In a dramatic finale at Bethpage Black that will be etched in golf lore, Team Europe clung to the Ryder Cup trophy with a razor-thin 15-13 victory over a resurgent Team USA on Sunday, September 28, 2025. What could have been the greatest comeback in modern Ryder Cup history slipped away by a single point, thanks in no small part to a controversial 30-year-old rule that awarded Europe a crucial half-point when Norwegian star Viktor Hovland withdrew due to a neck injury. The decision sparked immediate backlash, with golf influencer and former pro Paige Spiranac leading the charge against what she called a “crazy” and “dumb” regulation.
The Ryder Cup, golf’s most intense team showdown, saw Europe enter the final day of singles matches with an unprecedented 11.5-4.5 lead – the largest advantage any team has ever held heading into Sunday since the U.S. and Europe began competing head-to-head in 1979. Under the stewardship of captain Luke Donald, the Europeans had dominated the first two days, sweeping sessions and leaving the Americans reeling amid a raucous, at times unruly, New York crowd.
But Team USA, captained by Keegan Bradley, refused to fade quietly. The Stars and Stripes mounted a ferocious rally, winning seven of the 11 contested singles matches to close the gap to within striking distance. Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, and Tony Finau were among the American heroes, each securing full points in birdie-filled duels that electrified the Bethpage faithful. Shane Lowry sealed Europe’s retention of the cup with a clutch birdie putt on the 18th, while Tyrrell Hatton halved his match against Morikawa to provide the decisive margin. Had the U.S. swept the day, they would have needed just one more point to force a tie and reclaim the trophy – a feat that would have surpassed the legendary “Miracle at Medinah” in 2012.
The turning point – or sore spot, depending on one’s allegiance – came before the first tee shot. Hovland, who had been a key contributor earlier in the week, aggravated a pre-existing neck injury overnight and was forced to withdraw from his matchup against Harris English. Under the Ryder Cup’s “envelope rule,” invoked for the first time since the early 1990s, the captains had secretly submitted their singles lineups the night before. With Hovland out, English was sidelined as the corresponding American, and the match was halved without a ball being struck – gifting Europe 0.5 points and denying the U.S. a winnable contest.
The rule, designed to prevent strategic substitutions, drew swift condemnation from Bradley in his post-match press conference. “It’s obvious to everybody in the sports world, in this room. That rule needs to change by the next Ryder Cup,” he said, hinting at potential reforms like awarding the full point to the opposing team or allowing a replacement player.
Enter Paige Spiranac, the 32-year-old golf sensation with over 5 million social media followers, who didn’t hold back in a series of fiery Instagram Stories that racked up more than 88,000 views. A former standout at the University of Arizona and San Diego State, Spiranac – a vocal Team USA supporter throughout the week – called the outcome a “bummer” for Hovland but lambasted the rule’s fairness. “It’s a bummer Hovland is hurt and can’t play but it should be an automatic point to the other team. Getting a half point is crazy!” she posted. In a follow-up, she doubled down: “The rule was dumb 30 years ago. The rule is dumb now. The rule is dumb regardless of which teams it helps. The rule is dumb and should be changed.”
Spiranac didn’t stop at criticism; true to her innovative style, she proposed an alternative system to modernize the archaic envelope process. Drawing from her deep knowledge of the game, she suggested a hybrid approach: lineups could be submitted in sealed envelopes as usual, but with a provision for post-submission adjustments in cases of genuine injury, verified by an independent medical panel. “Allow a sub from the bench if it’s a legit medical issue – keeps the integrity but doesn’t punish the healthy team,” she explained in a video clip. “Or, go full point to the opponents; that’s how the Solheim Cup does it. Either way, no more freebies that decide championships.” Her ideas quickly gained traction, with fans and analysts praising the balance of strategy and equity.
The controversy amplified an already charged weekend at Bethpage Black, where American fans’ heckling – including profane chants directed at Rory McIlroy – had already drawn rebukes from players on both sides. McIlroy, who went 3-1-1 for Europe, later reflected on the “hostile” atmosphere but credited the U.S. rally for making it “one of the best Ryder Cups ever.” Donald, hoisting the trophy amid boisterous European celebrations, dismissed the rule debate with a laugh: “We earned every point out there – the rest is just noise.”
For Team USA, the sting of defeat is fresh, but Bradley sees silver linings. “Our guys showed heart today. We almost pulled off something historic,” he said. As the golf world buzzes over Spiranac’s call to action, one thing is clear: the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in Ireland could see some long-overdue tweaks – and perhaps a nod to the influencer who refused to let a “crazy” rule have the last word.
The Ryder Cup now shifts to Europe for the next defense, but the echoes of Bethpage Black – and Spiranac’s bold blueprint – will linger.
