The Sportsletter - USA Wins Ryder Cup 🇺🇸

BY JEFF YODER

SEPT. 27, 2021  |  SUBSCRIBE  |  BROWSER VIEW

Welcome Back 👋

A wild weekend in sports rounds out the month of September. From Ryder Cup glory to Week 3 in the NFL and the MLB’s final week of the regular season, we’ve got plenty to recap before October arrives.

Letter Rip!

GOLF

USA Dominates Ryder Cup 🇺🇸

Photo: Patrick Smith / Getty Images

USA def. Europe (19-9) to Win 1st Ryder Cup Duel Since 2016

It’s a new era in golf’s greatest showdown for the United States! Sunday’s finale featured 1-v-1 singles matches between the 24 golfers, but the victory was never in doubt as the USA cruised to a 19-9 score. It’s just the fourth time the USA beat Europe in the last 13 Ryder Cup meetings, and it’s also the first victory since 2016. Complete with a roster of golf’s youngest stars, the USA buried Europe early in the weekend and never looked back. They held an 11-5 lead before winning or tying in 9-of-12 singles matches on Sunday to hoist the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.

The Winning Putt: The USA needed just 14.5 points to secure the win. Collin Morikawa stuck an approach shot with a few feet on Hole 17 before tapping in a birdie that gave the USA its clinching point.

The Ryder Cup (By The Numbers)

19: Most Points for Either Team Since 1979

14: Match Wins by USA's 6 Rookie Players

5-0: Dustin Johnson's Perfect Weekend

Watch: 2021 Ryder Cup Highlights

Winners: Singles Matches (Sunday)

USA: Patrick Cantlay def. Shane Lowry (4&2)

USA: Scottie Scheffler def. Jon Rahm (4&3)

USA: Bryson DeChambeau def. Sergio Garcia (3&2)

USA: Dustin Johnson def. Paul Casey (1-Up)

USA: Brooks Koepka def. Bernd Wiesberger (2&1)

USA: Justin Thomas def. Tyrrell Hatton (4&3)

USA: Daniel Berger def. Matt Fitzpatrick (1-Up)

EUR: Lee Westwood def. Harris English (1-Up)

EUR: Ian Poulter def. Tony Finau (3&2)

EUR: Rory McIlroy def. Xander Schauffele (3&2)

TIED: Collin Morikawa & Viktor Hovland

TIED: Jordan Spieth & Tommy Fleetwood

The Ryder Cup belongs to the USA for the first time in five years, but the rivalry returns in Italy in 2023.

Additional Storylines

CBS Sports: Say Hello to the USA Golf Dream Team

Yahoo! Sports: How the USA Dominated Europe to Win the Ryder Cup

NFL

Week 3 Rewind

Photo: NurPhoto / Getty Images

Tucker’s Kick Saves Ravens, Herbert Outduels Mahomes, Fields Flops in First Bears Start

Another Sunday in the NFL didn’t disappoint! Football fans were treated to a record-setting 66-yard field goal, an Aaron Rodgers thriller on Sunday Night Football and Tom Brady’s first loss since November of last season. Five of the league’s 2-0 teams were winners this week. Here are the top-five moments from Week 3.

Week 3’s Top Highlights

Ravens K Justin Tucker Buries 66-Yard Game-Winning FG

Chargers Drop Chiefs to Bottom of AFC West

Browns Shred Bears Behind QB Justin Fields’ Very Bad Day

Rams Slam Bucs & Brady in Battle of Unbeatens

Rodgers Breaks 49ers’ Hearts With Game-Winning Drive

Play of the Day: Jaguars’ Jamal Agnew Score NFL’s Longest TD Ever (109 Yards)

The Undefeated Club (3-0)

Rams, Raiders, Broncos, Cardinals, Panthers

Week 3 Scores & Highlights

Titans def. Colts (25-16) | Falcons def. Giants (17-14) | Chargers def. Chiefs (30-24) | Bengals def. Steelers (24-10) | Browns def. Bears (26-6) | Ravens def. Lions (19-17) | Saints def. Patriots (28-13) | Cardinals def. Jaguars (31-19) | Bills def. Washington (43-21) | Broncos def. Jets (26-0) | Raiders def. Dolphins (31-28) | Vikings def. Seahawks (30-17) | Rams def. Buccaneers (34-24) | Packers def. 49ers (30-28)

Monday Night Football (Tonight)

Eagles at Cowboys (8:15 pm ET)

Additional Storylines

NFL: Week 3: What We Learned From Sunday’s Games

ESPN: Matthew Stafford ‘Playing Lights Out’ for Undefeated Rams

B/R: Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid in Stable Condition After Hospitalized With Illness

MLB

The Week Before October

Photo: Quinn Harris / Getty Images

MLB’s Final Week of Regular Season Still Sees Five Playoff Spots Open

After a weekend of baseball action, five teams have clinched postseason berths and five spots remain available for ten teams. The Cardinals haven’t stopped winning, and the Yankees and Red Sox hold the slight edge in the five-horse AL Wild Card race. Here’s how the playoff picture looks with 15 MLB teams officially eliminated.

MLB Playoff Picture

American League

East: Rays (97-59)*

Central: White Sox (88-68)*

West: Astros (91-65)

Wild Card: Yankees (89-67)

Wild Card: Red Sox (88-68)

In the Hunt: Blue Jays (87-69), Mariners (86-70), Athletics (85-71)

National League

East: Braves (83-72)

Central: Brewers (94-62)*

West: Giants (102-54)*

Wild Card: Dodgers (100-56)*

Wild Card: Cardinals (87-69)

In the Hunt: Phillies (81-75), Reds (81-75)

*Clinched Postseason Berth: Giants, Dodgers, Rays, Brewers, White Sox

Additional Storylines

MLB: Final Week! How Contenders Line Up

USA Today: Cardinals Rally Past Cubs to Extend Record Win Streak to 16 Games

WNBA

Round 2: WNBA Playoff Recaps

Photo: Michael Hickey / Getty Images

Mercury Top Storm in Playoff Thriller (85-80, OT); Sky Upset Lynx on the Road (89-76)

The WNBA Playoffs tipped off Round 2 on Sunday, and both underdogs pulled the upsets on the road. The Mercury edged out the Storm in an overtime stunner before the Sky ran away from the Lynx despite a rough shooting night from 3-point range. Here are your WNBA recaps and a look-ahead to the semifinals this week.

WNBA Playoffs (Round 2)

#5 Mercury def. #4 Storm (85-80, OT)

A thriller in Seattle pitted two of the WNBA’s all-time legends in Sue Bird vs. Diana Taurasi for a spot in the semifinals. It was Bird who buried the game-tying 3 in the final minute to force OT (73-73). In the extra period, the Mercury took over and outscored the Storm 7-2 in the final two minutes for the win. Britney Griner was the star of the game with 23 points and 16 rebounds, but Skylar Diggins-Smith added 20 points, 7 boards and 6 dimes.

#6 Sky def. #3 Lynx (89-76)

The Chicago Sky are advancing into the semis after a pull-away win against the Lynx in Round 2. Chicago shot just 25 percent from 3-point range while the Lynx hit 50 percent of their triples. It didn’t matter. The Sky took a six-point advantage into the 4th quarter before extending the lead to double digits. They had five players in double figures, and none were named Candace Parker. Courtney Vandersloot led the way with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.

WNBA Semifinals Schedule (Best-of-5)

#1 Sun vs. #6 Sky (Tues. 8:00 pm ET)

#2 Aces vs. #5 Mercury (Tues. 10:00 pm ET)

Additional Storylines

ESPN: Diana Taurasi & Sue Bird Embrace & Swap Jerseys (Video)

Yahoo! Sports: Lynx’s Sylvia Fowles Wins DPOY for Record 4th Time

COLLEGE FOOTBALL REWIND

🏈 New College Football Top-25

The new AP Top 25 college football rankings after Week 4 action saw huge movement in the top-10. Arkansas and Notre Dame climbed into the top-10 as Clemson tumbles. Here’s the latest AP Poll Top-25. (CBS Sports)

College Football Scores & Highlights

#4 Oklahoma def. West Virginia (16-13)

#16 Arkansas def. #7 Texas A&M (20-10)

NC State def. #9 Clemson (27-21, 2 OT)

#12 Notre Dame def. #18 Wisconsin (41-13)

Baylor def. #14 Iowa State (31-29)

📰 THE HEADLINES

Dallas Cowboys La’el Collins Reportedly Tried to Bribe NFL Drug-Test Collector

(ESPN)

Rays Reveal Plan to Split Games Between Tampa Bay & Montreal

(Bleacher Report)

Michael Jordan’s Son Jeffrey Arrested for Aggravated Assault at Arizona Hospital

(CBS Sports)

Washington State Football’s Brandon Gray In Serious but Stable Condition After Gunshot

(USA Today)

Mother & 2-Year-Old Son Pronounced Dead After Fall From 3rd Level Balcony at Padres Game

(Yahoo! Sports)

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