Team USA goes for clincher in singles

KOHLER – Olympic gold medallist Xander Schauffele will lead the charge as the United States seek to finish off Europe on Sunday in singles matches at the Ryder Cup.

The United States take a whopping six-point lead – 11-5 – into the final day as they vie to regain the coveted trophy won by Europe at Le Golf National in France in 2018.

No team has come back from more than a four-point deficit in singles to win the biennial trans-Atlantic match play showdown.

In 1999 at Brookline in Massachusetts, the United States rallied from a 10-6 deficit to beat Europe and in 2012 Europe roared back from a 10-6 deficit to stun the Americans in the “Miracle at Medinah” in Illinois.

Both US captain Steve Stricker and Europe captain Padraig Harrington had those editions on their minds as they decided the order in which they would send up their singles players at Whistling Straits.

Schauffele will take on four-time major-winner Rory McIlroy in the opener at 11:04 a.m. (1604 GMT).

European stalwart McIlroy has struggled through a dismal week, losing three matches and sitting out one session over the first two days.

Patrick Cantlay, who locked up US PGA Tour Player of the Year honors in winning the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup playoffs crown, then takes on Irish newcomer Shane Lowry, who is coming off an adrenaline-boosting four-balls win for Europe in which he drained an 11-foot birdie putt at the 18th to secure the victory.