This was day one. This is day two!
The last word to Rory McIlroy. “I lost myself around the middle there. Thankfully I’ve redeemed myself. Thomas has been incredible all day. He’s a stud!” Back here tomorrow lunchtime for day two, then? After the incredible rollercoaster ride we’ve all been on today? Of course we’ll all be back here! Look forward to seeing you then, and sweet dreams, whichever side of the Atlantic your heart resides.
Updated
United States of America 5-3 Europe
Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch. The gallery giving their man all the support they can muster. Pieters wedges his third to 15 feet, though he’s not the main consideration right now. Kuchar’s got a racy downhill 35-footer for his eagle. He dribbles it rather majestically to a couple of feet, making sure of his birdie and throwing the gauntlet down to McIlroy. If Rory makes his eagle putt, he wins the match for Europe. Pieters tries to knock in his birdie putt for insurance, but that’s just a par. So here we go, then, a slippery downhill one for the point. And it’s never going anywhere but in! Rory was snoozing for much of that back nine, but look how he came to life: an eagle to seal a 3&2 victory! He pointedly takes a theatrical bow to all four corners of Hazeltine, then shouts EFFING COME ON, or something like it, before chest bumping his partner with some feeling. Pieters being the best part of a foot taller than McIlroy, he nearly knocks Europe’s star turn over, and looks back sheepishly to check he hasn’t done exactly that. Don’t worry, Thomas, it’s fine. Everyone’s fine. Europe have dug themselves out of a massive hole here, and you’ve been a big part of it this afternoon. Rory McIlroy, though!
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 3&2 (F)
Kuchar finds the front apron of the par-five 16th in two. With Pieters having driven behind a tree on the right, taking his medicine and chipping out, the pressure’s really on Rory. And so, from 225 yards, he skelps a gorgeous long iron pin high to 15 feet for eagle! So in turn, the pressure has now been shuttled onto Dustin, and he buckles, pulling his approach into the drink front left. He blames a mud ball, but the match-play moxie of McIlroy was surely to blame for that aberration. All of a sudden, Matt Kuchar has it all to do.
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 2UP (15)
Updated
United States of America 5-2 Europe
A couple of heavy-handed chips from the side of 16 by Moore and Holmes. And all of a sudden, the second match will be all over unless Moore can make it a hat-trick of improbable rakes with the flat stick. This is from the apron, 18 feet from the flag. He can’t make it, the ball drifting away to the right, all those heroics for naught. A deserved win for Europe, though, with Cabrera Bello particularly impressive on debut. He strutted onto the course with purpose, and instantly looked like he belonged. What an attitude! It was an attitude Europe desperately required, too. He’s done his bit. Over to Rory and Thomas Pieters to ensure it wasn’t wasted energy.
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 3&2 (F)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 2UP (15)
Updated
This could turn into a bit of a nerve-nipper. Because back on 15, McIlroy, Pieters, Kuchar and Johnson all find the dancefloor in regulation. The Americans are closer, though. McIlroy can’t steer a downhill left-to-right 15-foot curler home. He’ll have to make do with par, which leaves it all down to Pieters. Again. And he’s not able to make his ten-footer, the ball sliding off to the right, a lack of pace the problem. Kuchar has a chance to knock in a birdie putt from a similar position, but leaves his up on the left! So it’s down to Dustin from three feet. And he only just squeaks it in, a very nervous dribbler that catches the left edge of the cup. But it still counts, doesn’t it. And now Dustin and Kuch can legitimately consider the completion of an astonishing comeback!
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 2UP (15)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 2UP (15)
If Europe fail to close out both of these matches, they may as well turn it in and go home. It’d be the ultimate sickener: dragging themselves back into contention after a nightmare start, only to let it slip with some loose stuff towards the end of the day. McIlroy appears to have been shaken from his lethargy, and has blistered one hell of a drive down the track at 15. Sergio meanwhile dices with the water front left of the green at 16, but his approach just makes it over. With Moore in the rough to the right of the green, and Holmes forced to chip out from behind a tree, Europe are in pole position here. But they’ve been in pole position on the last two holes, only for Moore to do something wild. Let’s see how this pans out, then.
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 2UP (15)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 3UP (14)
Holmes and Moore both miss the fairway at 16. The Spanish duo both find it. Advantage Europe, though it’ll be the American who are still flying. Ryan Moore, though! Meanwhile Pieters can’t get up and down from the side of 14, and he won’t be rescuing McIlroy this time. The senior man needs to step up here; Pieters has already been let down by Westwood, and the last two holes simply haven’t been good enough by McIlroy in terms of support during these high-pressure circumstances.
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 2UP (15)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 3UP (14)
They’ll expect to close it. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they will! Rory’s lost his concentration a wee bit, and his drive at 14 is flown up against the out-of-bounds fence down the left. The onus is on Pieters again, and he’s just flown his second down into thick cabbage down the side of the green. Meanwhile what about Ryan Moore? How about this! He really is nuclear resistant. Rory McIlroy had to throw several kitchen sinks plus assorted shaker-style cupboards at him to win the Tour Championship last week. Now on 15, Cabrera Bello has hit his second pin high to ten feet. Moore is just off the back, but he rakes in a huge left-to-right 40-foot curler for birdie! His second huge putt in a row, and the Americans, who looked dead and buried, aren’t out of this yet!
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 2UP (15)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 4UP (13)
United States of America 5-1 Europe
It’s long been coming: Snedeker and Koepka wrap up their easy, easy 5&4 victory over a very limp Kaymer and Willett pairing. The rookie Koepka was impressive; Snedeker was simply brilliant with four hole-winning birdies this afternoon. The USA take a four-point lead again, though Europe will expect to close that gap pretty soon.
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 3UP (14)
5&4 Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (F)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 4UP (13)
Kuchar isn’t close at all. He’s normally so fine at lagging up from distance, but bundles his monster effort a good ten feet past the hole. Dustin’s up next, and he dribbles a fine downhill 40-footer across the green, three feet past the cup. Pieters is last up, and he’s half the distance inside Dustin, along a similar line. There’s a left-to-right break, and he reads it perfectly! In it drops, albeit at quite the rattle! McIlroy, the four-time major winner with three Ryder Cups already under his belt, dumped his ball in the water - and the rookie wins the hole anyway! Rory lets rip a big COME ON! because the young ice-cool Belgian sure as hell isn’t going to. Pieters has been brilliant this afternoon. A bronze centime for the thoughts of on-course general Lee Westwood right now.
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 3UP (14)
5UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (13)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 4UP (13)
Snedeker and Koepka are dormie five over Kaymer and Willett. Kaymer missed a left-to-right curler to win 13, before Snedeker tucked away a missable six-footer to halve the hole. Meanwhile the second match isn’t quite over yet! Moore drains a 35-footer across 14 for his birdie, Garcia can’t knock in his own 20-footer, and suddenly the American deficit is cut to three. They couldn’t, could they? Well, maybe, because there’s a sense that a tide is gently turning: McIlroy’s tee shot at 13 is wet. It’s the rookie Pieters versus Dustin and Kuch, though the European is closest to the pin. Europe would run like the clappers with the half, if you offered it them right now.
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 5&4 (F)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 3UP (14)
5UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (13)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 3UP (12)
Moore and Garcia halve the 13th in par. Snedeker and Kaymer share the spoils from 12 in par. Then coming behind, two chances for Europe to win at 12; Pieters sees his 15-footer teeter on the edge of the cup but refuse to fall, then McIlroy lets Johnson and Kuchar off the hook.
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 5&4 (F)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 4UP (13)
5UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (12)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 3UP (12)
United States of America 4-1 Europe
Reed’s putt looks straight, and he hits it straight, but it slips across to the left. No birdie. That leaves the Europeans with two chances to make their own birdie and win the match. Stenson first: his 18-footer is never dropping. Can Rose make it? Yes he can! The hole snaffles a briskly hit ball, it’s a birdie, and a fine 5&4 win. Henrik Stenson was particularly impressive there. And so nine hours and a couple of minutes after the big tee off, Europe have their first point on the board!
Updated
Spieth and Reed are playing very loosely now. Spieth’s drive down the right of 14 sits on the edge of a bunker. He’s got to stand in the trap to play his second, and a flyer through the green is the result. Reed is in sand down the other side, though he settles himself to whistle his second pin high, leaving a 20-footer for his birdie. Stenson and Rose are in the middle of the fairway. Stenson’s approach is a bit average from where he is, but Rose clips his to ten feet. Reed really needs to make that putt. Meanwhile could there be a chink of light for America in the final match? Dustin Johnson nips his third to a couple of feet, and after an interminable period of faffing around, as the other three try to make long putts to ease/apply pressure, the big man taps in for his birdie. That’s one of the four holes clawed back, and after scrambling a precious half on the previous hole, the Big Man has woken from his slumber, and possibly planted a seed or two of doubt in European minds!
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 4UP (13)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 4UP (12)
5UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (11)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 3UP (11)
Stenson knocks in his birdie putt to turn up the pressure on Spieth. This really is a must for the US pair. But he leaves it on the left lip. That’s a dismal effort. This morning’s pace-setting heroes are in a lot of trouble now. On 12, Garcia gently steers in a tricky downhill eight-footer to save his par and halve the hole.
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 4UP (13)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 4UP (12)
5UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (11)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 4UP (10)
Rose whips his tee shot at the par-three 13th onto the hill guarding a bunker at the front left. It bounces off the knoll and springs pin high, eight feet away. That’s a fine tee shot, spiced with a little fortune. Stenson however is half the distance inside, landing his ball softly to the left of the cup. Then Spieth nearly holes in one, though his ball rolls six feet past! And finally Reed, who has gotten a bit loose over the last couple of holes, plonks his in the bunker. What a crucial shoot-out this is going to be! Meanwhile back on 11, Snedeker’s big hitting earns the US yet another hole in the third match. Kaymer has contributed absolutely nothing this afternoon; Willett, one huge rake across the 9th the outlier, next to nothing. The rookie Pieters is the only European captain’s pick to justify his selection so far.
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 3UP (12)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 4UP (11)
5UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (11)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 4UP (10)
Updated
Reed has avoided the water on 12 after sending his ball clattering through the trees. He sends his third pin high, leaving a 15-footer for par. Rose finds the front apron in two, then duffs his pitch, Martin Kaymer style. The crowd very much enjoyed that. He’s not making his long par putt. With Spieth having got wet, this is now between Stenson - who sent his second into the heart of the green, 20 feet from the flag - and Reed. Stenson up first: he lags it up for his par. Reed needs to make his for a grand, and frankly improbable, escape. It’s not dropping. Europe are three ahead with six to play. Meanwhile Holmes and Moore halve the par-five 11th in birdie four. And McIlroy - remember him, in all this bedlam? - wedges from 100 yards to a couple of feet. Brilliant. But though he’ll tap in for his birdie, he’ll not win the hole: Dustin rolls in a 20-footer to deny him. What a crucial putt, keeping the States in with a shout.
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 3UP (12)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 4UP (11)
4UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (10)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 4UP (10)
On 10, another birdie for Snedeker, popping one in from 12 feet; he restores Team USA’s lead in that match to four holes. Danny Willett’s monster on the previous hole an exercise in futility. On 11, Holmes, Moore, Garcia and Cabrera Bello take turns to pepper the flag. And up on 12, Spieth and Reed both flay wild Mickelsonesque drives into the woods down the right. Spieth is in sand, snookered by a tree, and he hoicks his second into the water. He was being heckled by one of his own fans before taking that shot; he had to step out of his stance a couple of times, then tell everyone to pipe down. A few cold drinks taken, perhaps. Reed meanwhile plays bagatelle with the trees he’s behind. Nobody knows where that one went yet. And these boys have been put on the clock again! A lot of high jinks down this hole. Rose and Stenson are in the centre of the fairway, incidentally. But where’s the fun in that?
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 2UP (11)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 4UP (10)
4UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (10)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 4UP (9)
Sheer brilliance from Jordan Spieth! He’s just off the front of the long par-five 11th in two huge strokes, and then bumps a chip across the big green to four feet. That was such a delightful touch, and it puts the Europeans under a bit of pressure. Rose, in a tuft of rough front left, replies with an equally wonderful pitch to a similar distance! Spieth is up first, and he makes his birdie. Pressure on Rose. Stenson, on a similar line but miles outside, goes first. He misses, but Rose goes to school on it and knocks in his birdie. A half, and Europe remain two up. Back on 9, Dustin has a 20-foot chance to grab back a hole, but doesn’t give his effort enough juice. McIlroy and Pieters reach the turn four holes to the good. An out-of-sorts Matt Kuchar stays behind to tidy up a putt of no consequence, in order to try to relocate some touch, as he’s entitled to do. He misses from three feet.
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 2UP (11)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 4UP (10)
3UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (9)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 4UP (9)
Garcia’s in a spot of bother off the tee at 10, behind a tree down the left. He simply takes out his wedge and whips his ball over his woody foe, landing it softly on the green, eight feet from the pin. Moore sets up a birdie effort of his own from 12 feet, and guides the left-to-right curler into the cup, never missing. It puts awful pressure on Sergio, but he gently prods it along a similar line and into the hole. He cups his ear in the panto style, eliciting a few comedic boos from the gallery. A huge smile plays across his face. Europe remain four up, though Moore will be happy enough with the way that panned out too. Meanwhile Willett drains a monster on 9! It scampered into the hole like a mouse with a big chunk of cheese, having made a 50-foot skitter across the green. It spooks Koepka, who had guided a lovely second pin high to eight feet. He doesn’t give it enough, and it dies off to the left. The Americans are now only three up as they reach the turn. Only three up!
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 2UP (10)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 4UP (10)
3UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (9)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 4UP (8)
Pieters looks ice cool. Emotionless. He didn’t celebrate wildly when he made any of his three birdies so far this afternoon; he doesn’t flinch when a chance slips by on 8. Kuchar has a birdie opportunity of his own from ten feet, but can’t make Pieters pay for his miss. He and Big Dustin remain four down. Three of these matches are heading for blowouts. But have the levels of tension been reduced in any meaningful way? Nope! That’s because the Ryder Cup is the Ryder Cup, and anything could happen yet.
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 2UP (10)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 4UP (9)
4UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (8)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 4UP (8)
Scrub that about Stenson: he’s kissed his ball off the top of the fluffy sand down the left of 10 to eight feet. That’s sensational from where he was! Especially as Spieth, from the middle of the fairway, can only send his ball into the heart of the green, 25 feet from the hole. Rose clips his to ten feet. Reed is out of it. Spieth’s putt never looks like dropping, so the Europeans have two birdie chances to win the hole. But they can’t make either of them. That’s let Spieth and Reed off the hook; a missed opportunity for Europe. Elsewhere, Koepka tidies up on 8 to move America four holes up in the third match, while Sergio chips in from the rough surrounding 9 to put Europe in a similarly strong position in the second!
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 2UP (10)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 4UP (9)
4UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (8)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 4UP (7)
Updated
Brooks Koepka is enjoying some debut. Three up in his game through the first seven holes, he’s just caressed his tee shot at the par-three 8th to a couple of feet. This match could run away from Europe quite soon. But on the flip side, at 7, here’s another birdie for Pieters, who is getting into this Ryder Cup business now he’s no longer carrying the dead weight of Westwood. Up on 10, a big break for Justin Rose, whose drive looks to be heading left, takes a massive bounce off a hillock, and kicks back onto the fairway, scampering miles down the hill. He’ll have a wedge coming in, as will Jordan Spieth. Those two might be on their own, as Stenson has driven into sand, while Reed is away on a nature ramble down the left.
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 2UP (9)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 3UP (8)
3UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (7)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 4UP (7)
Moore has a 20-foot curler from right to left on the par-three 8th. Both Europeans having missed the green with their tee shots, this is for the hole. It’s an inch away from dropping. He squats on his haunches in despair. They remain three holes adrift. Snedeker and Willett halve the 7th in par. Spieth and Stenson both miss makeable 12-footers on 9; that hole’s halved in widespread frustration. Meanwhile here’s Simon McMahon, suggesting fans of Europe shouldn’t get ahead of themselves regarding this afternoon’s slight upturn in fortune. “Two points for Europe tonight will at least guarantee that the match cannot be decided before Sunday’s singles. Small steps, eh?”
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 2UP (9)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 3UP (8)
3UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (7)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 3UP (6)
Back in the final match of the afternoon, McIlroy splashes out from a bunker at the par-five 6th. His ball lands eight feet from the flag, and he rolls the putt straight into the cup. That’s three holes on the bounce for the Europeans, who would snatch your hand off if you offered to turn these in-progress matches into results. The next couple of hours are going to be oh-so-crucial. I’m already struggling for fingernails and we’re only two-thirds of the way through the opening day! It’s hard being a sports fan, huh.
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 2UP (8)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 3UP (7)
3UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (6)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 3UP (6)
Updated
A couple of pleasant surprises here, one for each team. Snedeker drains a biggie on 6 to put Kaymer and Willett, who can’t get anything going at all, in a spot of bother; the USA are three up in that match. But on 7, Cabrera Bello continues to enjoy himself immensely; he takes his drop, finds the green in three, and drains a 20-footer for par. That puts pressure on Moore’s birdie putt, and Europe somehow escape with a half!
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 2UP (8)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 3UP (7)
3UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (6)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 2UP (5)
Reed is one inch away from rolling in a 25-footer from the apron! Such a brilliant putt, so unfortunate for the USA pair. It’s down to Spieth, then; he’s got a 35-foot right-to-left downhill putt across the green. If this goes in, expect the huge, 20-deep gallery lining the hole to go wild. And it nearly does, but the big breaker stops just short. Both lads so close to snatching the hole from Stenson; a joule here or there, and Europe would have suffered a sickener. But Stenson gets his reward for nearly holing in one.
Henrik Stenson is the width of his Titleist away from a hole in one! A beauty at 8, which lands a couple of feet in front of the hole, takes a little soft-shoe shuffle, and nearly gently drops into the cup. That’s a gimme, so one of Spieth or Reed will have to birdie if they’re not to fall two holes behind. Neither go close. Just a sense that the young American duo are getting a tad frustrated, which is understandable given their brilliant fast start was checked by some gritty European play. Still, one big putt to make birdie here, and the momentum may well shift again.
Yes, there’s an awful long way to go all right! McIlroy birdies 5 to move Europe two holes clear of the big-name Dustin/Kuchar pairing, but on 7, Sergio finds water down the right with his tee shot, while Cabrera-Bello gets wet on the other side of the hole! Farcical scenes, and you would think that second match will be tightening up pretty soon.
Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson 1UP (7)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 3UP (6)
2UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (5)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 2UP (5)
A brilliant birdie for Cabrera Bello on 6! He’s taken to this Ryder Cup malarkey all right. Europe are three up in the second match. Up on 7, the glacial opening match continues, er, apace. Reed tickles his birdie putt down the green, and watches in horror as it shaves the lip. Then Spieth’s effort from the apron lips out. That allows Stenson to tuck his birdie putt away, and even though his partner thinned one into the drink, Europe have won the hole. And they’re now up in three matches. This is exactly what the visitors need to get back into this Ryder Cup, but my oh my, there’s an awful long way to go this afternoon - an afternoon that could go an awful long way to deciding the narrative of this competition.
Updated
A six-footer on 5 for Willett to win the hole. He gives the putt too much juice, and it lips out, allowing Snedeker to knock in from a very similar distance for the half. Meanwhile the opening match is just coming up 7. At this rate, they’ll take nearly six hours if they play all 18 holes. That is beyond ridiculous, no wonder these lads were on the clock this morning. You’d think they’ll be on it again soon if they don’t pick their legs up. But it’s not as though they’re not supplying us with wonderful entertainment. Spieth and Reed both wedge their second shots to 15, maybe 18 feet. Rose then thins his straight through the green and into the lake. Finally Stenson, now on his own, screeches his approach to six feet. Anything could happen here.
Spieth shanks his approach to 6! Off it whistles, straight towards the gallery on the right. You don’t see that too often in the pro game, less so from a stellar talent like two-time major-winning Jordan. But in fourballs, it’s all about making sure you have your partner’s back, and Reed wedges pin high to set himself up with a birdie chance from eight feet. The European duo are in a little bit of bother, but from the fringe, Stenson rattles in a fairly straight 20-footer for his birdie, and suddenly the pressure’s on Reed instead! But this brilliant young man isn’t the sort to buckle, and he eases in his birdie to ensure the hole is halved. He had Spieth’s back all right there. Rose, meanwhile, will be slapping Stenson’s. Great match play. Meanwhile on 4, Pieters - who didn’t do half as much wrong this morning as Lee Westwood - rolls in a 20-footer across 4 to give Europe the lead in that final match!
Spieth/Reed A/S Rose/Stenson (6)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 2UP (5)
2UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (4)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 1UP (4)
Updated
Now it’s Dustin Johnson’s turn to set himself up with an eagle effort on 3. He’s a turn away from making his 30-foot effort, but birdie will have to do. It’s not enough to win the hole, though, as Rory gets up and down from a deep bunker at the front of the green for birdie of his own. Another good up and down from sand, by Danny Willett at 4, from a tricky downhill lie and without much green to play with, saves a half for Europe. They’re hanging on by their fingernails there. Meanwhile Sergio wedges his second at 5 stone dead, a shot worthy of winning any hole. Moore can’t get up and down from a bank to the left, and the Spaniards are two up.
Spieth/Reed A/S Rose/Stenson (5)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 2UP (5)
2UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (4)
D Johnson/Kuchar A/S McIlroy/Pieters (3)
Moore can’t make his birdie from the back of 4. Sergio should pop his away, a gentle left-to-right slider from six feet, but he leaves it out on the left. That’s very poor, and a chance to put a little pressure on an inexperienced US duo goes by. Two big booms by Brooks Koepka on the long par-five 3rd sets up an eagle effort. He can’t quite make it, but the birdie is enough to win the hole anyway. Meanwhile on 5, Stenson owes Rose one; he sends a misjudged second shot straight over the green, leaving Rose to battle Spieth and Reed alone. Spieth knocks in a ten-footer for birdie, but Rose makes one of similar distance to momentarily silence a very happy gallery, and walks off wearing one of the rarely spotted European Smiles. This is some very entertaining golf.
Spieth/Reed A/S Rose/Stenson (5)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 1UP (4)
2UP Snedeker/Koepka v Kaymer/Willett (3)
D Johnson/Kuchar A/S McIlroy/Pieters (2)
Updated
Another chance for the USA to level things up in the second match; another chance spurned. This time it’s Holmes who misses a very makeable putt, from five feet at 3, and the Spanish duo of Garcia and Cabrera Bello remain in the lead. Sergio turns the screw by creaming his tee shot at the following hole pin high, to six feet. Moore skelps his 12 feet past the flag, keeping things competitive. Speaking of which, the hosts battle back in the final match of the afternoon, Rory missing an uphill 12-footer for his birdie, bellowing an unambiguous “FUCK!”, and watching in horror as Dustin drains a much snakier one across the green for bird. They’re level again. This is magnificent fun, and if nothing else, it’s clear that Europe haven’t given up the ghost quite yet.
Spieth/Reed A/S Rose/Stenson (4)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 1UP (3)
1UP Snedeker/Kopeka v Kaymer/Willett (2)
D Johnson/Kuchar A/S McIlroy/Pieters (2)
To the par-three 4th, where Reed sends his tee shot sailing into sand on the left, and the other three leave themselves monster putts across the ridge running through the green. Only Stenson can get his second stroke anywhere close, lagging up from 40 feet close enough for his putt to be conceded. Can either Reed or Spieth save the day for the States? Reed, on the downslope in the sand and shortsided, could only splash out to 25 feet. He’s close to teasing in his left-to-right breaker, but it stays out on the high side. Spieth’s slippery downhill 10-footer, the result of a misjudged monster putt, slips by the right, having looked for all the world that it would drop. They’re all square; Rose and Stenson have done marvellous things in negating the young American duo’s fast start.
Spieth/Reed A/S Rose/Stenson (4)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 1UP (2)
1UP Snedeker/Kopeka v Kaymer/Willett (2)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 1UP (1)
On the opening hole, McIlroy lands his approach ten feet past the flag, but generates such a preposterous amount of backspin, his ball nearly falls off the front of a very large green. Pieters wedges to 15 feet, keeping Europe in the mix for the hole. He’s left with an uphill putt; Kuchar has one of similar distance coming down the green. Kuchar’s up first, but can’t make it, and sends his putt nine feet past. McIlroy lags up, Pieters sees a brave birdie effort horseshoe out, then finally Kuchar misses his par putt. With Dustin out of contention as a result of that errant drive - though he nearly redeemed himself by sinking a long par saver - Europe win that in par. Meanwhile up on 2, Snedeker sends his second to four feet, and that match is all square again.
1UP Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson (3)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 1UP (2)
1UP Snedeker/Kopeka v Kaymer/Willett (2)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters 1UP (1)
Another birdie putt for Cabrera Bello, who sent his approach at 2 over the flag to 12 feet. But he gives it way too much out to the right. That gives Moore a chance to win the hole from eight feet, but he lets his birdie effort dribble apologetically away to the right, and Europe remain one up. Up on 3, Reed makes the USA’s third birdie in three holes, but they’re only one up for their efforts, because Rose splashes from the sand to a couple of feet and tidies up for a birdie of his own. This is relentless!
1UP Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson (3)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 1UP (2)
Snedeker/Kopeka A/S Kaymer/Willett (1)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters
Anything Rafa Cabrera Bello can do... US rookie Brooks Koepka batters a mammoth drive down the opening hole, and wedges a beauty to a couple of feet. That’ll be a simple putt for birdie and a perfect start to his Ryder Cup career. But first up, Willett, who pulled his approach 30 feet to the left of the flag, only to drain a stunner for birdie! That’ll settle down anyone who does fancy giving him some stick. A half, on a hole that could so easily have been lost. Back on the tee, Dustin’s out and about. And he balloons his drive into the trees down the left, but gets a lucky ricochet off a trunk and he’s safely back in play. This is already shaping up to be a fun afternoon.
1UP Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson (2)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 1UP (1)
Snedeker/Kopeka A/S Kaymer/Willett (1)
D Johnson/Kuchar v McIlroy/Pieters
Updated
It’s pantomime season soon! So everyone at Hazeltine has the good grace to wait a couple of months, giving Danny Willett a very generous reception as he’s introduced on the tee. No comic booing. He is their Masters champion after all. You could forgive him for being a complete bag of nerves, thanks to the eejitry of his brother, whose main crime was surely that his jokes were so obvious and, even worse, boring. Willett cracks one down the middle. Up on the green, Cabrera Bello, who has come out with, by the looks of it, a super-positive attitude, celebrates his Ryder Cup debut with birdie at his very first hole. After Holmes and Moore’s wild drives, that’s enough to give Europe an early lead. And on 2, some more good news for the Europeans, as Stenson follows Spieth into the cup for birdie, thus ensuring things don’t get out of hand too quickly in that opening fourball.
1UP Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson (2)
Holmes/Moore v Garcia/Cabrera Bello 1UP (1)
There’s a huge roar! And not just because Scott is back. Spieth has birdied the 2nd. I’ll bow out and let Mr Murray take over. Bye.
Reed’s got his eye in all right. He’s dropped his approach on the 2nd to within 15ft. His playing partner, Spieth, follows suit. And then rather like a game of crown green bowls, Stenson sends his ball between the two of them, closer than either to the cup and perhaps Europe’s best chance of evening things up in this game, what with Rose playing safe and landing his further away.
Updated
“As an American, I thought Willett’s egomaniacal brother’s ranting was ‘spot on’ as you lads say,” writes Rob Coughlin. “That being said, me thinks there will be some very angry Brits (and the other nationalities on the British side) come Sunday. The last thing this US team needed was more motivation.” Indeed Rob. But I wonder if all that was of more interest to the media than to the US team.
There a sliver of hope for Europe as the second pairing get under way. Garcia drains his drive into the semi-rough but it’s gone miles and will give him a fine vantage point for his approach shot. Cabrera Bello is safe enough too. But both Holmes and Moore send their drives careering way out west. Deary me. There was a bit too much testosterone in those.
Stenson gives his putt a clack along the green and across a little hump. The line looks good. Is it good enough though? No. It misses by a couple of inches to the left. Spieth chips past the hole from the fringes so no birdie for him either. Can Rose take his chance, a 12-footer, from the edge of the green. Nope. He rolls it right. That leaves Reed then, who played the best drive, with a chance to give the Americans an early advantage. Plop. In it goes. A birdie. Cold blooded.
1UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (1)
Updated
Reed hunts down the pin with his approach shot, landing his iron from the semi-rough to within 15-20ft. It’s a lovely shot. Stenson struggles to get his club under the ball due to his lie so plays safe into the centre of the green, his ball hopping and trickling to within 40ft. Spieth goes for the pin and lands it close … but it does a little moonwalk back onto the fringe of the green. And what about Rose? He too goes for the pin, and watches his ball reverse on to the front fringe of the green but, crucially, not as far back as Spieth’s.
“We’ve come back from more difficult positions than this in the past,” says Darren Clarke, when asked about Europe’s shellacking this morning. He sounds confident about the afternoon’s pairings. “It looks a very strong team,” he says. He looks very relaxed. I’m sure there’s probably a sliver of fear hidden behind those dark sunglasses he’s sporting.
Henrik Stenson gives a faux-scared wave as his name is read out. Justin Rose is first to tee off. He takes a few practise swings as the USA fans make a hell of a din. “USA! USA!! USA!!!” Then there’s a collective shushing. Very sportsmanlike. Clack! He’s happy with that. He should be. He wallops his drive right down the centre of the fairway. Stenson, using a beefy driver, lands his in the semi-rough off to the left. He’ll be fine there. Reed’s drive is received with a roar for the ages. It follows Stenson’s ball off into the lush stuff. And last up is Spieth, who lands his ball within 20 yards of Rose’s ball, right in the middle of the 1st fairway.
The first pairings are making their way out to the tee box. It’s a rematch of this morning’s first foursomes pairings. Spieth and Reed get a thunderous reception from the Hazeltine crowd, who are having a very enjoyable day. Next up come Rose and Stenson. They’re in deep discussion as they head down the path and climb up to the tee box to a chorus of boos. Right then. We’re almost ready to go again. Are you ready? Good.
What kind of reception will Danny Willett receive from the boisterous USA fans when he goes out with Martin Kaymer at 7pm? I’m guessing a rather rather warm one, perhaps even a little uncomfortably so. The US pair in that match, Brandt Snedeker and Brookes Koepka, were spectators this morning. Will that work in the US pair’s favour or Europe’s? Will the Americans be fresh, or perhaps a little nervy?
Hello. Gregg Bakowski here. Scott Murray has just nipped off to get some nourishment. Perhaps even Hamburger Helper. Who knows? I’ll keep you updated as best I can while he’s away. The first of the fourballs to get underway is Spieth and Reed v Rose and Stenson. 4-0! It already seems a long way back for Europe doesn’t it? But still, there’s plenty of golf yet to be played. Perhaps even some spectacular golf. Let’s hope so.
Updated
Do you think Europe fancy going out again? Well, they’ll have to. And here are the pairings for the afternoon fourballs, which you’d have thought they’ll need to win 3-1 if they fancy getting even a half-decent night’s sleep...
12.30pm (6.30pm BST): Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed v Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson
12.45pm (6.45pm BST): JB Holmes and Ryan Moore v Sergio Garcia and Rafa Cabrera Bello
1pm (7pm BST): Brandt Snedeker and Brooks Koepka v Martin Kaymer and Danny Willett
1.15pm (7.15pm BST): Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar v Rory McIlroy and Thomas Pieters
A FOURSOMES WHITEWASH! United States of America 4-0 Europe
Sullivan gives Europe half a chance of snatching a barely deserved half-point by sending his approach to 20 feet, a good way inside Fowler’s second shot. But Mickelson lags up close, and McIlroy can’t curl his birdie effort into the cup. The USA have won all four of the morning foursomes! What a spectacular effort! To a man, they were as sensational as the majority of the Europeans were dismal! That’s only the fourth clean sweep in a foursomes series, following American efforts in 1947, 1975 and 1981. And this, according to Patrick Reed, is the USA’s “Achilles heel”!!!
3&2 Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose
1UP Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan
4&2 Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer
5&4 D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood
Updated
United States of America 3-0 Europe
Five holes in a row for Jimmy Walker and Zach Johnson! Zach strokes in a 20-footer for birdie, and the hosts are cavorting around Hazeltine.
3&2 Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (F)
1UP Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan (17)
4&2 Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer (F)
5&4 D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (F)
Updated
Oh dear. This is turning ugly for Darren Clarke’s team! On the par-three 17th, Rickie Fowler creams a stunning tee shot to five feet. Andy Sullivan needs a big response, and seriously underhits his effort. The ball fades into the water at the front of the green. McIlroy’s third, from the drop zone, doesn’t even stay on the putting surface. The USA are now dormie in both the remaining matches; Europe are staring a red-wash straight in the face.
3&2 Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (F)
1UP Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan (17)
3UP Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer (15)
5&4 D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (F)
Updated
The pressure is telling on Europe. And they’re crumbling under some relentless American play! McIlroy’s wedge into 16 spins back to 25 feet, Mickelson’s brilliance having turned up the heat. Sullivan very nearly knocks in a brilliant putt from distance, but it spins out and Fowler tidies up to win the hole! Then Garcia sends his second into 15, under pressure from Walker, into the thick stuff at the back of the green. Not a time for Martin Kaymer to quit through his pitch and fluff it totally, the ball barely travelling a full turn. This is hard to watch. Another hole goes, and suddenly the USA have two points on the board, are dormie in the third match, and have the momentum in the other one! The Hazeltine gallery are already sensing payback for Medinah, and it’s still Friday morning! Europe need to clear their collective heads; they’re in some bother already.
3&2 Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (F)
Mickelson/Fowler A/S McIlroy/Sullivan (16)
3UP Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer (15)
5&4 D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (F)
United States of America 2-0 Europe
It’s an American tidal wave of pressure right now. Dustin Johnson puts the hosts on the brink of another point with a wedge close to the flag at 14. Jimmy Walker sends America’s second pin high at 15. And perhaps best of all Phil Mickelson sends a wedge handbrake-turning six feet from the cup at 16. Any European response? Well, here’s the first: Westwood sets Pieters up with a 20-footer for birdie on 14. The big Belgian drains it, but it’s an exercise in futility, because Kuchar tidies up to seal a 5&4 thrashing, and it’s another point on the board for the USA!
3&2 Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (F)
Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan 1UP (15)
2UP Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer (14)
5&4 D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (F)
Updated
United States of America 1-0 Europe
Henrik Stenson pulls his wedge into 16. Justin Rose can’t knock in the 25-footer across the green. Jordan Spieth though has left Patrick Reed with a ten-footer from behind the flag for birdie. It’s never going anywhere but in, and the USA chalk up the first point of the 2016 Ryder Cup! Thoroughly deserved after a powerful start!
3&2 Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose
Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan 1UP (15)
2UP Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer (14)
5UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (13)
Updated
Lee Westwood’s misery continues. Dustin Johnson rakes in a 30-footer to save par on 13; Westwood then pulls one straight left off the face of his putter from two feet. He’s been diabolical today by his own standards. Europe were looking to close the gap; they now find themselves dormie five. Meanwhile Jimmy Walker really has overcome those early nerves; he teases in a perfectly judged 25-foot right-to-left curler to win another hole for the Americans. What a wonderful turnaround!
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (15)
Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan 1UP (15)
2UP Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer (14)
5UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (13)
Updated
Sullivan sends his drive down 15 into trees on the right. McIlroy can only find the fringe around the green, and his partner hits a hot chip 15 feet past the hole. McIlroy is inches away from saving par, but the ball stays high on the left, and Mickelson and Fowler - who have played the hole in fuss-free fashion - clean up for par. They reduce Europe’s lead to a single hole. If McIlroy and Sullivan let this slip, Europe will need Garcia and Kaymer to do something over the closing holes. Otherwise, they’ll find themselves in a tight spot already. The Americans have been magnificent.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (15)
Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan 1UP (15)
1UP Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer (13)
4UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (12)
Europe win that shootout on 14! Mickelson doesn’t quite hit his putt, the ball dying off to the right. McIlroy makes no mistake, though, spinning through 720 degrees in fierce celebration, pointing at the gallery as he wheels around, and Europe are in a strong position in the second match. They’re in trouble in match three, though, with Zach Johnson creaming his tee shot at 13 to five feet, while Kaymer finds sand back-right. Sergio splashes out close, but there’s not enough pressure on Walker, who makes the birdie putt. What a turnaround in that match! USA now lead. And in the opening match, Stenson sends his approach to six feet, while Spieth seriously underhits his wedge. Rose however misses his fairly straight putt, Reed lags his close, and a chance to close the gap is gone. Rose let the hosts dodge, nay sashay around, a bullet there.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (15)
Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan 2UP (14)
1UP Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer (13)
4UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (12)
See, this is how precarious Europe’s position is! Kaymer pulls an eight-footer wide left of the hole at 12. Walker and Zach Johnson combine to get up and down from a bunker, and they’ve suddenly won the hole, and levelled the match! Meanwhile up on 14, Mickelson sends another drive off centre, this time into sand down the right. McIlroy whistles his into rough on the other side of the fairway. Their partners retrieve the situation by whipping approaches to 15 feet; that’s going to be a very interesting shoot-out, one which could put Europe in a strong position to win a point, or wipe the last remaining trace of blue off the leaderboard! This is so exciting already. Goodness knows what state we’ll be in come Sunday.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (14)
Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan 1UP (13)
Walker/Z Johnson A/S Garcia/Kaymer (12)
4UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (11)
Turns out Europe are on the clock in the opening match as well. No blame’s been apportioned; they’ve all been booted up the arse, is all. Reed cuts one round a tree down the right of 14, finding the front of the green and getting his partner out of a spot of trouble. A half. Back on the par-three 13th, Sullivan lands his tee shot on the fringe at the front, Europe’s ball rolling straight towards the flag, stopping eight feet short. A wonderful shot from the rookie! Fowler’s effort is nowhere near, giving Mickelson no chance of birdie. Rory makes it for the visitors, though, and he screams COME ON!!! at the top of his lungs. Europe were in a pretty miserable mess an hour ago; it’s still very precarious, but their position looks a whole lot healthier now.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (14)
Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan 1UP (13)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (11)
4UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (11)
Updated
In the leading match, Rose skelps his tee shot at the par-three 13th straight at the flag, leaving his partner a ten-footer for birdie. Reed replies by overclubbing, his ball nearly toppling off the back. Spieth lags up well, though he leaves Reed with another four footer. Stenson can’t make the birdie putt, though, and Reed makes no mistake this time. A half, that’ll feel like a win for Team USA. Though here’s a thing: Spieth and Reed have been put on the clock for slow play. Any transgression, and they’d lose a hole. Wouldn’t that be something. Meanwhile on the long par-five 11th, Sergio hits a fairway wood straight right! Even the greatest players in the world find themselves laid low by golf sometimes. Kaymer redeems the situation by knocking a wedge to 12 feet from Sergio Silly Country (be careful). Sergio can’t knock in the putt to win an outrageous hole, though. And Mickelson’s been a strange choice for the foursomes, given his recent driving woes. He sends another wild one into the trees, this time down the left of 12. Fowler however finds the centre of the green and the States get away with a half.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (13)
Mickelson/Fowler A/S McIlroy/Sullivan (12)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (11)
4UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (10)
Rose and Stenson are always chasing their opponents on 12. With Reed left with a four-footer, Rose needs to curl in a left-to-right 15-footer from behind the hole. He can’t make it, and wanders off looking sullen. But Europe are gifted an immediate boost, as Reed pulls his short one to the left. He mouths a theatrical OOF! and wanders off, kidding on he doesn’t care.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (12)
Mickelson/Fowler A/S McIlroy/Sullivan (11)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (10)
4UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (9)
A comedy of errors on 11. From a bunker down the right of the long par-five, Fowler loses his footing and, in slipping, sends a thin one through the back of the green. Mickelson, pitching back up from under a tree, can’t get close. Sullivan meanwhile overhits a simple approach from the fairway, his ball nestling in the long stuff at the back; McIlroy hits a hot one ten feet past the hole. But Fowler can’t knock in the long putt to save par, while Sullivan finally finds a little something, making Europe’s par and screaming quite a lot as he squares the match. That’s a real rollercoaster; just two halves in the last eight holes. What a tussle! Meanwhile back on 10, Kaymer knocks the European approach to eight feet. Jimmy Walker’s long putt gives Sergio a read, but the Spanish genius fails to hit his effort. Sergio looks beyond distraught, so Kaymer ostentatiously scoops up the ball and skips off, a show designed to inject some energy back into his crestfallen partner. They’re still leading their match, after all.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (11)
Mickelson/Fowler A/S McIlroy/Sullivan (11)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (10)
4UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (9)
A momentum shift in the last game? Goodness knows Europe need it. Thomas Pieters knocks in a 15-footer that looks to have salvaged a half, with Matt Kuchar a couple of feet from the flag. But Kuchar inexplicably horseshoes out, and suddenly the American advantage is only four holes. Only four holes.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (11)
1 UP Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan (10)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (9)
4UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (9)
You’ll have noticed the third match reaching the turn without comment here. So what happened on the 9th green was, Sergio drained a 15-footer for par, and then Jimmy Walker, hard as nails, rolled one in of similar distance. Walker looked shaky in the early exchanges, but the PGA champion has settled into his game now. It’s been all pars in that match, barring the early bogey that gifted Europe the lead. Meantime a couple of big putts traded on 11, too, Spieth rolling home a 15-foot left-to-right curler from the fringe, Stenson making a slightly shorter one in reply. That’s a fine putt by Stenson; had Europe lost that hole, they’d have been in terrible trouble. As it is, they’re just in a bit of bother. But they’ll have to get something going soon.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (11)
1 UP Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan (10)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (9)
5UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (8)
Updated
Kuchar gently pings his tee shot at the par-three 8th to six feet. It’s all too easy for the Americans in this final match. Dustin tickles in the birdie putt and the captain’s picks are in desperate trouble now. What a painful Ryder Cup debut this is for poor Thomas Pieters, though it should be stressed that Lee Westwood has been culpable for most of their mini-meltdown. Meanwhile Fowler and Sullivan knock their approaches into 10 to 12 feet. Mickelson’s birdie effort dies off to the left; McIlroy’s slips by the right. Given the Americans putted first, that goes down as an opportunity to level the match spurned. Rory allows his head to hang a bit. There are a couple of two-footers left: Europe don’t concede America’s putt, though once Fowler taps in, he does right thing by his guests. Very strange.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (10)
1 UP Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan (10)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (9)
5UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (8)
Updated
The US should be tied in the third match, too, but the usually metronomic Zach Johnson has just seen a six-footer horseshoe out on 8. On 10, Reed rattles a ten-footer into the centre of the cup to halve a hole that looked like slipping away from the hosts. And back on 7, Westwood had indeed found the lake. And then he’s chipping four into the green. It’s a good 30 feet shy of the flag. “Nah, that’s short,” shouts a tinder-dry punter. His crisp, clear, deadpan analysis was delivered with perfect comic timing, and will feel like a blade in Westwood’s back. He’s having an absolute shocker here.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (10)
1 UP Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan (9)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (8)
4UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (7)
Lee Westwood - Darren Clarke’s mate, the captain’s pick - is having a nightmare right now. He and Thomas Pieters are three down already, and now Europe’s elder statesman has winged a drive into filth down the right of 7. That could well be wet. And if it isn’t wet, it’s in an awful lot of tangled trouble. Meanwhile it looks as though there’s nothing much going on down 9 - until Fowler eases in a chip from the fringe! The USA have turned a two-hole deficit into a one-hole lead! And suddenly the scoreboard has a decidedly red glow...
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (9)
1 UP Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan (9)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (7)
3UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (6)
Updated
Hope for Europe in the opening game? Spieth pushes the second into 9 towards a bunker on the right. It’s in there, and Reed can’t get close with the splash out. Spieth nearly guides home a snaky left-to-right-then-back-again 20-footer, but it doesn’t drop. Two putts to win the hole for Europe. Rose lags up to 18 inches. It should be a gimme, but this is the Ryder Cup, this is match play at the highest level. And so Spieth and Reed, playing mind games, demand they knock it in. Stenson taps home, and the Europeans have the good grace to enjoy a chuckle, rather than get wild. But this match could get interesting later, if things get tight. Brilliant. Meanwhile on 7, Walker sends a wedge screeching to six feet. The pressure’s suddenly on the Europeans, big style. So Sergio knocks his stone dead. That’s conceded, and suddenly Zach Johnson’s putt looks twice as long. But he makes it for a rather brilliant half. All the to-and-fro momentum of match play in a few wonderfully entertaining minutes there. And it’s only Friday morning!
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (9)
Mickelson/Fowler A/S McIlroy/Sullivan (8)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (7)
3UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (6)
Kaymer has a putt from 20 feet to win the hole at 6. He leaves it two-and-a-half feet short, and the crowd explode in impotent fury as Zach Johnson concedes the putt. Gentleman Zach. It’s not exactly Birkdale ‘69, but that was generous under the circumstances. Europe remain one up in that match. And it’s the only match they’re leading: Sullivan can only splash out of the sand at 8 to 12 feet, and McIlroy isn’t able to knock in the par saver. All of a sudden, from two holes in the lead, that second match is all square.
3UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (8)
Mickelson/Fowler A/S McIlroy/Sullivan (8)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (6)
3UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (5)
The positive energy is certainly whirling around the American team right now! Mickelson whips his tee shot at the par-three 8th to six feet, while McIlroy pushes a dreadful effort into a bunker to the right. He’s left Sullivan shortsided; the USA are in pole position there, and should really level the second match.
Updated
It gets better and better for the USA! Reed lags his monster putt to 18 inches, putting awful pressure on Rose’s birdie effort. The European putt slips by the cup, and that’s a great chance to get back into the match lost. Credit Reed rather than criticise Rose; that was brilliant match play. Meanwhile back on 7, Fowler rakes in a long birdie putt to ensure victory on a hole the Americans were bound to win anyway after Rory’s dip in the drink. The last two holes in that match have been exchanged in rather farcical circumstances. So if these matches were to finish right now, it’d be all square on the leaderboard. But there’s a way to go, and while the States have built a couple of big leads, Europe’s winning positions are much more precarious right now.
3UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (8)
Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan 1UP (7)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (5)
3UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (5)
A chink of light for Europe in the opening match, as Spieth’s tee shot into the par-three 8th only just finds the front left of the green. Stenson, knowing the state of play full well, arrows an iron straight at the flag. It’s ten feet short, but that’s a good uphill opportunity for Rose. Elsewhere, it’s much better news for the USA! Dustin Johnson strokes in a lovely 25-footer across 5, and Darren Clarke’s wildcard picks Pieters and Westwood are in all sorts of bother, three down already. And up on 7, Rory, behind a tree on the right, rather recklessly tries to take on the branches with his lob wedge. The branches win, sending his ball pinging off to the right, and into the water. That was a ridiculous play. Europe will almost certainly lose the hole, Mickelson having safely found the green with America’s approach.
Spieth turns the screw in the opening match! Ignoring the water to the right of 7, he wedges a stunner to four feet from 100 yards. Stenson hits a fairly average one to 25 feet, and though Rose very nearly drains the birdie putt, that’s that, because Reed’s not missing his short one. Back on 5, Kaymer fails to hit a 20-footer that would have given Europe a two-hole lead. It just needed one more turn. That was a fairly easy straight putt; by the look on Kaymer’s face, that’s a half that feels like a loss. Better news for Europe in the second match, though: Mickelson’s wild drive gets the States into all sorts of trouble from the get-go, and all McIlroy has to do is find the centre of the green with Europe’s third, because his opponents have taken six and aren’t even on the putting surface.
3UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (7)
Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan 2UP (6)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (5)
2UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (4)
Apologies for the radio silence; you can’t trust these computers. Mine just had a rather serious fit, involving restarts and loud curse words. What have we missed? Quite a lot, of course! Fowler missed his birdie putt on 5, though to be fair to him it was nearer 20 feet than 10. Sullivan and McIlroy get up and down to save themselves. A half. Garcia hooked his tee shot miles to the left of the par-three, and Kaymer didn’t chip particularly close. But Sergio drains a 30-footer to scramble an unlikely half. Westwood redeems himself slightly by knocking in a missable eight-footer on 3 to save a half. And Rose and Stenson get up and down from the bunker at 6, Reed missing a makeable chance to put Europe under some serious scoreboard pressure there.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (6)
Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan 1UP (5)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (4)
2UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (3)
An outrageous escape by Phil Mickelson down 5, Fowler having hoicked his drive deep into the woods down the left. He somehow threads his ball through the branches, and up onto the dancefloor, leaving his partner a ten-footer for birdie! Sullivan has left McIlroy in a better position down the left, but he sends a thin one through the back. Advantage USA. As it is on 6, where Stenson has found the bunker short left with Europe’s third, while Spieth fires straight at the flag. The States are left with a ten-footer for the win there.
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Spieth’s second into 5 takes a bit of a flyer, but Reed very nearly holes out from the fringe at the back. That was an exquisite chip; he’s a Ryder Cup legend in the making, is Patrick Reed, he clearly loves the thrill of the battle. I wonder if Europe will miss Ian Poulter this time round? Anyway, Reed’s fine pitch has saved a half; Rose can’t knock in the 15-foot putt Stenson had left him, and Europe remain two down. McIlroy and Mickelson meanwhile send their tee shots at the par-three 4th into the sand on the right. Fowler splashes out to six feet; Sullivan to three. Mickelson’s putt horseshoes out; Rory taps in to win the hole. But the first tiddler of the week has been missed, and it’s been missed by Europe, Lee Westwood failing to tidy up on 2 from a couple of feet, after Matt Kuchar, seemingly in a spot of trouble, lagged a 40-footer to a couple of inches.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (5)
Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan 1UP (4)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (2)
2UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (2)
Mickelson, Fowler, McIlroy and Sullivan share the 3rd in birdie. The US will feel happier with that half, Mickelson draining a 15-footer with Rory waiting to knock in a putt of half the distance. Phil celebrates big; he knows that was an important one for the sake of momentum. Westwood and Pieters meanwhile can’t get up and down from the sand at 1, and they fall behind in the final match of the morning. But there’s the first bit of good news for Europe, as a loose bunker shot from Jimmy Walker leaves Zach Johnson with too much to do to save par. Europe take the lead in match three.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (4)
Mickelson/Fowler A/S McIlroy/Sullivan (3)
Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer 1UP (2)
1UP D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood (1)
It’s the first par three of the Ryder Cup! Europe already need something to happen in this first match, so they’ll be pleased to see the Open champion land his tee shot pin high, ten feet to the right of the flag. The Americans have left themselves a long putt up the green. Reed rolls up to a couple of feet from 40-odd; that’s a fine lag from there. But is it enough to halve the hole? Yes: Rose’s effort slips by the left of the cup. More trouble for Europe back on 1; Pieters can only send their second from sand into more of the stuff by the green. Matt Kuchar finds the heart of the putting surface; advantage USA there.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (4)
Mickelson/Fowler A/S McIlroy/Sullivan (2)
Walker/Z Johnson A/S Garcia/Kaymer (1)
D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood
Back on the 1st green, neither pair can get up and down from the bunkers. A scrappy half in bogey. All four players looking slightly nervous at one point or another down that hole. Up on the tee, Big Dustin & Kuch, who together sound like a one-hit wonder from the mid 1970s, or perhaps a magic act, receive wild applause. But it’s Europe to go first, and Lee Westwood flashes his drive straight into the bunker down the right. Dustin’s up next, and the big, lovable, entertaining, brilliant galoot whistles a monster down the track. That’s a simply contemptuous boom! Nerves? What nerves? He might have something to prove after his poor showing at the Tour Championship last weekend, when he somehow let the FedEx Cup slip through his fingers. Europe, watch out.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (3)
Mickelson/Fowler A/S McIlroy/Sullivan (2)
Walker/Z Johnson A/S Garcia/Kaymer (1)
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Rose, under the tree down the left of 3, trundles his pitch-and-run 12 feet past the hole. Stenson can’t guide the right-to-left curler into the cup. He needed to make it, too, because Reed had clipped a delightful chip to six feet, and Spieth’s not missing that birdie chance. The US are off to a flyer in the opening match! Meanwhile McIlroy leaves his 25-footer on 2 a couple of turns short. The par putt’s given. Mickelson races his putt of similar length three feet past, and Fowler’s asked to make it, which he does.
2UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (3)
Mickelson/Fowler A/S McIlroy/Sullivan (2)
Up on 3, Reed and Rose find the middle of the par-five with their tee shots. Stenson and Spieth shuttle their balls further up the track, into the first cut on the left. Rose might be forced to consider some overhanging branches from a nearby tree, so lobbing it up might be out. Reed will find himself a little further up. Back on 2, both teams find the green in regulation, and face uphill putts from 20-odd feet. And on 1, Sergio, Martin Kaymer, Jimmy Walker and Zach Johnson take to the tee. Kaymer finds sand down the right with his drive; Sergio can only advance it into the bunker front-left of the green. Zach Johnson splits the fairway meanwhile, but Walker inexplicably pulls his into the bunker back-left of the putting surface. An opportunity to turn an early screw spurned. Meanwhile, courtesy of Gary Naylor, here’s beautiful and conclusive proof that, when it comes to the US national anthem, keeping it simple really does pay dividends:
The USA make the first impression on the 2016 Ryder Cup scoreboard! Stenson can only lag his putt to a couple of feet from distance. It’s conceded, after which Spieth rolls his short birdie effort straight at the hole. He’s after it, putter in the air, before the ball even drops into the centre of the cup. The US go ahead in the opening match! Back on the 1st green, Fowler seriously underhits his putt coming up the green, leaving Phil with a nervy five-footer. Sullivan looks as though he’s drained his to win the hole, but the ball skates off to the left with its last couple of turns. And he’s hit that hard enough for Rory to be faced with a four-footer of his own coming back. Mickelson taps his in for the par; Rory makes his too, though his slippery downhill effort only just grabs enough of the right-hand side of the cup. Even the greats get shaky in the Ryder Cup.
1UP Spieth/Reed v Stenson/Rose (2)
Mickelson/Fowler A/S McIlroy/Sullivan (1)
Rose pulls Europe’s second into 2, leaving Stenson with quite a tester right across the green. Reed, spotting the door ajar, bolts through it by sending America’s second straight over the flag, the ball landing softly eight feet from the hole. Spieth will have a very good look at putt which will, in all likelihood, give him the chance to put a first dash of red on the board. Back on 1, Mickelson’s approach is a tad shy of the flag, and rolls back down the green, 30 feet from the pin. But it’s uphill with only a gentle drift from right to left. McIlroy hits his pin high, but gets so much backspin on the ball that he leaves Sullivan with a 20-foot test.
Back on the 1st tee, Rory is out, and he’s whipping up the small European contingent in the crowd by joining in with their rendition of Is This The Way To Amarillo? It’s not quite Ian Poulter or Boo Weekley levels of showmanship, but it’s a good effort nonetheless. It needs to be, because the cheers that greet Phil and Rickie practically scatter the mist. Andy Sullivan, nervelessly, batters Europe’s opening drive down the track. That’ll settle him. Fowler follows. A pair of big drives there, taking out the corner on the left. Up on 2, Stenson splits the fairway; erstwhile European captain Sam Torrance looks on with a satisfied grin across his face. Spieth matches him. It’s been a brilliant display of driving so far, under all this pressure.
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Reed’s uphill right-to-left putt skates by the left of the hole. That opens the door for Rose, but his gentle left-to-right curler from the other side of the cup stays high on the left. That wasn’t the easiest of putts, but it was an opportunity to land an early blow for Europe nonetheless. They move on to the par-four 2nd all square.
Spieth/Reed A/S Stenson/Rose (1)
The USA are first to play their second shot. Having found the fairway, it’s an approachable green, and Spieth lands his ball ten feet from the flag, the ball biting gently and stopping almost immediately. Stenson follows him in, and Europe are probably a couple of feet closer, but they’re facing a quick downhill putt, so advantage USA there. Meanwhile here’s Mark Oliver, who has made a rash bet with a colleague: “The loser is going to have to serenade the rest of the team with either the Star Spangled Banner or Rule Britannia (I thought Ode to Joy was a little tricky). But I have just read on Wikipedia that The Star Spangled Banner is ‘notoriously difficult for non-professionals to sing because of its wide range’. I am NOT a professional singer. Gulp. Come on Europe!” I wouldn’t worry too much. Have you heard the caterwauling mess that’s usually made of that fine melody at big events? You’d struggle to do much worse. Think of it as free jazz. Hit hundreds of random notes. That’s what the pros do.
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Play is under way
Morning has broken now, and in the early morning Hazeltine haze, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson take to the 1st tee. Bedlam in the stands. USA, USA, USA. Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed - both looking very calm, it must be said - stand waiting for them. Into the lion’s den, with neither whip nor chair. There are approximately 20 vikings in the crowd. Well, it is Minnesota. Imagine even trying to tee your ball up, never mind hitting the actual drive. You’d be down on your hands and knees, shaking quite a lot. “Welcome to the first day, morning matches of the 41st Ryder Cup!” Stenson and Rose are given generous receptions; the needle goes off the scale when Spieth and Reed are introduced. Justin Rose will hit the first shot into the morning mist. And he splits the fairway! Patrick Reed follows him, with added commentary from the crowd: “Boom! USA! USA!” And with that, they’re sent off down the hole. This is happening, folks. Buckle in, this weekend’s going to be some ride. Can I hold your hand?
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So are you excited? Of course you are, silly of me to ask. Here’s Ben Hendy: “For me the Ryder Cup is the best sporting event there is, particularly going into the last day, but the whole thing in general. It’s infrequent enough, both in itself and in the format (what little team matchplay there is isn’t generally constructed in such an entertaining manner) to make the event special when it comes around. It has allowed players who otherwise barely get a moment in the sun to become heroes (particularly on the European side). There have been moments of intense catharsis the likes of which I don’t think I’ve witnessed anywhere else in sport - I’m thinking of Darren Clarke and Jose Maria Olazabal in particular. And there has been a consistent recent bias towards the team I support winning (though I suppose the Americans need to win it once in a while to make the victory mean something). It really is an event like no other and I for one cannot wait for it to get started.” We’ll be off in a minute.
Davis Love III speaks! “We’re confident. This team is really prepared, we’ve worked really hard. They’re ready to play golf, we’re excited. The atmosphere is electric already. We’re united, we always get criticised for not being together. We’re together every year, but we’re like a family right now. We’re inspired to play with Arnold Palmer’s spirit. It’s the same for both teams, of course; he had the respect of all of us. He’ll be looking down on us. There were beautiful rainbows yesterday.”
Turns out Rory specifically requested to play with his friend Sullivan. “I’ve been a big fan of his game. He plays really well whenever I play with him. I somehow feel I’ve been able to bring out the best of him. I earmarked him. I said to Darren: every time I’ve played with him, he’s been brilliant, we get on, and it’s a really natural partnership. I’ll tell him: you try your best, no matter where it goes, I’ll hit a good shot the next one. But I have total trust in him. I’m so excited for this match. When the pairings were announced I nearly jumped out of my seat.” Some confident chat there. I guess you’d be feeling pretty good about yourself if you’d just landed $10m with some spectacular dice-rolling play-off golf. (A 4-iron from under the trees over water!)
The other three foursome matches aren’t half bad either. Phil Mickelson is a little out of rhythm, currently driving the ball in a manner which would make Arnie and Seve look like Calvin Peete, while Rickie Fowler never seems to catch a break at the Ryder Cup: his performances at Gleneagles deserved so much more than the one-and-a-half points he actually trousered. They’re up against rookie Andy Sullivan and Rory McIlroy, the latter simply outstanding last Sunday evening at the Tour Championship. Some of his approach play was beyond brilliant, and ballsy too; if he could putt like Jordan Spieth circa 2015, he’d be unbeatable. The form book suggests advantage Team Rory, with the man himself high on life and his $10m FedEx booty. But Phil and Rickie in front of their own fans? Gulp. Then there’s Sergio versus Zach; behind Mickelson and Lee Westwood, they’re respectively the third and fourth most experienced Ryder Cup players here this week. And finally it’s Big Dustin versus Europe’s baby boomer, Thomas Pieters. On a course with some stupidly long par-fives - three over 600 yards - that match-up could be an awful lot of fun. Good luck calling all of this.
The opening match, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed versus Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose, is a doozy. Rose was Europe’s top scorer in the last Ryder Cup at Gleneagles; Reed was the USA’s player of the tournament without question, with his marvellously entertaining ability to take on the crowd, soak up the abuse, and use it as fuel. Wonderful. And then throw in a two-time major-winning 23-year-old, and the current Open champion. Hee! The sappy young pups Spieth and Reed started out at Gleneagles like a train, winning their morning match 5&4. But that was fourballs; the USA haven’t been so hot at the alternate-shot discipline of late. “Our Achilles heel,” admits Reed. For that reason alone, it’ll be a marker and a half if they can put some red on the board in the very first match.
Just over half-an-hour until the first match goes out, then. Just over half an hour until Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson tee it up and get this wonderful shebang in the wild, wild Midwest under way. The atmosphere at Hazeltine is electric, that should go without saying. But it is electric. An hour ago, Rickie Fowler quietly tumbled out of a car with heavy eyelids, a coffee in his hand, preparing to venture out into the pitch dark and an appointment with a bucket of balls on the range. Morning gently breaks. The grandstand at the 1st tee, by contrast, is already packed and bouncing with high energy. Spieth wanders out to the front of it, and waves his arms up and down to get everyone going a wee bit more. Was that possible? Yes, it was possible: the crowd turn it up to 11. What’s it going to be like when there’s some actual play?! You know exactly what it’s going to be like. Can’t wait!
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Welcome to the 41st Ryder Cup Matches!
We all live in a post-Medinah world. Four years and one Ryder Cup may have passed us by – are you going grey too? – but what happened on that hazy, crazy Sunday in Illinois remains uppermost in everyone’s mind. Partly because it was the last Ryder Cup on American soil; partly because Europe’s improbable comeback represents the most wounding segment of the USA’s current three-time losing streak; but mainly because this year’s host, Davis Love III, was on the receiving end of history that day. Thing is, though, Captain Love really shouldn’t beat himself up too hard. He did very little wrong: going into the singles 10-6 up attests to that. And there was simply no accounting for what happened next. Somebody up there had José María Olazábal’s back, that’s all. You know who. It still brings a flush to the cheeks, recollecting the moment an out-of-form Martin Kaymer simply refused to buckle and made that tickly six-footer, and Olly pulled his cap over his eyes to mop up the emotion.
There are going to be a few hot tears shed this weekend, too, one way or another. Seve and José were some Ryder Cup partnership: 11 wins and two halves in 15 matches! But how about Arnold Palmer and Gardner Dickinson? Five matches, five wins! Dear me! You’re not beating that. The King passed last Sunday. Whoever wins this weekend, and whatever your philosophical take on the afterlife, it’d be nice to think Arnie will be at Hazeltine, somewhere, somehow, reading the line of a few 30-footers, making sure one or two crucial putts topple into the hole for the USA. Perhaps he’ll instigate a trademark birdie charge here or there, too, who knows. Perhaps he’s at it already.
Such a shame the great man will miss the next three days. They promise so much. Why? Because 2016 has unquestionably been one of the greatest years in golf history, that’s why! Jordan Spieth’s uncharacteristic collapse at the Masters, allowing Danny Willett to seize the day. Dustin Johnson shaking the major monkey off his back under unnecessary pressure from the suits at the US Open. Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson reprising, arguably besting, the Duel in the Sun at Troon. Jimmy Walker and Jason Day going mano-a-mano down the stretch at the PGA. Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson toe to toe in Rio. And only last weekend, Rory McIlroy flinging several kitchen sinks at the nuclear-resistant Ryan Moore before he was finally able to claim the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup. Phew (x6)! The Ryder Cup isn’t going to let us down, is it? Not if what those lads have served up this year is any guide.
So here we go! It’s on! And here’s how the Titleist rolls ...
United States of America: Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Jimmy Walker, Brooks Koepka, Brandt Snedeker, Zach Johnson, JB Holmes, Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar, Ryan Moore.
Non-playing captain: Davis Love III
Europe: Rory McIlroy, Danny Willett, Henrik Stenson, Chris Wood, Sergio Garcia, Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Justin Rose, Andy Sullivan, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Thomas Pieters.
Non-playing captain: Peter Willett Darren Clarke
The format: The 41st Ryder Cup Matches, to use the official title, is a matchplay event. Each match is worth a point. There are 28 points available over the three days, so the first team to get to 14.5 points will win the Cup. Should the Matches be tied at 14 points apiece, Europe will retain the trophy as current holders.
Match-play explained for those dipping their toe into the murky world of golf for the first time: In common-or-garden championship golf, such as the Open or the Masters, tournaments are scored using the stroke-play system. Whoever takes the fewest shots over all four rounds in a championship wins. All shots count and are added up for a cumulative total. So if, say, in next year’s Masters Rory McIlroy shoots 63-63-63-63 and Jordan Spieth shoots 87-87-87-87, Rory will have taken 252 strokes, and beaten a teary Jordan by 96 shots. You’ll get good odds on this happening at Augusta National next April, if you enjoy the sound of metal on porcelain as you flush the contents of your purse down the lavvy.
Anyway, in match play, each player or team wins a hole, or a point, for every hole they better their opponents. So if Rory takes five shots at the 1st, but Jordan needs only three, Jordan goes 1up. If Jordan wins the next hole too, he’s 2up. If the pair share the same number of shots on the 3rd, the hole is halved, and Jordan remains 2up. It doesn’t matter if Rory took 13 shots on the 2nd, by the way; a bit like the unwritten rules of stag weekends, or visits to purse-porcelain interface venue Las Vegas, what happens on each hole stays on each hole. There is no knock-on effect.
So let’s say the Texas Kid wins the first nine holes. With nine played, and nine remaining, Jordan is 9up. McIlroy can only tie at best; Jordan can’t lose. This is known as dormie. (And more specifically, in this slightly ludicrous example, as dormie nine.) If Rory wins the next nine, the game will end all square, and each team will get half a point to their overall total. But if Jordan wins the 10th, he’s 10up with eight holes to play. He has won 10&8. If the 10th hole is halved, Jordan would be 9up with eight to play. He’s won 9&8. Similarly McIlroy can be said to have lost 9&8. The USA would add a point to their overall total. I’ve probably made this sound way more complicated than it needs to be, but there it is anyway.
There will be three types of match: foursomes (teams of two players use one ball, taking alternate shots); fourballs (teams of two players play a ball each and take the best score, known as the better ball); and singles (this is when it gets quite wild and everyone across two continents starts with the shallow breathing and chest clutching). And these matches are arranged in a schedule like this:
Today: four matches of morning foursomes; four matches of afternoon fourballs.
Tomorrow: four matches of morning foursomes; four matches of afternoon fourballs.
Sunday: 12 singles matches.
Today’s foursomes tee off at (all times CT): 7.35am Spieth/Reed v Rose/Stenson, 7.50am Mickelson/Fowler v McIlroy/Sullivan, 8.05am Walker/Z Johnson v Garcia/Kaymer, and 8.20am D Johnson/Kuchar v Pieters/Westwood. The fourballs tee off at 12.30pm, 12.45pm, 1pm and 1.15pm; the captains will announce the pairings later. So in the British Summer Time, we get going at 1.35pm. This really is on!
Your MBM reporter apologies in advance for: outrageous pro-European bias; outrageous pro-Sergio bias; outrageous pro-American bias through the prism of a self-hating European; childish excitement; childish tantrums; childish tears.
And finally, your cast-iron, no-quibble, OFFICIAL GUARDIAN GUARANTEE!!! There’ll be not a single mention here of Brexit. This solemn promise also covers other original satirical observations and biting stand-up bits on: the European flag; Donald Trump’s hair; golf being a good walk spoiled; golf not being a sport because players don’t require the aerobic conditioning of the Brownlee brothers; mashed potato; people in golf clubs wearing clothing from the 1970s; people in golf clubs having attitudes from the 1970s; sweets you may remember from the 1970s; airplane peanuts.
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