United States Wins Ryder Cup, Tony Finau Loses Singles Match Against Poulter
Sep 26, 2021, 3:42 PM
(Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah’s Tony Finau has lost his singles match against Ian Poulter 3&2 but it did not matter because the USA returned the Ryder Cup to home soil after an emphatic victory against Europe.
Finau missed the fairway by finding a bunker on the first hole, he then missed the green with his second. Poulter found the fairway off the tee and hit the first green in regulation. Sadly, Finau missed his nine-foot par putt while Poulter comfortably two-putted to take the early lead.
It's coming back 🏆
The USA has clinched the 43rd #RyderCup pic.twitter.com/xeEqJ8RJYB
— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) September 26, 2021
The two then went back and forth for the following seven holes, before Finau sunk the first blow for the USA on the eighth when Finau made a comfortable par while Poulter battled for bogey.
The match entered the turn all square but it did not last long.
Poulter went on a tear between the 10th and 12th hole when he strung together three consecutive wins to quickly take a three-hole lead. Despite taking the 13th hole, the hole was too deep and Finau was never able to get back into the contest.
The match concluded on the 16th green, following another Poulter win on 15.
Poulter nabs a point for @RyderCupEurope pic.twitter.com/bRP2Eg6AGv
— Ryder Cup (@rydercup) September 26, 2021
It was the first time in Finau’s Ryder Cup career that he lost a single match. In 2018, Finau beat Tommy Fleetwood 6&4. However, this year Finau will conclude the Ryder Cup with two losses, despite having never lost prior to this year.
The USA is looking to break a Ryder Cup record of the largest margin of victory. In 1979, the Ryder Cup adjusted its point format and the number of possible points dropped from 32 to 28. Since then, the largest margin of victory came in 1981 when the USA beat Europe 18.5 to 9.5.
Currently, the USA leads Europe 17.5 to 7.5 with three matches still in progress.