With three newcomers producing 8 1/2 of 11 1/2 points, the US Ryder Cup team found some hope for the future in Sunday's dismal five-point loss to Europe.
The Europeans won for the third time in a row to match their longest win streak in the biennial golf showdown, which will be renewed in 2016 on US soil at Hazeltine.
Masters runner-up Jordan Spieth, 21, and Patrick Reed, 24, proved a potent pairing in foursomes and fourballs, with Reed's 3 1/2 points leading the US effort at Gleneagles.
"That bodes well for the future," US captain Tom Watson said.
Despite some heckling, Reed enjoyed the moment, shushing the crowd and waving his hands emotionally to try and spur excitement for the US squad.
"I got the crowd fired up on both sides and it was a lot of fun," Reed said.
"I thought that I could really fire up the team and get them going just because I'm a fiery kind of guy. At the end of the day, just wasn't enough and we didn't get the job done."
Reed is hooked on the Ryder Cup experience.
"This is the best event I've ever played in my life," Reed said. "Just to get to know these guys and to be out here means a lot to me. I definitely want to be back and I'll definitely be trying even harder just to come back."
Spieth last year became the first teen to win a PGA title since Ralph Guldahl at the 1931 Santa Monica Open and played in the Presidents Cup, but this time was a key member of the American lineup, playing in the first singles match on Sunday.
"This was an unreal experience on and off the course," Spieth said. "We all had a great time together. We felt like we were representing our country well on and off the course.
"Patrick and I, we made a great team this week and we weren't sure how that was going to work. We went out there and we were able to get the job done."
Spieth might soon be called upon to be the leader for a new generation of US Ryder Cup players.
"I don't know what to tell future young players, other than talk about how incredible this experience is and that you need to work your butt to make this team," Spieth said.
"Our team's young. Our team's very strong and I think that if we played them again the next three days, that we would come out on top. Come Hazeltine, we'll be ready to go."
Source: AFP
