Bryson DeChambeau watched the ball drop and then turned towards the grandstand as dusk closed in over New York. He clenched his fist and let out a huge, guttural roar.
This was the sight American fans had envisioned ever since sunrise on Friday morning, when DeChambeau stepped out of the players’ tunnel, draped in the Stars and Stripes, and sent down a monstrous drive to kickstart this Ryder Cup.
It says everything that they had to wait until early Sunday evening. It says everything about the events of the last few days and just how deep DeChambeau had to dig in this singles match against Matt Fitzpatrick.
He was five down after seven holes here. He was done – broken, beaten, a shadow and a spent force. But then DeChambeau went on a charge. And before long, he was back doing what he enjoys best: conducting the crowd and chuntering to himself and striding from tee to green. Until he reached 18, and stood over that short putt.
In the end, the American was celebrating only a half-point. But, boy, they have been hard to come by this weekend. For him and his teammates.
DeChambeau was tipped to be the difference maker at Bethpage Black. He was sent out first thing Friday morning and expected to lead the American charge. A gladiator, an inspiration. But for all his bravado and booming drives, he became little more than collateral damage.
Bryson DeChambeau celebrates his half point against Europe’s Matt Fitzpatrick on Sunday
The Englishman was five up through seven holes before DeChambeau pegged him back
DeChambeau was tipped to be the difference maker but he was reduced to collateral damage
Before this? He had reached the 18th green only once – and that was in defeat. He had amassed one point from four matches as Europe trampled over American dreams.
No wonder, then, that on Sunday, DeChambeau trudged on to the first tee. Not draped in any flags. Not flanked by his President or any teammate. For once, DeChambeau was alone. And for a while, he looked very lonely indeed.
He was flat and disgruntled and on the end of a hiding. But from hole No 8, he began to reel Fitzpatrick in. From five down after seven, he was three down at the turn and then one down after 15. He levelled the match before bounding up the hill toward the 18th tee. It was a remarkable turnaround on a day when Team USA threatened the impossible. But in the end, it was all in vain.
They share a love of numbers, these two. But as DeChambeau and Fitzpatrick strode down the opening fairway at Bethpage Black, it was impossible not to be struck by the difference in size and shape and style.
They are rather neat proof that there is more than one way to be good at golf. At the first, unfazed by his opponent’s huge drive, Fitzpatrick dropped his approach to within a few feet from the pin.
DeChambeau, from much further up the fairway, couldn’t match him. The American left his chip short and then rolled his birdie putt past. Fitzpatrick responded by sending his into the cup.
It felt like a neat encapsulation of the past few days. Time and again Team USA has come out swinging off that first tee. Time and again DeChambeau and Co have shown flashes of defiance and threatened to turn the tide. Time and again, the visitors have doused those flickers before this match really caught fire.
Not that Fitzpatrick’s opening birdie popped the bubble straight away. He walked through the tunnel toward the second tee and a torrent of abuse. It was largely inane and inoffensive but still rather unpleasant.
The American made a dreadful, error-strewn start to his singles match at Bethpage Black
On Friday, DeChambeau wandered on to the first tee flanked by President Donald Trump
Nothing sucked the energy and hostility out of the crowd except DeChambeau’s errors. His approach to the second was fat and then on the third, he gifted Fitzpatrick another hole.
The American put his tee shot to within a few feet of the hole. From there? He three-putted. All of a sudden DeChambeau appeared almost resigned. There was no rabble-rousing or amateur dramatics. No real acknowledgement of the fans at all. He was simply trudging towards a mauling and that translated to the galleries.
This group had marched up the second fairway between two walls of noise. By the time they reached hole No 4, it was all quiet in this corner of Bethpage State Park.
The odd fan tried to rouse DeChambeau; a young girl trolled Fitzpatrick with a comment about his teeth. But after all the rancor and venom that spilled inside the ropes on Saturday night, this all felt very tame.
And it was DeChambeau setting the tone. More than once, he sucked in a huge lungful of air before letting out a sigh. More than once, he shot himself in the foot. And all the while, Fitzpatrick collected hole after hole.
It was turning into a massacre. No wonder someone close to DeChambeau could be overheard telling themselves that something needed to change. And fast.
Their prayers were answered at the par-three eighth. Fitzpatrick had a short putt to save par and halve the hole. But just as he prepared to begin his backswing, someone in the crowd shouted something.
The putt missed, Fitzpatrick turned to look at the offender. He lost the hole and that proved the break DeChambeau needed. From there, the winds began to change.
DeChambeau and Justin Thomas kickstarted this Ryder Cup draped in an American flag
The American was a picture of frustration for the first seven holes before turning it around
At nine, Fitzpatrick found the trees and then flirted with the hospitality suite behind the green. DeChambeau pegged back another hole and suddenly the American had a spring in his step.
He marched towards the ninth tee, sent on his way with a low-five from Keegan Bradley. Fitzpatrick would have been forgiven for thinking he had ridden out the worst of the storm – the Englishman managed to keep DeChambeau at arm’s length for a while.
He wandered on to the 14th tee still three up with five holes to play. But then came Bryson’s final stand. It earned him a half a point. But for America it was all too little, too late.
