jon Rahm. “Luke has set the bar for captaincy so extremely high,”Rahm said.“What he has done these four years is absolutely astonishing. He has been so professional, so dedicated, so incredibly meticulous, and well organised and doing everything that he needs to do.” Bradley calls for injury rule change UNITED STATES captain Keegan Bradley called for Ryder Cup rules regarding injured players to be changed after the late withdrawal of Norway’s Viktor Hovland handed Europe a precious half-point and boosted their successful title defence. Hovland had been due to face American Harris English in Sunday’s singles at Bethpage Black but scratched with a neck problem before play got under way, leaving the match halved and Europe 12-5 up – just two points away from retaining the title. Bradley wants the half-point rule in the captains’ agreement tossed. “It has to change,” Bradley said. “I have a few ideas but I’m not going to tell you right now. “The rule has to change. I think it’s obvious to everybody in the sports world, in this room. Nothing against Viktor. But that rule needs to change by the next Ryder Cup.” Europe captain Donald supported the status quo. “It has been in place since 1971,” Donald said. “The US have used it before. It happened in 1993. Sam Torrance couldn’t play with an injured toe. The US won that one. “We have contracts for a reason, a captains’ agreement for a reason, for situations that occur.”

Europe’s emotional win in Farmingdale Americans leave with pride after Ryder Cup fightback attempt E UROPE fought off a thrilling

To do it out there today in front of everyone – it was so hard out there.” Europe’s triumph was their 11th in the past 15 Cup showdowns and their fourth on the road in that span, the first away victory since Europe’s 2012 “Miracle at Medinah.” “It was probably the most stressful 12 hours of my life,” Europe captain Luke Donald said. “I didn’t think they’d be this tough on Sunday. They fought so hard. But we got it done. “Couldn’t be more proud of these guys and what they’ve gone through. They will go down in history. “This is for the future generations that will be talking about it for a long time.” Americans lead the all-time rivalry 27-16-2 but Europe lead 13-9-1 since the roster was expanded beyond Britain and Ireland in 1979. “I’m extremely proud to be a part of this team,” said second-ranked McIlroy, who went 3-1-1. “This was an unbelievable collective effort. It has been an amazing week.” Europe seized a record 11.5-4.5 lead after the conclusion of the pairs sessions, which became 12-5 after Norway’s Viktor Hovland withdrew from singles due to a neck injury and his match with Harris English was declared a draw. Early losses by McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose had Europe reeling. But Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg beat Patrick Cantlay 2&1 for the only Europe singles win of the day and Matt Fitzpatrick, despite squandering a 5-up lead after seven holes, tied Bryson DeChambeau to put Europe on the brink.

United States rally to win an emotional Ryder Cup yesterday with Irishman Shane Lowry securing the trophy on a dramatic six foot birdie putt on the 18th hole. Lowry’s tension-packed putt lifted him into a tie with American Russell Henley for the half-point that

clinched Europe keeping the trophy and two late ties gave the visitors a 15-13 victory. “That was the hardest couple of hours of my whole life,” a tearful Lowry said. “I just can’t believe that putt went in. I stood over it going ‘This is it.’ “I said walking down 18, ‘I have a chance to do the coolest thing in my life.’ The Ryder Cup

means every thing to me…

Having won the Cup in Rome in 2023, Europe needed only 14 points to keep it while the Americans needed 14.5 point to recapture it, which would have taken the greatest last-day comeback in Cup history.

Team Europe’s Shane Lowry (left) and Justin Rose celebrates as

they win the Ryder Cup. – AFPPIC/REUTERSPIC

It nearly happened and tensions grew to epic levels before Lowry’s heroic finish. – AFP McIlroy slams ‘unacceptable’ Ryder Cup heckling

RORY MCILROY was not shy about his dislike for Ryder Cup hecklers after a week that included taunts, insults and a beer thrown at his wife Erica. The ugly situation got so bad that extra police with dogs walked alongside McIlroy over the weekend as he helped Europe beat the United States at Bethpage Black in the biennial team golf showdown. “I wish they had let the dogs off the leashes,” McIlroy joked yesterday following Europe’s nail biting victory. Raucous fans created an intense and unsafe atmosphere, over-the-top insults aimed at players and families, with five-time major winner

Donald said. “It was rough. It was brutal at times out there. It really was. It was nasty sometimes.” McIlroy called for unruly behaviour which crossed the line to be banished from the sport, even in as emotional a week as the Ryder Cup. He called for support for beloved players, not anger directed at rivals. “I didn’t hear a lot of shouts for Scottie (Scheffler), but I heard a lot of shouts against me,” McIlroy said. “It was a rough week for all of us. But at the same time, we shut them up by our performance and how we played.” – AFP

“The amount of abuse she received was astonishing,” Lowry said. “The way she was out there supporting her husband and her team was unbelievable.” Second-ranked McIlroy, who won the Masters in April to complete a career Grand Slam, said his wife had handled the abuse with “class, poise and dignity.” “We’re going to have a good time celebrating,” he added. Europe captain Luke Donald had already prepared his players for the intense emotions of a New York crowd. “We knew New York wasn’t going to be easy,”

McIlroy the top target. “The police out there and the amount of security presence was insane,” McIlroy said. “Nothing was going to happen. There wasn’t going to be physical altercation or anything like that. “But there was a lot of language that was unacceptable and abusive behaviour. “It should be off-limits, but obviously it wasn’t this week.” Irishman Shane Lowry, who sank the Cup clinching putt for Europe, spent two days watching his pal McIlroy, and his wife, verbally abused by hecklers.