The first day of the 2025 Ryder Cup was captivating from start to finish.
It got underway with a bang, literally, when Bryson DeChambeau sent a booming tee shot to just in in front of the green in the US’s first shot of the match against Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton in the foursomes.
By the time the sun was sinking over Bethpage Black, the final four-ball match saw Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry battling it out against Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay on the 18th.
The Europeans smelled blood when McIlroy was faced with a birdie putt to win the match. It went narrowly left, but it was still the visitors' day, as Luke Donald's team took a 5.5-2.5 lead with two days to go.
But who shone in the foursomes and four ball sessions, and who is left licking their wounds?
The names that stand out a mile for the US are its two biggest stars, Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler, but not in the way Keegan Bradley would have liked.
Despite DeChambeau's statement tee shot to get the US challenge under way, he slipped to a 4&3 defeat alongside Justin Thomas in the foursomes against Rahm and Hatton.
It didn't get better in the afternoon four ball session for the LIV Golfer, when, alongside rookie Ben Griffin, he couldn't prevent Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose taking a 1 up win.
As for Scheffler, he had a horrendous time alongside Russell Henley in the foursomes, losing 5&3 to Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick.
In the four ball, Rahm and Sepp Straka beat Scheffler, this time alongside JJ Spaun, with the European pair claiming a 3&2 win.
Onto the success stories for the US, and Patrick Cantlay was the top US points scorer, with 1.5.
He claimed a full point alongside Xander Schauffele in the morning foursomes, beating Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland 2 up despite a late scare when the Europeans pulled a three-hole deficit back late on.
In the four ball, he was alongside Sam Burns against McIlroy and Shane Lowry, inspiring a stirring comeback from two behind to level things up. He couldn't quite do enough to claim a full point alongside Burns, but he can be satisfied with his day.
Schauffele didn't play in the four ball session, leaving him with one point for the day for his foursomes session alongside Cantlay. Just two more US players claimed points - Justin Thomas and Cameron Young.
After his foursomes disappointment alongside DeChambeau earlier on, it was incumbent on Thomas to live up to his Ryder Cup credentials alongside the rookie, and the pair took victory in style, crushing Aberg and Rasmus Hojgaard 6&5.
For the Europeans, two players scored maximum points - Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood.
Rahm was dialed in for both of his matches, first alongside Hatton and then Straka to give every suggestion he'll be a key player if Europe are to retain the trophy.
As for Fleetwood, he teamed up with Rory McIlroy in the morning foursomes for a dominant 5&4 win over Collin Morikawa and Harris English, before finishing a satisfying day all round with that victory alongside Rose in the afternoon.
Fleetwood's win with McIlroy earned the five-time Major winner a full point too, and he would have capped his day with a maximum haul were it not for that missed birdie putt at the last. Still, for McIlroy, 1.5 points for the day is a solid and valuable start.
Ludvig Aberg, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton, Justin Rose and Sepp Straka finished with one point from the day, with the latter four having played in just one session, while the other player to get off the mark was Shane Lowry in his four ball match with McIlroy.
Below is the full list of points won by Team USA and Team Europe players after day one of the Ryder Cup.
Ryder Cup Day One Individual Points
Player |
Foursomes |
Four Ball |
Total |
Patrick Cantlay |
1 |
0.5 |
1.5 |
Xander Schauffele |
1 |
N/A |
1 |
Justin Thomas |
0 |
1 |
1 |
Cameron Young |
N/A |
1 |
1 |
Sam Burns |
N/A |
0.5 |
0.5 |
Bryson DeChambeau |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Harris English |
0 |
N/A |
0 |
Ben Griffin |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
Russell Henley |
0 |
N/A |
0 |
Collin Morikawa |
0 |
N/A |
0 |
Scottie Scheffler |
0 |
0 |
0 |
JJ Spaun |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
Player |
Foursomes |
Four Ball |
Total |
Tommy Fleetwood |
1 |
1 |
2 |
Jon Rahm |
1 |
1 |
2 |
Rory McIlroy |
1 |
0.5 |
1.5 |
Ludvig Aberg |
1 |
0 |
1 |
Matt Fitzpatrick |
1 |
N/A |
1 |
Tyrrell Hatton |
1 |
N/A |
1 |
Justin Rose |
N/a |
1 |
1 |
Sepp Straka |
N/a |
1 |
1 |
Shane Lowry |
N/A |
0.5 |
0.5 |
Rasmus Hojgaard |
N/A |
0 |
0 |
Viktor Hovland |
0 |
N/A |
0 |
Robert MacIntyre |
0 |
N/A |
0 |
