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Ryder Cup: Utah’s Tony Finau falls to Ian Poulter in singles match, but Americans storm to easy victory over Europeans

Former Salt Lake City resident Tony Finau went 1-2 at the 43rd Ryder Cup and is now 3-3 in two appearances at the venerable golf event

SHARE Ryder Cup: Utah’s Tony Finau falls to Ian Poulter in singles match, but Americans storm to easy victory over Europeans
Team USA captain Steve Stricker shakes hands with Team USA’s Tony Finau during a practice day at the Ryder Cup.

Charlie Neibergall, Associated Press

Utah’s Tony Finau ran into one of the Ryder Cup’s most legendary players on Sunday, and the results weren’t pretty for the American.

Europe’s Ian Poulter made six birdies en route to a 3 & 2 win over Finau at Whistling Straits Golf Club in Kohler, Wisconsin.

However, Finau was one of the few Americans to lose, as the United States took a 19-9 win to wrestle the cup back from the Europeans in the 43rd iteration of the event.

Xander Shauffele and Harris English — Finau’s partner in foursomes matches Friday and Saturday — were the only other Americans to lose a singles match Sunday.

Finau never led in his match with Poulter. The Brit birdied the first hole to go 1 up.

Finau made a par on No. 8 to win that hole and even the match, but Poulter reeled off three straight birdies to go 3 up.

Finau birdied the par-4 13th hole to get within two holes, but a bogey on No. 15 ended his momentum and Poulter closed it out on 16.