FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – The European team moved to within two points of retaining the Ryder Cup on Sunday after Viktor Hovland was forced to withdraw prior to his singles match because of a neck injury.
Per the captains’ agreement, the anchor match between Hovland and Harris English will now result in each team receiving a half-point.
The scoreboard now stands Europe 12, U.S. 5, with 11 singles matches set to begin at 12:02 p.m. local time.
Each team, before the start of singles, has to put a player’s name in a sealed envelope before the start of singles in case of an injury.
It’s the first time since 1991 that the rule has come into effect.
“There is nothing more I would like to do than be out there representing Team Europe and trying to help them win the Ryder Cup today,” Hovland said in a statement. “Not being able to do so is pretty heartbreaking. I will be backing my team as hard as I can and rooting them on.”
Hovland has been dealing with a neck issue for the past two months and was a late scratch for the Saturday afternoon fourballs session. He was replaced by teammate Tyrrell Hatton, who teamed with Matt Fitzpatrick to win their match.
Europe’s chief medical officer said that an MRI on Saturday night confirmed that Hovland had re-aggravated a prior injury, a bulging disc in his neck. Hovland said Sunday that he was unable to move or flex his neck from side to side.
English, making his second Ryder Cup appearance after qualifying for the team automatically, had gone 0-2 for the Americans in foursomes play.
