Colin Montgomerie could hardly contain his excitement, laughing while declaring his Team Europe triumph in the World Champions Club in Florida was as good as a few months when the European Ryder Cup team retained the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Park.
Despite the wet conditions in Clearwater Florida, Monty was as near as joyful all of 15-years ago when he proudly led his European Ryder Cup team to a memorable success at Celtic Manor Resort in Wales.
Yes, there was not the crowds nor the noise that was present in Wales but Europe’s win under Monty’s leadership set the winning scene for victory also in both the 2012 and 2014 encounters.
And judging by the scenes at the Feather Sound host course there was no shortage of emotion among the over-50 years old Europeans after their overall 14-point win among the three teams participating.
GOOD A WIN @RyderCupEurope DECLARES A MONTY …
As Darren Clarke’s #Europeans storm to record 1⃣4⃣ point @WorldChampsCup over rivals & an Int’ team
“Never mind Luke Donald, we’ll go Darren Clarke two more years” jokes Monty
Read: https://t.co/BW6odZOBhI
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) December 7, 2025
European captain Darren Clarke had been advised after the Sunday morning session if Europe got to 224 points they would probably win.
Though Clarke’s men, boasting fellow European Ryder Cup captains in Bernhard Langer, Thomas Bjorn and Monty plus Miguel Angel Jiminez, Jesper Parnevik, Soren Kjeldsen and Alec Cejka had other ideas ending the six three-man groups with a final tally of 172 points, the International team second with 158 and the USA Team 156.
Entering the day with a narrow 1.5 point lead, Team Europe scored 102.5 points on Sunday to run away with the Skechers World Champions Cup supporting Shriners Children’s.
Team USA’s Jason Caron was the leading point scorer for the event with 60.5 points, scoring double-digit points in each of the last four sessions but come the last day the Darren Clarke.
Team Europe happily gathered around the trophy. Image Champions Tour/Getty
They won by 16.5 points over the runners-up Team International led by Kiwi Steve Alker.
And as Monty had done for most of his eight European Ryder Cup appearances the champion Scot, and having been asked by Clarke, was first out and again setting the example for his team-mates.
In the end, Europe reigned supreme as it had done for a second year running just two months ago in the Big Apple and wasn’t Monty in his element.
Monty said: “ What happened this morning was a record points total for this event, by a mile this morning
“And then to come out and think okay, no complacency and for Bernard to be 6-under through five. Then Soren Kjeldsen to be 5-under through five.
“I mean it was non-stop and incredible golf that we were playing as a team, and it takes a team to win this. It takes all six or all seven of us, whoever substituted in, to score 230 points which I believe is 16 more than the last highest winning team … I won’t mention their names (smiling) … USA.
“But that’s the big difference. It was a huge difference.
“It was a huge team effort from the word ‘go’ this week and I am very proud to be on this team.
“As I said at the start of the week I was very proud to pull on a European shirt and represent Europe the way we have a number of times and it’s good to emulate what the European Ryder Cup has achieved in winning this year on American soil.
“And I would say this team deserves more credit than they do, really. It was a monster … it was a bigger win (Team-mates laughing) …..
“Never mind Luke Donald …. We’ll go Darren Clarke two more years (laughing and applause) and we’ll go two more years”.
If there was any disappointment over the three days it was illness that ruled Langer out of the morning start to the event though in the end the double winning European Ryder Cup captain was back to full health for the weekend and also proudly joining in the victory celebrations.
FOOTNOTE …
The inaugural Skechers World Champions Cup took place in 2023 at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida. Team USA won that first tournament in a finish that came down to the final hole.
The 2024 event was cancelled due to weather, but the tournament returned in 2025 at Feather Sound Country Club in Clearwater, Florida. ‘
And Feather Sound will play host again in 2026, but, like the Ryder Cup, it’s designed to rotate venues, potentially moving to other domestic locations or to international venues.
Final World Champions Team Scores
1st – Europe 172 points
2nd – International 158 points
3rd – USA 156 points
