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Shortly after sunrise on Friday morning, a couple of American women stood near the second fairway of Bethpage Black and began speaking in hushed tones.
They were in matching uniforms – the official colors of WAGS USA - and watching their husbands play in the opening throes of the Ryder Cup. They were deep in prayer. Among the topics of conversation with their creator? The 'pressure' and the 'crowds.'
A few minutes later, when one of their partners holed a crucial putt, the two wives shared a high-five. Before long, however, evidence began to stack up that perhaps God, European Team captain Luke Donald and his players had other plans.
America was still waking up when another of Europe's stars fired yet another iron shot that settled close to the hole. This time, the father of an US player had a rather different message for the powers above. 'Oh, Jesus,' he said. It proved rather prophetic.
Over the first two days here at Bethpage Black, nothing worked for US team leader Keegan Bradley – not his strategy, not the visit of President Trump. Not even the vicious, vulgar abuse that rained down from the galleries.
On Saturday afternoon, as Europe's Justin Rose walked the gauntlet between holes 11 and 12, a fan shouted in his face: 'F*** you!' They were confronted by a police officer and soon expletives were tumbling out of both their mouths.
Rory McIlroy drew the worst of the ire and, the following day, during his match against Scottie Scheffler, the American's father took it upon himself to remonstrate with one of McIlroy's hecklers. 'Be nice, nice works better,' he said. 'Everybody be nice.'
Luke Donald's European team won the Ryder Cup after a dramatic clash with Team USA
Scottie Scheffler's father, Scott, was forced to intervene after the atmosphere turned nasty
Rory McIlroy was the European star who received the lion's share of abuse from the galleries
By then, Bradley and his players needed a miracle. They had been humiliated over the first four sessions but on a nerve-shredding afternoon in New York, 12 Americans came within a couple of putts of doing what no team has ever done.
In the end, they failed. And, on Sunday night, as Bradley and Bryson DeChambeau began the post-mortem in their team press conference, the eyes of Scheffler were drawn to his right.
The world No 1 glanced towards the putting green where, one by one, beers in hand, Team Europe wandered into view. Every American answer was accompanied by a soundtrack of cheers and chants. And, before long, many of Scheffler's teammates were caught looking, too.
That was the final ignominy of an exhausting, undulating and – at times – unhinged few days. There were few more odd sights than former MLB star Ken Griffey Jr. – now a photographer – approaching a Team Europe buggy, apparently to ask for directions. Behind the wheel? Soccer legend Gianfranco Zola.
To leave Bethpage victorious, Donald's players had to walk through a makeshift tunnel, past the secret service and a sitting president, into a barrage of venom and beyond an American team that very nearly rose from the dead.
Among the debris they left along the way? An emcee, a range of squeaking rubber ducks and 340million broken hearts. From dawn on Friday through to nightfall on Sunday, Daily Mail Sport was there - inside the ropes for every session and every torturous twist.
Bethpage was still bathed in darkness at 5.40am on Friday morning. The 45th Ryder Cup was 90 minutes away and pedestrian gates had been open for nearly an hour.
But not far from the first tee, a line stretched out of the woods and up the road leading away from the course. A fire had broken out and the power was gone. Later, some fans told Daily Mail Sport they waited nearly two hours before being diverted.
Donald Trump and granddaughter Kai were among the crowd at the Ryder Cup in Farmingdale
The president walks on to the first tee box with American golfer Bryson DeChambeau
There was a vast security operation at Bethpage Black due to the visit of the president
It was a worrying start, given Donald Trump was due to arrive later that morning. The course had been president-proofed overnight – airport-style scanners were installed around the clubhouse, with secret service agents and police dogs monitoring every fan entering the main grandstand.
Overhead, the walkway leading to the first tee had been redecorated, too. All week, fans could watch the players wander from the clubhouse into the tunnel that led to the opening hole. Except for a few hours on Friday, In time for the president's arrival, the red fabric had been raised above head height. Now everyone was out of view.
Fans had been given a couple of days' warning that 'enhanced' security measures would be in place. But a senior Ryder Cup figure confirmed to Daily Mail Sport that around 700 secret service agents and police officers had been to Bethpage Black a couple of weeks earlier.
They were there on a scouting mission, to devise a plan to keep the president – and everyone else – safe amid heightened fears following Charlie Kirk's assassination. They could hardly sneak Trump in – Air Force One thundered over the course around 11am.
Soon snipers were being applauded as they climbed atop the grandstands. A ring of bullet-proof glass surrounded the president and his granddaughter Kai, while a group of agents in black suits and dark sunglasses kept watch.
Penny for their thoughts when Trump left his glass cage and wandered on to the first tee beside DeChambeau. Trump was in place for the opening tee shots of the afternoon fourballs before jetting out of Bethpage. The scanners and secret service disappeared almost immediately after. 'God, I'm glad that's over,' one policeman later told Daily Mail Sport.
Alas, their job wasn't about to get any easier. On Saturday morning, a comedian took the microphone beside the first tee and began conducting the crowd in song. Among her hits? 'F** you, Rory (McIlroy).'
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry withstood a barrage of abuse during their match on Saturday
NBA icon Michael Jordan was in the crowd for the dramatic battle between Europe and the US
Heather McMahan paid with her job but she set the tone for what would become one of the most infamous days in Ryder Cup history. McIlroy had already told the crowd to 'shut the f*** up' by the time he was partnered with Shane Lowry for the afternoon fourballs.
Their match against Cameron Young and Justin Thomas was coming to the boil by the time they reached the sixth green, where an interested spectator had set up camp. Michael Jordan – a close friend of both Bradley and Donald – watched from beside the broadcast tower. He was holding court.
The NBA legend offered a high-five to Tommy Fleetwood and enjoyed a chat with Scheffler's family. When Daily Mail Sport asked what he made of the first day and half of action, Jordan replied: 'I love it!'
At that point, however, Team USA looked to be on their last dance. Scheffler, in particular, was struggling. The world No 1 had played three and lost three when he was partnered with DeChambeau against Fleetwood and Justin Rose.
Scheffler's wife, Meredith, and his parents followed him all weekend. At one point, on the seventh fairway, a fan recognized Scheffler's mother, Diane. She pointed at her partner and said: 'He loves your son more than anyone!' Diane Scheffler replied: 'I hope not!'
It was a rare moment of levity on an afternoon that turned very nasty. The layout of Bethpage Black created a few bottlenecks and perhaps none was more febrile than the area around holes 10, 11 and 12 where players putted in front of a rowdy grandstand and then walked on to a tee box surrounded from all angles.
By the time, McIlroy and Lowry arrived, extra police had been drafted in and security staff were struggling to keep a lid on the chaos. 'It's crazy,' someone close to an American player told Daily Mail Sport beside the 11th green. Some Europeans were at it too. Elsewhere at Bethpage, DeChambeau was targeted with expletive-laden abuse.
Each player from each team was allocated two cops. They followed them round Bethpage Black all week – on and off the course. Except into the restrooms.
As tensions rose on Saturday, cops lined the fairways and reinforcements were drafted in
As tempers flared on Saturday afternoon, Lowry and McIlroy popped into the facilities near the 12th tee box. Lowry emerged and immediately began berating an older fan. It seemed this pair of Europeans couldn't even enjoy a comfort break without someone having a pop.
Some of the vitriol was reserved for Bradley. Others directed their fury at volunteers, and the caravan of media, guests and families following each match. At almost every hole, fans who had waited hours for a glimpse of the action grew irate when their view was blocked. Many asked people to move. They didn't bother with pleasantries.
Even the vice captains were dragged into the chaos. Scheffler's caddie clashed with Francesco Molinari and then, on 17, Thomas Bjorn decided enough was enough. He was following McIlroy and Lowry and as the Irish pair climbed the hill towards the final tee, Bjorn heard something from somewhere. Immediately, he called for security to eject yet another fan.
Vice captains are there to support players and feed back vital information to the groups behind. That morning, Daily Mail Sport had spoken to a ex-captain about what insight might be passed on. It could be tactical, they explained – players' club choice on certain par threes, for instance. But it could be simpler than that. They recalled relaying that one player was falling apart - paralyzed by nerves and in need an intervention.
Donald and Bradley must have been inundated as the atmosphere soured on Saturday afternoon. The American captain later admitted he was 'nervous' about what would greet his players come the singles. And in the darkness at the end of day two, Fleetwood put his arm around a policeman and appeared to hand over a cuddly toy.
By then, the Englishman had helped put Europe on the brink of a historic victory. On a train that left Manhattan around 4:30am on Friday morning, one American fan began quizzing a French counterpart about tensions within the EU.
McIlroy's wife, Erica Stoll, was also the victim of abuse before being struck by a drink
Bryson DeChambeau's mom watched his final round match against Matt Fitzpatrick on Sunday
The following night, one carriage heading back to New York carried a horde of drunk Swedes. 'Europe's on fire!' they sang. 'USA is terrified!' Then they outlined exactly what Fleetwood could do to their wives.
There must have been a few sore heads when they arrived on Sunday morning. Waiting near one of the pedestrian entrances? Jehovah's Witnesses.
They brought signs that asked what represented 'true success' and promised passers-by some answers on finding 'family happiness'. At that point, they may have been better served standing outside the US team room.
Then Bradley and his players nearly performed a miracle, with DeChambeau battling back from five holes down against Matt Fitzpatrick. During his early struggles, a few fans began chatting with a lady inside the ropes. They discussed what might be going wrong for the big-hitting American. Who knows if they were aware they were speaking with DeChambeau's mom.
In the end, his comeback proved futile and Team USA was forced to watch European celebrations. Shortly after Donald and his players arrived to discuss their victory, a man was ejected from the press conference room. It wasn't entirely clear if he was an intruder or the victim of mistaken identity. But he was wearing the Stars and Stripes. And this was Europe's night.
