Ryder Cup: Player ratings and stats after Europe regained the trophy in Paris
After Europe regained the Ryder Cup with a seven-point victory over the United States at Le Golf National in Paris on Sunday we take a look at where the 42nd contest was won and lost, the player ratings, and the stats.
Where the Ryder Cup was won and lost
Home advantage
Le Golf National has hosted the European Tour's French Open every year since 1991, with the exception of 1999 and 2001, and Europe's players simply knew the course far better than their opponents.
Only Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka and Bubba Watson had played the course in competition and only Thomas - who was the top American points scorer - managed to make the cut.
In contrast Europe could boast the last two French Open champions in Alex Noren and Tommy Fleetwood and captain Thomas Bjorn made sure the set-up favoured his side and punished the bigger-hitting, but more wayward, Americans.
Wild card choices
Both captains had four wild card selections and Jim Furyk's were little short of disastrous. Tony Finau did well on his debut with two wins, including a thrashing of Fleetwood in the singles, but Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau failed to earn a single point between them.
Bjorn's selection of veterans Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter was not universally popular, but the quartet contributed 9.5 points and Garcia surpassed Nick Faldo as the top scorer in Ryder Cup history.
Team chemistry
The much-vaunted "Task Force" set up after the loss of Gleneagles helped the Americans win back the trophy at Hazeltine in 2016 and seemingly form a more cohesive unit, but the cracks again began to show in Paris.
Furyk's decision to split up the successful pairing of Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed did allow Spieth to win three points from four matches with good friend Thomas, but Reed lost both matches with Woods and Reed's wife Justine took to social media to suggest that Spieth, rather than her husband, was behind the split. In contrast, the "bromance" between Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari resulted in a record four wins and Stenson and Justin Rose renewed their winning partnership as well.
Better golf
For all the talk about course set-up, wild cards and pairings, the Ryder Cup ultimately comes down to which team plays the best golf and, apart from the opening session, Europe were deserving winners. In the foursomes session in which the United States were whitewashed for the first time ever, their four pairs were a combined 11 over par while Europe's were four under in tough, windy conditions.
Mickelson conceding to Molinari after dumping his tee shot on the 16th into the water summed up the poor performance of the American team as a whole.
American arrogance?
Much was made before the start of how the American team was the strongest ever assembled, with an average world ranking of 11.2 and stuffed with major champions like Woods, Mickelson, Reed, Koepka, Spieth, Thomas, Webb Simpson, Watson and Dustin Johnson, who also happens to be the world number one.
And while they would never say so in public, perhaps those players believed the hype which led one American journalist to say they would "roll to victory in Paris" and set the stage for more than a decade of "blowouts" in the biennial contest.
Player Rating
Europe
Paul Casey
Ten years after his last appearance the Englishman's selection as a wild card was fully justified. Was brilliant on the first day and took a significant half-point in the singles from the player of the year Brooks Koepka. 7/10
Played: 3. W: 1 L: 1 H: 1. Points 1.5
Tommy Fleetwood
Partnership with Francesco Molinari was the cornerstone for Europe's win, winning four points from four matches. Took its toll in the singles and it was a shame he lost that winning record. 9/10
P: 5 W: 4 L: 1 H: 0. Pts 4
Sergio Garcia
Marshalled rookie Alex Noren superbly in their opening match in Friday's foursomes and led from the front in Saturday's fourballs. Was ahead from the first hole in singles and his history-making point was a deserved reward for a Ryder Cup giant. 8/10
P: 4 W: 3 L: 1 H: 0. Pts 3
Tyrrell Hatton
Baptism of fire against United States' top pair of Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth on Friday morning but did not disgrace himself. Reunited with Casey to win on Saturday morning but did not play his best golf. 6/10
P: 3 W: 1: L: 2 H: 0. Pts 1
Rory McIlroy
Struggled with his game, particularly putting, and was out of sorts on Friday morning but bounced back in the afternoon and performed well with Garcia in Saturday's fourballs. However, he looked spent after lunch and despite keeping a bogey off his card for 17 holes of singles golf messed up the last. 6/10
P: 5 W: 2 L: 3 H: 0. Pts 2
Francesco Molinari
The Open champion backed up his recently-acquired major status with a majestic performance. His trademark consistency, with the occasional flash of brilliance, saw him become the first European to win all five points. and he was superb with Fleetwood. 10/10
P: 5: W: 5 L: 0 H: 0. Pts 5
Alex Noren
The quiet man of the team was almost forgotten in the wild celebrations following confirmation of Europe's win, but long after the result was decided he showed his professionalism by holing a superb pressure putt on the last for a satisfying singles point. 7/10
P: 3 W: 2 L: 1. H: 0. Pts 2
Thorbjorn Olesen
Forgotten man of the team, was benched for three sessions after Friday fourballs defeat alongside McIlroy. However, showed up on Sunday with the most stunning win of the week, dispatching Spieth 5&4. 7/10
P: 2. W: 1 L: 1 H: 0. Pts 1
Ian Poulter
Not the influential contribution of the past but saw off world number one Dustin Johnson with three birdies in his last five holes. 7/10
P: 4: W: 2 L: 2 H: 0. Pts 2
Jon Rahm
The rookie struggled over the first two days but his point in the singles after holding off Tiger Woods, having never been behind in the match, was psychologically important at a time when USA's challenge was gaining momentum. 7/10
P3: W: 1 L: 2 H: 0. Pts 1
Justin Rose
His reunion with Henrik Stenson in foursomes was a successful but he just could not get going on Sunday and suffered a disappointing defeat to Webb Simpson. 7/10
P: 4: W: 2: L: 2 H: 0. Pts 2
Henrik Stenson
Unerring consistency from the Swede, a captain's pick for his experience, who dovetailed brilliantly again with Rose. Demolished Bubba Watson 5&4 in a ruthless singles performance. 9/10
P: 3 W: 3 L: 0 H: 0. Pts 3
United States
Bryson DeChambeau
The rookie was supposed to be the steadying influence on Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson but had crushing foursomes defeats with both. Had a half-point cruelly snatched from his grasp after a brilliant approach at the last by Noren's long putt. 4/10
P: 3 W: 0 L: 3 H: 0. Pts: 0
Tony Finau
A better rookie performance from the big-hitter, he saved his best till last with a 6&4 win over a clearly drained Fleetwood. 6/10
P: 3 W: 2 L:1 H: 1. Pts: 2
Rickie Fowler
Flattered to deceive again. Failed to generate any chemistry or good form with partner Johnson over the first two days and was always behind against Garcia in singles. 4/10
P: 4 W: 1: L: 3 H: 0. Pts: 1
Dustin Johnson
Hugely unimpressive for the world number one, who made numerous visits to Le Golf National's water hazards and could barely hole a putt until the last round when it was too late. 2
P: 5 W: 1: L: 4: H: 0. Pts: 1
Phil Mickelson
Came into the event in poor form and it was never likely to improve under such testing circumstances. Was hopelessly wayward and, after bizarrely being picked in Friday's foursomes, was benched Saturday and was no match for a rampant Molinari in singles, losing four holes to bogey. 2/10
P: 2 W: 0 L: 2 H: 0. Pts: 0
Patrick Reed
USA's self-styled Captain America failed to live up to his billing, looking horribly out of sorts. Appeared more interested in playing up to his pantomime villain caricature right up until the last with his solitary win over Hatton after the cup had already been lost. 3/10
P: 3 W: 1 L: 2 H: 0. Pts: 1
Webb Simpson
America's steady man, he pulled off a good victory over Rose in the singles while also managing to get a point with Watson despite his troubles. 6/10
P: 3 W: 2 L: 1 H: 0. Pts: 2
Jordan Spieth
Could not have done much more in his partnership with Thomas, taking three points from a possible four. Putter went cold against Olesen in a demoralising singles victory. 7/10
P: 5 W: 3 L: 2 H: 0. Pts: 3
Justin Thomas
The USA's star performer. Never looked like he was out of a hole, making clutch putts from everywhere. A dogged competitor whose singles battle with McIlroy was an important morale-booster for his side. 8/10
P: 5 W: 4 L: 1 H: 0. Pts: 4
Brooks Koepka
Never lived up to his billing as the player of the year and looked a shadow of the player who won two majors this summer. 5/10
P: 4 W: 1 L: 2 H: 1. Pts: 1.5
Bubba Watson
Never looked happy with the tight set-up of Le Golf National and that was reflected in his play. A 5&4 thrashing in the singles summed up his week. 3/10
P: 3 W: 1 L: 2 H: 0. Pts: 1
Tiger Woods
Came into the event on the back of his first win in five years but that appeared to have taken a physical and emotional toll and he never got close to the form which rejuvenated his career this year. Iron play was not as sharp and he was poor off the tee. 2/10
P: 4: W: 0 L: 4 H: 0. Pts: 0.
The Ryder Cup in Numbers
0: Three American players failed to register a point - Bryson DeChambeau, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
4: Tommy Fleetwood scored four points, a joint-record for a European rookie, equalling the performance of Thomas Pieters two years ago.
5: Francesco Molinari scored five points, the best performance ever by a European player in the Ryder Cup.
6: The European pair of Alex Noren and Sergio Garcia, and the American partnership of Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson, both managed to run up triple-bogey sixes on the par-three second hole in their foursomes match on Saturday. It was an unlikely way to see a hole halved.
9: Europe have won nine of the last 12 Ryder Cups.
12: All 12 members of the European team contributed at least a point.
18: Only six of the 28 matches over the three days reached the 18th hole.
22: After losing twice, Mickelson has now lost more matches than any other player in Ryder Cup history. Woods has now lost 21 after four defeats this week.
25.5: Points now scored by Sergio Garcia in his Ryder Cup career, a new record, surpassing the previous mark of 25 set by Sir Nick Faldo.
6,900: Number of seats in the grandstand behind the first tee.
7,000: People worked on the event at Le Golf National throughout the week, including 1,050 marshals and 650 police officers.
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