No Monday is fun, but for the Wisconsinites who have to go to work after drinking many 25 oz. beers while walking around in the sun at Whistling Straits, it’s going to be particularly tough. Godspeed.

Finishing the job

It would have taken a true miracle for the Europeans to come back against the United States on Sunday at the Ryder Cup, and Dustin Johnson and company made sure it didn’t happen. Needing just three and a half points to win, the Americans took seven of 12 matches and halved two others to close out a 19-9 triumph at Whistling Straits. Final Scoring

Rory McIlroy went out first yesterday morning for Europe, and he delivered his first point of the week with a win over Xander Schauffele. After that, though, Team USA dominated, going 5-0-1 over the next six matches. Dustin Johnson earned his fifth point of the week; Scottie Scheffler beat Jon Rahm, Europe’s hottest player Jon Rahm; and Collin Morikawa clinched the victory in the fifth match of the day. It wasn’t super exciting, but it was satisfyingly decisive. The 10-point margin set a modern Ryder Cup record. As far as the record books are concerned, this was the best American team in the event’s history.

Time for a break

After a hard-fought week at Whistling Straits, both American and European teams could use a vacation. Dream Golf could help!

Dream Golf—the people behind Bandon Dunes, Cabot Cape Breton, and Sand Valley—has been making golfers’ dreams come true for over two decades. Recently, they announced a partnership to bring an array of USGA events to Bandon Dunes, and the long-lost Lido is nearing its resurrection near Sand Valley. To celebrate, Dream Golf is hosting a giveaway to send you to either Bandon Dunes or Sand Valley! Winners will have their choice of adventure, either attending the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur at Bandon Dunes or being among the first to preview the Lido. Entries close on September 30.

Win the trip of a lifetime today!

What’s next for Team USA

A lot has been made of the changing of the guard in the U.S. Ryder Cup team. The days of Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, etc., appear to be over, and now the squad consists mostly of 20-somethings who seem to relish team golf. Led by Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, the U.S. team actually played like a team this week. Despite various dramas and distractions in the run-up, the Americans seemed to genuinely enjoy their time together. Their post-tournament press conference was filled with jokes and laughter, and the camaraderie felt real.

But one big question remains for the U.S.: can they win on the road? The Americans haven’t won in Europe since 1993, and they know it. Asked in the final press conference about the team’s young core, Spieth said he believes the U.S. needs to repeat its success in Europe to cement this new dynamic. “It’s one thing to win it over here, and it is a lot easier to do so, and it is harder to win over there,” Spieth said. “If we play like we did this week, the score will look the same over there in a couple years. That’s what we’re here for.”

What’s next for Team Europe

Let’s face it, this year’s European squad just wasn’t deep enough. And it didn’t help that Rory McIlroy, the emotional linchpin of the team, struggled in foursomes and four-ball. Add that to the fact that the Americans were in terrific form, and the Euros faced long odds from the start.

Looking at the bigger picture, longtime Team Europe stalwarts like Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Justin Rose, Paul Casey, Sergio García, and Henrik Stenson are past their primes. Meanwhile, the younger generation—outside of McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Viktor Hovland—has yet to establish itself.

But the next Ryder Cup is in 2023, and two years is a long time in golf. Plenty of young European players—Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard, Sam Horsfield, Robert MacIntyre, and Alex Fitzpatrick among them—have shown promise. So while the Europeans need reinforcements, we should remember that they haven’t lost a Ryder Cup on home soil in nearly 30 years. You know they’ll be hungry to get back on top in Rome.

Quick Hooks

Nasa Hataoka made two holes-in-one en route to a one-shot victory at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship on the LPGA Tour. Results

Both the U.S. Mid-Amateur and the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur are headed to match play.  Men’s Mid-Amatuer Leaderboard, Women’s Mid-Amateur Leaderboard

U.S. captain Steve Stricker took a break from the PGA Tour Champions this week, but the other guys played on without him. K.J. Choi shot a final-round 69 to best Bernhard Langer and win the Pure Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach. Results

The Latest from The Fried Egg

The Fried Egg Podcast: Three Big Takeaways from the Ryder Cup – To get a handle on the week’s action at Whistling Straits and what it all meant, Garrett called up Ben Coley, Joseph LaMagna, and Shane Ryan to get their takeaways from the 2020 Ryder Cup. Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.

After a few days at the Ryder Cup and a few nights in an RV, The Shotgun Start has one last recap podcast from their week at Whistling Straits. Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify.

Print Sale

An exciting Ryder Cup is now behind us, but our Ryder Cup print sale is still on! All prints in our photography section—including ones from Whistling Straits, Torrey Pines, and Pacific Dunes—are 20% off with code RC2020 at checkout. Sale ends tonight, so shop today!