YEARENDER-Golf: Scottie Scheffler won the PGA Championship

GOLF: Ryder Cup

What looked certain to be a comfortable Europe win unexpectedly turned into a thrilling Ryder Cup finale as they withstood a ferocious challenge from the U.S. on the final day to capture golf's biggest team prize in a nail-biting 15-13 victory.

Europe, a close-knit team that had done everything right for two days at Long Island's Bethpage Black, needed two points from the 11 singles matches that were played to retain the Ryder Cup, but the U.S. made them sweat it out until the bitter end.

It wasn't until the eighth match of the day that Ireland's Shane Lowry drained a two-metre birdie at the last to tie Russell Henley, getting Europe to 14 points on the week and guaranteeing they would retain the Ryder Cup they won two years ago in Rome.

Then it was Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, in the penultimate match, who secured the outright victory with a half-point from his battle with Collin Morikawa that put Europe at the 14-1/2 points needed to win the Ryder Cup.

Europe have now won 11 of the last 15 Ryder Cups dating back to 1995 and their latest triumph marks the fifth time they have won on foreign soil.

The Americans, who even had U.S. President Donald Trump on hand to offer support on Friday, failed to put up a fight over the first two days of the event while rowdy home fans launched all manner of verbal abuse at the Europeans.

Despite the hostile conditions, Europe produced remarkable shotmaking and clutch putting through the foursomes and fourball sessions, all while displaying a level of camaraderie and intensity the U.S. side could only dream of.

The Masters

Rory McIlroy beat Britain's Justin Rose on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff at the Masters to become the sixth player, and first European, to complete the career Grand Slam of golf's four majors.

Northern Irishman McIlroy, who squandered a four-shot lead on the back nine during regulation, wasted no time in the playoff as he hit his approach at the par-four 18th two feet from the cup for a tap-in birdie after Rose missed his 5-metre putt.

When the winning putt dropped, McIlroy raised his arms toward the clear sky and let his putter fall behind him as he dropped to his knees overcome with emotion.

For McIlroy, who was making his 11th attempt at completing the Grand Slam, the feat marked a crowning achievement in his career and delivered his first major title since August 2014.

PGA Championship

Scottie Scheffler won the PGA Championship by five strokes at Quail Hollow Club.

It wasn't as easy as many expected, but Scheffler collected his third major title with an even-par last round of 71 that was enough for the Olympic champion to pick up something much bigger than a gold medal -- the huge Wanamaker Trophy.

He finished at 11-under 273, while fellow Americans Bryson DeChambeau (70), Harris English (65) and Davis Riley (72) tied for second at 6-under.

World No. 1 Scheffler previously won the 2022 and 2024 Masters.

U.S. Open

American J.J. Spaun sank an improbable 20-metre birdie putt at the 18th hole to cap his stunning first major victory, emerging from the pack in the wild, waterlogged final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club.

Spaun finished the round birdie-birdie to card a 2-over 72 and finish 1-under-par 279 for the week, two better than Scotland's Robert MacIntyre.

Spaun had just one prior victory on the PGA Tour. He held the first-round lead, hung around through Friday and Saturday and then won a war of attrition in horrid weather conditions.

British Open

Scottie Scheffler delivered a commanding performance to win his first British Open title by four shots after a closing 68 at Royal Portrush.

The world number one, four clear of the field overnight, picked up three early birdies before his only significant error when he failed to get out of a bunker at the first attempt on the way to a double-bogey at the eighth hole.

Scheffler was never seriously threatened, however, as he claimed his fourth major crown and second of the year after winning the PGA Championship in May.

Scheffler finished on 17-under, with Harris English and Chris Gotterup completing an all-American top three.

Production: Andy Ragg, Conal Quinn/Reuters