The 2012 Ryder Cup was held at the Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois, a suburb northwest of Chicago. Europe went into the competition as the cup holders, having won in 2010 to regain it. The team captains were Davis Love III for the U.S. and José María Olazábal for Europe. The final day of the competition, Sunday, September 30, 2012, is known as the "Miracle at Medinah" and is widely regarded as one of the best sporting comebacks of all time and the greatest in Ryder Cup history.

The Americans appeared to be en route to an easy win, but Europe won five of the first six matches to create an 11-11 tie. The final match was between Tiger Woods and Francesco Molinari. Woods missed a putt on the final green and conceded the hole to Molinari, halving the final point and securing outright victory for the European team, 14½–13½.

The comeback included a fast start as the Europeans won five of the first six matches to create an 11-11 tie. Sergio Garcia completed a heroic turnaround to win his last two holes, and the match against Jim Furyk, whilst Justin Rose rolled in a superb 40-feet putt on the 17th green to help him defeat Phil Mickelson. Martin Kaymer hit the biggest six-foot putt of his life on the final hole, completing the Miracle at Medinah.