Ryder Cup: Recaps for All 12 Sunday Singles Matches

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Oct 2, 2016; Chaska, MN, USA; Rafa Cabrera Bello of Spain reacts to a putt on the 12th green during the single matches in 41st Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports /

Rafa Cabrera-Bello def. Jimmy Walker 3 & 2

It seems that at every Ryder Cup, one or two European rookies rise to the occasion and outplay their projections for the week. In 2010, it was Ross Fisher. In 2014, it was Jamie Donaldson and Victor Dubuisson. And in 2016, along with the aforementioned Thomas Pieters, it was Rafa Cabrera-Bello.

The 32-year-old Spaniard drew reigning PGA Champion Jimmy Walker in singles and never trailed in the match, claiming the advantage with a birdie on the third and leading by multiple holes for most of the rest of the afternoon. While Walker battled back to 1-down after making two birdies in three holes on the back nine, Cabrera-Bello was relentless, circling one of his own on the par 3 13th to push the margin back to two. An ugly Walker bogey on the 16th handed him the victory.

With a 2-0-1 record for the week, Cabrera-Bello is just the second European Ryder Cup rookie to go undefeated in the last two decades (Dubuisson was the other). He didn’t get to hold the cup in the end, but it was an outstanding performance nevertheless.

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