Takeaways from Ryder Cup Day 3: Americans fail to defend home soil

"I mean, I've been so lucky to experience amazing things in this game," Lowry said of the putt, per ESPN's Mark Schlabach. "That was the hardest couple of hours of my life. Honestly. I just can't believe it. I can't believe that ball went in. I stood over it going, 'This is it.'"

Why did it take Scottie Scheffler so long to play like the world's No. 1 player?

Scheffler has won four major championships, including the Masters twice. Still, he has continually underperformed at the Ryder Cup. He went 0-2-2 without a single victory at the 2023 Ryder Cup.   

Those struggles carried over into the 2025 Ryder Cup. He went 0-4-0 through the first two rounds of the tournament. 

On his final day, however, Scheffler reminded fans why he's the world's best player, etching a 1-up victory over Irishman Rory McIlroy in the 20th match of the tournament. If he had played much better, things might have been different for the Americans. 

Obscure rule will draw controversy 

Norwegian Viktor Hovland withdrew from the final day of the tournament because of a neck injury. This activated the "envelope rule." 

When making his singles lineup on Saturday night, United States captain Keegan Bradley had to place one of his players' names in a sealed envelope in case someone from Europe withdrew. The name was Harris English, who faced Hovland on Sunday.

The match between English and Hovland ended in a draw. The rule left Bradley angry, who said it's evident to everyone in the sports world this "has to change," via The Athletic's Michael Dominski.  

Where does the United States go from here? 

Will Bradley be the captain at the next Ryder Cup in 2027? His gambles on the first day of the tournament proved costly, but his squad deserves credit for the comeback on its final day. 

"It's been the 12 most stressful hours of my life," European captain Luke Donald said, via Max Matthews of The Athletic. "Shout out to the Americans and Keegan, his captaincy. We knew they'd be tough. I didn't think they'd be this tough on Sunday. They fought so hard and respect to them."

Despite that, it wouldn't be a surprise if Bradley isn't a captain again. The Americans must consider making changes to win their first Ryder Cup since 2021.