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Rory McIlroy put on a magnificent display to crush Rickie Fowler 5 and 4 in the standout attraction of the closing 12 singles matches at the Ryder Cup on Sunday.
The third game out, between the world No.1 and the American shotmaker, had been bookmarked as being a key tussle as the Americans looked to reel in a 10-6 European lead.
But McIlroy ran away with it from the word go to seal a tremendous season in which he won back-to-back majors at the British Open and PGA Championship and regained the world No.1 spot.
“I feel like I definitely played my best golf yesterday and today,” he said after seeing off the challenge of close friend Fowler.
“I mean, I came out today and played the best golf I played all week.
“But you know, I know what’s expected of me and I know that I would need to go out there and deliver points and that’s what I was able to do this week.
“Personally for me, it puts the icing on the cake of what’s been a fantastic summer and obviously looking forward to more Ryder Cups and more great weeks with these guys.”
McIlroy stamped his authority on the hotly anticipated showdown with Fowler from the first hole, a birdie giving him an early lead after Fowler fluffed a chip from edge of green.
Next hole, a struggling Fowler conceded and McIlroy was marked down for an eagle without having to putt.
Birdies at the third, fifth and sixth left McIlroy 5-up after just six holes and a stunned Fowler was already running out of holes.
The American did peg one back at the seventh, but McIlroy, playing in his third Ryder Cup, kept him firmly at arm’s length for the next five holes.
McIlroy then went back to 5-up at with a birdie at 13 and minutes later it was all over at the 14th.
The win was the first singles match to finish and increased the European lead to 11-6, leaving the holders needing three more points to be sure of retaining the Cup – points which came from Graeme McDowell, Martin Kaymer and Jamie Donaldson, while Justin Rose chipped with a half.
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