Successful Ryder Cup debut for Sepp Straka

The 30-year-old Viennese immediately celebrated success on his debut at the Ryder Cup at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club near Rome. With the Irish Shane Lowry, the ÖGV ace defeated the US pairing Rickie Fowler/Collin Morikawa 2&1. Straka secured the first Austrian triumph in the continental comparison of the best golfers in the world after Bernd Wiesberger suffered two defeats in 2021.

“It’s unbelievable, just unbelievable,” said Straka in his first reaction on the pitch. He couldn’t even describe his feelings. “We more than met our expectations,” summed up the world number 22. satisfied. It was up to him to end the game early with a putt on 17 in front of thousands of spectators. Previously, the two Europeans, who had never been behind, had made things a little more exciting with a few missed chances.

Straka’s pregnant wife Paige, his parents and his brother, who were there for the entire round, were among the first to congratulate him. Straka and Lowry were the third pairing in the foursome; Jon Rahm/Tyrrell Hatton and Viktor Hovland/Ludvig Aberg had previously achieved victories. Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood then completed a total European triumph in the discipline in which players take turns hitting the same ball.

Never before in the long history of the Ryder Cup has Team Europe been ahead 4-0. European captain Luke Donald’s decision to play this discipline first was a complete success. Straka can take a breather in the afternoon; he was not nominated for the Fourballs duels. The Europeans want to regain the title in 2021 after the historically clear 9:19 defeat.