Ryder Cup Comeback 2012: Where European Team's Finish Ranks in History

Regardless of whether you were rooting for the European team or the Americans, the thrills provided by the 2012 Ryder Cup have been unequaled in the tournament’s history.

Drama, suspense, despair, elation and redemption were all present in the final hour of Sunday’s singles round as the Europeans took eight of the twelve singles matches to erase a four-point deficit and retain the cup.

This is the American’s fifth loss in six attempts, and it is the biggest comeback ever by a Ryder Cup team playing on foreign soil.

The 1991 Cup provided a fantastic finish that saw Germany’s Bernhard Langer blow a putt to give the tournament to the Americans. This tournament certainly provided no shortage of excitement. 

Then came the 1999 Cup that surpassed the drama provided eight years earlier. The American team set the record for the largest comeback a Ryder Cup had ever seen.

But that record was equaled today when the Europeans immediately turned heads by winning all of the first five singles matches of the day. Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson and Jason Dufner were all able to win their matches, but it eventually all rested on the match between America’s Steve Stricker and Germany’s Martin Kaymer.

Stricker was America’s oldest player at 45, while Kaymer, 27, was not a player anyone expected to make headlines in this tournament. With so much pressure on the final holes, the advantage should have gone to Stricker as the more seasoned player.

But Kaymer stayed focused, and Stricker had to win the 18^th hole outright in order to prevent a monumental meltdown by the American team. It came down to routine putt for Kaymer that was anything but easy given the circumstances.

21 years ago, Kaymer’s countryman became the subject of scorn for buckling under pressure and missing a decisive put. But Kaymer earned a little redemption with a calmly executed shot that gave his side the victory.

The Europeans were overcome with joy following the putt, while Americans were crushed by the defeat. The personalities and the tensions in the Ryder Cup has always produced fantastic golf, but the drama has never been this high.

The way the tournament played out led to several storylines—both historical and current—coming together for one massive shot. So many different emotions were released as the ball hit the bottom of the cup—there has never been a moment like that in Ryder Cup history.