Ryder Cup's Biggest Final-Day Comeback Wins
Those two instances share the Ryder Cup record for largest final-day comebacks: In 1999 and 2012, teams that were four points behind wound up claiming the victory.
1999 Ryder Cup: Team USA Overcomes 4-point, Final-Day Deficit
Team USA trailed here 10-6 entering the singles, a deficit that, to this point in Ryder Cup history, no team had ever come back from. And then the American side won the final-day singles session 8.5 to 3.5, and the overall match 14.5 to 13.5.
In that singles session, Team USA opened with six consecutive wins — including wins by Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods — and won seven of the first eight matches.
A half-point earned when Justin Leonard sank a very long putt against Jose Maria Olazabal in the ninth match of the final day gave the Americans, playing at home, the points needed to win the Cup.
2012 Ryder Cup: Team Europe Overcomes 4-point, Final-Day Deficit
Europe trailed 10-4 with two fourball matches still on the course on Day 2, and that's actually where Team Europe's comeback began. Europe won those two remaining fourballs on Day 2 to cut its deficit to 10-6.
Then, in the final day of singles matches, Europe reeled off five consecutive wins to start Day 3. Ian Poulter, Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia all came from behind in their individual matches to earn crucial victories.
Europe won that singles session by a score of 8.5 to 3.5 (winning overall 14.5 to 13.5) to match the Americans' comeback in 1999. Of the 12 singles matches, Europe won eight and earned a half-point in one more.
When Martin Kaymer sank a 5-foot putt on the 18th green to defeat Steve Stricker, it was the 14th point for Europe. That guaranteed the Europeans would hold the cup, since they were the defending champions.
One could argue that this comeback is the more impressive of the two, 4-point, final-day, come-from-behind wins discussed here: Team Europe won on the road, playing on American soil.
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