Report, reaction and analysis
Updated
It’s been a long day for the American team ... and it’s been a long day for this blog. So that’s your lot. We’ll be up with the lark again for tomorrow’s morning fourballs, followed by some more foursomes fun in the afternoon. If the action’s even half as good as today’s to-and-fro classic, we’ll be in for a treat. Can Europe build on their first-day lead as they attempt to wrest back the cup? Or will the holders regroup and come back at the hosts? It’s going to be a blast finding out. Thanks for reading, and see you tomorrow!
Updated
For the record, while this is Europe’s first-ever clean sweep in the foursomes, the USA have managed this particular feat on five previous occasions. They swept past Great Britain in 1947 and 1963, Great Britain & Ireland in 1975, and Europe in 1981 and 2016.
A word from Europe captain Thomas Bjorn. “We believe in ourselves as a group. There were a few guys sitting it out this morning that you would normally see in the first session. But they were very keen to go out and prove we are a team, and we do it with all 12. We are one team. It’s our plan. We wanted to get everyone on the golf course today. And I am proud of the guys this morning too, because they came out and showed quality and class. This was obviously a wonderful afternoon. A disappointing morning, but there’s a long way to go. We go home with a good taste in our mouths and we regroup for tomorrow. Tommy stood up and holed putts on 15 and 16 this morning and gave us belief through the team. This American team is very strong, but we take up tomorrow and fight again. I don’t have to do too many changes, but I will assess everyone.”
And then he says: “I believe in Sergio.” Preach on, Captain Bjorn. Amen to that.
End of day one: Europe 5-3 USA
The afternoon foursomes, then. It’s almost beyond belief. Europe’s first foursomes whitewash in a Ryder Cup; their first session whitewash since the Friday fourballs at the Belfry in 1989.
Stenson/Rose beat Johnson/Fowler 3&2
McIlroy/Poulter beat Watson/Simpson 4&2
Garcia/Noren beat Mickelson/DeChambeau 5&4
Molinari/Fleetwood beat Thomas/Spieth 5&4
Updated
Europe 5-3 USA
Molinari/Fleetwood beat Thomas/Spieth 5&4. In goes the birdie putt, and it’s the first time Europe have won all four matches in a foursomes session. This has been a simply sensational display by the home side, especially after the misery of the morning. What a day of golf this has been!
Updated
Amid all that palaver, Molinari and Fleetwood won the 13th. That means they’re now four up with five to play. This session is a rout. On the par-five 14th, both teams in the final game find the green in regulation. Both have putts from roughly eight feet. Spieth lets his slide by, and briefly considers picking up Molinari’s marker. But the Open champ will have to putt out for the victory.
Europe 4-3 USA
Garcia/Noren beat Mickelson/DeChambeau 5&4. Off the green at the par-five in two, Noren takes out his putter and rolls a gorgeous effort up the bank, nearly holing out from 40 feet. It’s a delightful touch, enough for a share of the hole, enough to close out a sensational victory!
Stenson/Rose beat Johnson/Fowler 3&2 (F)
McIlroy/Poulter beat Watson/Simpson 4&2 (F)
Garcia/Noren beat Mickelson/DeChambeau 5&4 (F)
3UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (12)
EUROPE 4-3 USA
Europe 3-3 USA
McIlroy/Poulter beat Watson/Simpson 4&2. McIlroy clacks his tee shot at the par-three 16th pin high. Maybe 15 feet away. That ups the pressure on Simpson. He’s got to go close. But he sends his shot over the back and into the rough. Bubba can only pop the ball out without much control, rolling past the flag and away down the green. Bubba takes off his cap and offers McIlroy and Poulter a hand of congratulation!
Updated
Two putts each for the teams on 15. That means McIlroy and Poulter are 3UP with three to play. The USA can now only win the final game of the afternoon ... but can Europe close out the two dormie matches? They should ... of course they should. But nothing’s ever certain in the Ryder Cup. Remember a young Monty coming back from four down with four to play against Mark Calcavecchia at Kiawah Island in 1991? Well, then!
Stenson/Rose beat Johnson/Fowler 3&2 (F)
3UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (15)
5UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (13)
3UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (12)
EUROPE 2-3 USA
Updated
Europe 2-3 USA
Stenson/Rose beat Johnson/Fowler 3&2. Dustin leaves his putt well short. Rose, who managed to close out the FedEx Cup last week for a $10m purse, lags up nervelessly to kick-in distance ... and Europe claim the first point of the afternoon!
Stenson/Rose beat Johnson/Fowler 3&2 (F)
3UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (14)
5UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (13)
3UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (12)
EUROPE 2-3 USA
Updated
Mickelson and DeChambeau win the 13th as expected, in the wake of Sergio’s rank tee shot. Mind you, Sergio very nearly rescued a par with a rake across the green that stopped a dimple short. Mickelson then had two putts for his par, from 25 feet, and made the birdie. They’re still alive! But for how much longer will Dustin and Rickie survive? Fowler’s tee shot into the par-three 16th is 35 feet short of the flag. Stenson knocks his tee shot to 15 feet. Dustin will most likely have to drain his now.
In it goes! That keeps the USA alive, though Europe are now dormie three. In the last match, 12 is halved in par. And with the wind swirling around, McIlroy and Simpson are both extremely happy to find the green, surrounded as it is by water, with their second shots.
Johnson is left with a 40-footer, slightly downhill. For a second his birdie putt looks like dropping, but it slides by on the right. Eight feet maybe coming back. That leaves Rose with an outside chance to close out the match from the fringe. He lags up to three feet. His putt is conceded, leaving Fowler that putt to save the match.
Jon Rahm lipped out through 360 degrees on 14 in the morning; now Ian Poulter does it on the same green. It’s an escape for the USA, Europe unable to get up and down from just off the green, 15 feet from the flag. Careless. Meanwhile Fowler and Stenson take turns to be extremely fortunate at 15. Both of their approaches look like getting wet, but Fowler’s doesn’t quite roll off the back of the island green, while Stenson’s only just gets over by a yard or so. Sergio’s tee shot at 13 does find the drink, though; is the great Mickelson/DeChambeau comeback on?!
3UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (14)
3UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (14)
6UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (12)
3UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (11)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
DeChambeau fluffs a chip at the side of 12. It leads to bogey. Noren is pretty aggressive with his birdie putt, leaving Sergio with a nervy tiddler coming back. But Sergio strokes it in, and Europe are closing in on victory in that match. They’re dormie six and unless a comeback for the ages is about to take place, it’s surely a matter of time before Europe chalk up a second point. Meanwhile as expected, the par-three 11th goes the way of Thomas and Spieth, the reward for the latter’s magnificent tee shot.
3UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (14)
3UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (13)
6UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (12)
3UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (11)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
Molinari slices his tee shot into nonsense to the right of 11. Spieth fades his to six feet. He sounded angry as he was shouting after it; as a general rule, the madder Spieth sounds when he’s hollering at the ball, the better the shot. Chances are the Americans will be grabbing a hole back there. Meanwhile the spoils are shared between the teams in the opening match at 14. Rose looked to have won it, bumping a long pitch from the back of the green to kick-in distance, leaving DJ with a 20-footer to halve the hole. The big man makes the putt without breaking sweat. How can he miss those tiddlers earlier, then do that under extreme pressure? The US would have been down dormie four had that not dropped. But that, dear readers, is the reason why we all love/hate golf/ourselves. Good old golf!
3UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (14)
3UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (13)
5UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (11)
4UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (10)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
Yep, what a steal! Bubba can’t make birdie from 25 feet, but Poulter can from 20! He pounds his chest, and well he might because that was a crazy birdie by the Europeans! McIlroy turned that hole from a loss to a win with one of the shots of the week, no question. He was halfway down a bank, knees bent, unable to ground his club. Most of us would have fallen face down into the water! But what core strength! He kept strong and whipped a stunner over the water guarding the green, setting up Poulter for his birdie putt. Meanwhile on 10, Thomas can’t get close from a greenside bunker, and another hole goes south for the States.
3UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (13)
3UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (13)
5UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (11)
4UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (10)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
Yes, they’re beginning to jangle all right. Sergio misses a short one at 11, and that’s two bogeys in a row for Europe. Mickelson makes a fuss-free par to further reduce the arrears. Just five holes behind now! Then on 12, Poulter very nearly finds water with his tee shot at 13. Simpson sends America’s second into the heart of the green. Europe are in trouble. But Poulter’s tee shot snagged on the bank. McIlroy then plays an outrageous shot from the hazard, crouching down to whip a ball out of thick grass, over water, and inside Simpson’s on the green! McIlroy’s intervention might turn the tide again!
Updated
Well, well, well. The opening foursomes match looked done and dusted a few minutes ago. But then on 13 the Europeans were forced to lay up, allowing Fowler to attack. He found the centre of the green, leaving Johnson with a straight 20-footer for birdie. In it goes, and that’s back-to-back holes for the USA! I wonder if a few European nerves are beginning to jangle? There’s been a slight but not insignificant shift in momentum.
3UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (13)
2UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (12)
6UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (10)
3UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (9)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
Updated
What’s the Hole-by-Hole equivalent of the half-time entertainment in the MBMs? The Halfway House? Anyway, we’ve no power bars or overpriced cans of Coke to sell. Just this very pretty series of pictures, and you can have them for nix as well.
One step forward, then another back, as Thomas and Spieth make a pig’s ear of the 9th. From the centre of the fairway, Thomas sends their third into thick rough to the left of the green. Spieth fluffs the chip out, then Thomas leaves a second chip well short. Europe make their par, but Spieth can’t make the eight-foot saver. Meanwhile another slip backwards for the US team on 12: Poulter sends his approach on 12 into the heart of the green; Bubba shoves his into the thick stuff to the left of the dancefloor. The Americans can’t get up and down, and Poulter’s bumping his chest with his fist two putts later. But Mickelson and DeChambeau win the 10th as expected, in the wake of Noren getting wet off the tee.
4UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (12)
2UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (12)
6UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (10)
3UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (9)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
Another win for Garcia and Noren as Mickelson and DeChambeau hack their way down the right of the 9th. This is absurd! Noren’s just sprayed his drive at 10 into the water on the left, mind, but they’ll still be six holes to the good after it all comes down. Another shaft of light though for the USA in the first game, as DJ finally makes a short putt to punish a European bogey and win a hole.
4UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (12)
1UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (11)
7UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (9)
2UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (8)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
You know, it could be! Things change quickly at the Ryder Cup. McIlroy’s tricky downhill birdie putt at 11 slides by on the right; Simpson taps in and the Americans reduce Europe’s lead by half in one fell swoop. Magic from Bubba there: just as it looked like Europe were closing in on a three-hole lead, it’s just one! And Fleetwood’s hot putter cools a bit on the par-three 8th; he can’t salvage a par from ten feet and Europe’s lead is reduced to two. Some hope for the USA! Ff they can somehow turn around matches two and four, an afternoon that threatens to be disastrous could end up giving them a boost.
5UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (11)
1UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (11)
6UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (8)
2UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (8)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
Updated
The pin’s tucked away awkwardly behind water at the par-three 11th. Poulter sends a lovely high fade to ten feet. It’s a glorious shot, and the crowd celebrate accordingly. But then Bubba sends his tee show straight at the flag. As the ball sails through the air, there’s a sole defiant cry of “mashed potato”. It’s well timed, because Bubba lands his ball three feet from the flag. Astonishing! Could this be the moment that the USA launch a sensational comeback?
Another hole, another missed tiddler by Dustin Johnson. This one’s shoved to the right from four feet at 11. This is an abysmal putting display by the USA. And to further illustrate that, Rory sends a greenside chip into a bunker at 10, but Poulter splashes out to kick-in distance, limiting the damage to bogey for Europe. Simpson should half the deficit from eight feet, but lets the chance drift by. Europe are playing very well collectively this afternoon, but I’m not sure what the American team had for lunch. They need to get their gamefaces on, and quick.
5UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (11)
2UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (10)
6UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (8)
3UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (7)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
Alex Noren is making his Ryder Cup debut this afternoon. The 36-year-old Swede is 6UP through eight holes. He’ll be wondering what all the fuss was about. This time he sends his tee shot at 8 over the back; Garcia chips up to five feet, and he guides in the one coming back.
4UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (10)
2UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (9)
6UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (8)
3UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (7)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
Updated
Stenson can’t quite dribble his tricky downhill putt into the cup. But it’s enough for the hole anyway, because DJ pulls a miserable putt left of the cup from short distance. Meanwhile McIlroy comes close with a birdie putt on 9; not quite. And preposterously, it’s another Hole For Europe Anyway, as Bubba waves his putter like a divining rod and yanks a tiddler right. McIlroy looked close to tears earlier today, as he was comforted by his captain in the wake of his heavy fourballs defeat; now he’s bouncing off the green like Tigger, all smiles and energy. It’s good to witness his revival. This leaderboard is barely believable.
4UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (10)
2UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (9)
5UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (7)
3UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (6)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
Mickelson and DeChambeau have fallen apart. Another hole goes by the wayside, as Garcia curls in a 15-foot right-to-left putt on 7; Europe have won five of the last six holes! On 10, Johnson can only hack out into the bunker front left of the green; Fowler gets to six feet, but Stenson will have a putt from 20 feet to snatch another hole.
This is nothing short of sensational from Europe right now! Thomas has a look at birdie on 6 from 25 feet, but doesn’t quite hit it. Fleetwood has a go from similar range ... and it’s never going anywhere but in the hole! When you’re hot, you’re hot. And the USA need to find some inspiration, and quick.
3UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (9)
1UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (8)
4UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (6)
3UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (6)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
Stenson swishes an iron off the 10th tee, and down the centre of the fairway. Fowler takes out Big Bertha and slices into more deep rubbish down the right. This pair are struggling. And they’re not alone. Back on the par-five 9th, both teams are just off the front of the green ... but McIlroy has got Europe there in two, while Simpson’s loose second into thick rough down the left means Bubba can only hack them there in three.
For a second, it looks as though there’ll be some much-needed succour for the USA in the opening match. Stenson sends a heavy-handed chip a good ten feet past the flag on the par-five 9th. It leaves Rose with work to do. But he strokes his putt good and true, then clenches his fist in a mixture of relief and defiance.
3UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (9)
1UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (8)
4UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (6)
2UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (5)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
And nothing is going America’s way now. DeChambeau leaves the 6th green powered by the steam from his ears, as he misses a putt to halve the hole from ten feet. All the fault of that errant drive. They’re in deep trouble now. And there’s clear blue water between the teams in the final game too, as Fleetwood guides in a 25-foot par saver, while Thomas misses the USA’s putt from half the distance. This is quite some response from the Europeans, after a disastrous morning!
3UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (8)
1UP McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson (8)
4UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (6)
2UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (5)
EUROPE 1-3 USA
Spieth isn’t enjoying himself at 5. His tee shot whistles into filth down the left; Thomas can only plonk him in a greenside bunker. Then he catches the ball first with his sand splash, and he thins it a good 15 feet past the cup. Meanwhile on 8, Simpson shoves a six-footer right of the hole, and though Poulter had left his partner with work to do after leaving yet another putt well short, McIlroy tidies up. Perhaps the dam really has broken; after a morning of frustration, and falling two behind early in the afternoon, he’s just won three holes in a row!
But it isn’t! DJ misses the short putt, and Europe remain three holes to the good when Stenson tides up. Poulter chips close from the left of 7, forcing Simpson into a miss from 15 feet; that match is all square again. And Mickelson and DeChambeau shed another hole, this time at 5. They’re barely functioning right now - and DeChambeau flays another wild one down the left of 6. This couldn’t be going much better for Europe right now ... but there’s plenty of twists and turns to come yet, I’ll be bound.
3UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (8)
McIlroy/Poulter A/S Watson/Simpson (7)
3UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (5)
1UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (4)
Updated
Thomas, having sent Spieth into trouble off the tee, sends America’s third over the flag at 4 and spins it back to five feet. Molinari’s approach topples off the right side of the green. Both end up with pars, a relative success for the US. And the US could be on the comeback trail in the first match, as Fowler’s tee shot at 8 lands six feet from the flag. Stenson’s tee shot falls away down a swale to the left. Rose chips it up to three feet, but par probably won’t be enough.
Updated
While DJ and Rickie have been hacking their way up 7, Stenson and Rose have been chugging along nicely. A common-or-garden par for them. Fowler can’t salvage par from distance, and the USA are in a spot of trouble in this opening rubber. Europe haven’t even had to do that much: Stenson and Rose are level par for their ball, while Johnson and Fowler are three over.
3UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (7)
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson 1UP (6)
2UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (4)
1UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (3)
Fowler can’t get out of the filth. He can only hack the ball 30 yards further up the hole. Dustin forces the ball onto the green, but they’ll be looking at salvaging par from 30 feet. Meanwhile McIlroy drives the green at 6. Poulter leaves a miserable eagle putt well short. McIlroy, bereft of confidence, is left with a real tester from ten feet for the win. But he makes it! And how he celebrates, punching the air with a mixture of determination, passion and sheer relief. That’s his first birdie of the day! Finally. Will the dam break now?
2UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (6)
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson 1UP (6)
2UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (4)
1UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (3)
The US are rocking a wee bit, all of a sudden. While Rose pearls a drive down the middle of 7, Dustin hoicks a dreadful drive into utter dirt to the right. Fowler will have a job extricating their ball from that oomska. Meanwhile on 3, Molinari and Fleetwood make a no-nonsense birdie. So should their opponents, but Spieth pushes a tiddler right, and stares at the sorry scene in disbelief. I wonder if he expected that putt to be conceded. It wasn’t, and for good reason. Suddenly there’s a spring in the collective European step; a glide in their stride. A long way to go, of course, if they’re to repair the damage of this morning.
2UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (6)
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson 2UP (5)
2UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (3)
1UP Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth (3)
Sean Ingle is at Le Golf National. He’s been hanging around the 1st tee, lapping up the atmosphere. Here’s his dispatch!
Thanks to John ... and Europe will be happy enough with the way these foursomes are going. Mickelson and DeChambeau are always in trouble down 3 after Lefty’s nonsense tee shot. DeChambeau nearly drains a monster to salvage par, but it lips out and that leaves Europe with two putts to win the hole from 12 feet or so. The US make them putt out. Affronted, Noren makes sure to hole the birdie putt. Europe go 2UP. And they’re 2UP in the first match, too, as Fowler sends Johnson out of position down the left of the 6th hole, and they can’t get up and down.
2UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (6)
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson 2UP (5)
2UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (3)
Molinari/Fleetwood A/S Thomas/Spieth (2)
Updated
So with things beautifully poised, I’m going to hand back to the man, the myth, the legend – your very own Scott Murray.
Updated
Molinari whistles his putt past so that’ll be a half. Meanwhile, Fowler misses his putt and Europe go one up in the lead group.
1UP Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler (5)
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson 2UP (4)
1UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (2)
Molinari/Fleetwood vA/S Thomas/Spieth (2)
Spieth splashes out of the bunker on the 2nd but Molinari will have a great chance of taking the hole with his putt. Rose has Johnson and Fowler under pressure at the fifth.
On the par-five 3rd Garcia finds the rough on the left with his drive, while Mickelson pulls his horribly and finds the water hazard on the right.
Updated
Back at the 1st, Spieth is a whisker away from another gigantic putt. Still, that leaves Fleetwood with a six-footer to win it … but it slides right.
Some good news for Europe at last: Noren rolls in a two-footer as he and Garcia go one up.
Stenson/Rose A/S Johnson/Fowler (3)
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson 2UP (3)
1UP Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau (2)
Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth
Simpson sinks a monster at the third, turning McIlroy’s inviting putt to win the hole into an awkward putt to halve. He leaves it right. Watson and Simpson go two up after three.
Stenson/Rose A/S Johnson/Fowler (3)
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson 2UP (3)
Garcia/Noren A/S Mickelson/DeChambeau (1)
Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth
On the par-three 2nd Noren finds the greenside rough from the tee, whole Poulter has played a brilliantly recovery shot on the 4th after both pairs had wandered into the rough.
Stenson/Rose A/S Johnson/Fowler (3)
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson 1UP (2)
Garcia/Noren A/S Mickelson/DeChambeau (1)
Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth
Updated
The final pairings head to the 1st tee. Spieth puts his drive in the light rough to the right of the fairway. Molinari belts his down the centre of the fairway.
Stenson/Rose A/S Johnson/Fowler (3)
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson 1UP (2)
Garcia/Noren A/S Mickelson/DeChambeau (1)
Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth
Updated
Mickelson misses from distance so Sergio has a chance to take the point – a huge breaking putt from right to left … lips out! The teams share the spoils.
Stenson/Rose A/S Johnson/Fowler (3)
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson 1UP (2)
Garcia/Noren A/S Mickelson/DeChambeau (1)
Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth
Updated
At the 3rd, Stenson misses a straightforward putt to win the hole. Halvsies.
Stenson/Rose A/S Johnson/Fowler (3)
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson 1UP (2)
Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau
Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth
Updated
So DeChambeau’s first shot in a Ryder Cup is a hideously awkward one next to the water. He does well, though, forcing his ball to within spitting distance of the 1st pin. Noren, also putting club to ball for the first time in this competition, thunks his more straightforward approach a touch closer.
On the 2nd, Poulter is a whisker away from holing out from the sand. Instead, Watson has the chance to pinch the hole from 25 feet … but leaves his putt inches short!
Sergio Garcia and the debutant Alex Noren stride out onto the first, along with Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau. Two rookies playing with experienced partners. Mickelson sends his drive into Poulter territory but Big Phil’s ball manages to cling on to the fairway fringes rather than plunge into the drink. Garcia addresses the ball, then steps away awkwardly. He plonks his drive straight down the middle.
Stenson/Rose A/S Johnson/Fowler (2)
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson 1UP (1)
Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau
Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth
Bubba Watson sees his putt kiss the lip and scuttle past but unless Poulter can pull off a miracle putt from the fringe Europe are going one down in this one. He can’t and pays the price for that wayward drive from the tee.
Stenson/Rose A/S Johnson/Fowler (2)
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson 1UP (1)
Fowler misses his putt on the 2nd, leaving Stenson with the chance to win the hole. The Swede, though, slides his effort past on the right. Bogeys all round mean a halved hole.
McIlroy sends Europe’s third shot into the thick fringe at the side of the green but the US have two putts from 20 feet to go one up.
Stenson finds the sand with his first shot at the par-three 2nd but Rose chips out to six feet. Fowler, meanwhile, will have a much longer putt for par after Johnson overhits his pitch from the rough stuff.
The second pairings stroll out onto the first tee: Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter for Europe, Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson for the US. Bubba larrups his drive sweetly down the right of the fairway, while Poulter steps up and blarts his down the left and either into the water or clinging on to the bank.
Rickie Fowler sends his approach to 15 feet to give Johnson the chance to put for birdie and take the hole. The world No 1 sends it a little to the left, though, and Europe breathe a huge sigh of relief. Stenson rattle in his putt to halve the hole.
Hello all. First off in the foursomes Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose against Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler. Two drives sail straight down the fairway on the 1st.
Friday morning fourballs: Europe 1-3 USA
A brilliant morning for the Americans, then. Not so good for Europe, but then they lost the opening session 4-0 last time round, so Molinari and Fleetwood have done Thomas Bjorn a turn there. I’m off for a wee break; I’ll hand over to your friend and mine, John Ashdown, who’ll guide you through the start of the afternoon foursomes!
Rose/Rahm lost to Koepka/Finau 1UP
McIlroy/Olesen lost to Johnson/Fowler 4&2
Casey/Hatton lost to Spieth/Thomas 1UP
Fleetwood/Molinari beat Reed/Woods 3&1
Europe 1-3 USA
Fleetwood/Molinari beat Reed/Woods 3&1. Reed nearly bundles a chip up the bank and into the cup, but it was always a tall order. Fleetwood rolls his long birdie effort close, then Molinari guides one in from 15 feet for a birdie and a 3&1 victory. Both Europeans were magnificent this morning; both Americans faltered alarmingly along the closing stretch.
Europe desperately need Fleetwood and Molinari to close out this final fourball. And they should do it, both Europeans finding the 17th in regulation, both Americans sending their approaches down a swale to the left. Molinari takes the opportunity to blow a kiss to somebody in the gallery. A wide smile. It’s not over yet, but a little splash of blue could be on the scoreboard soon.
Europe 0-3 USA
Spieth has a 35-foot downhill dribbler for his birdie. He lags it to three feet, so that’s surely going to be a par. The Americans concede Casey’s putt, picking up his marker, because a half in par will be enough for them, so Hatton can’t go to school on his effort. And it costs him, Hatton sending a poor effort wide right from 20 feet. Spieth tidies up, and that’s another point for this superb, street-fighting USA team!
Rose/Rahm lost to Koepka/Finau 1UP (F)
McIlroy/Olesen lost to Johnson/Fowler 4&2 (F)
Casey/Hatton lost to Spieth/Thomas 1UP (F)
2 UP Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods (16)
EUROPE 0-3 USA
Casey sends his tee shot on 18 into a bunker and can only splash out. It’s down to Hatton ... and from the centre of the fairway, he sends a marvellous high fade into the green. He’s 15 feet away, and will have a great look at birdie. Then Thomas dunks his second into the drink! Spieth finds the heart of the green, but it’s advantage Europe here. Meanwhile back on 16, Fleetwood curls a huge left-to-right breaker into the cup! Perfectly paced, so it teases the crowd before it drops! Fleetwood crouches down in celebration, his legs splayed outwards like a new-wave guitarist. Europe are dormie two in the final match!
Rose/Rahm lose to Koepka/Finau 1UP (F)
McIlroy/Olesen lost to Johnson/Fowler 4&2 (F)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (17)
2 UP Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods (16)
EUROPE 0-2 USA
Everybody loves Tiger. But this is the Ryder Cup, and the crowd holler in delight as an awful tee shot at the par-three 16th goes swimming. That was miles out to the right, nowhere near the green. He’s struggled a bit since the turn. Fortunately for the USA, Reed’s shot went straight at the flag. It threatened to spin back into the drink, but the collar stopped it. He’ll have a good look at birdie; Fleetwood and Molinari are 30 feet left of the flag, but next to each other, so one will go to school on the other’s putt.
The pairings for the afternoon foursomes have been announced. And here they are. Some surprise that Rory McIlroy has been selected again, given his dismal form this morning, but Thomas Bjorn will be hoping for a reaction from his four-time major winner.
Stenson/Rose v Johnson/Fowler
McIlroy/Poulter v Watson/Simpson
Garcia/Noren v Mickelson/DeChambeau
Molinari/Fleetwood v Thomas/Spieth
Molinari finds water with his approach to 15. It’s all down to Fleetwood, who only just gets his second over the drink. But he’ll now have a 12-footer for his birdie! Reed scatters some poor ducks with his approach, Tiger can’t make birdie, and Fleetwood rolls home to put some much-needed blue on the board!
Rose/Rahm lose to Koepka/Finau 1UP (F)
McIlroy/Olesen lost to Johnson/Fowler 4&2 (F)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (17)
1 UP Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods (15)
EUROPE 0-2 USA
Europe 0-2 USA
Koepka/Finau beat Rose/Rahm 1UP. Finau and Koepka both lag up their birdie putts to kick-in distance. Rahm’s attempt to salvage par slides by harmlessly, and the States are off to a flyer!
Rose/Rahm lose to Koepka/Finau 1UP (F)
McIlroy/Olesen lost to Johnson/Fowler 4&2 (F)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (17)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (14)
EUROPE 0-2 USA
Updated
Rahm wedges in, pin high, but tugs it a bit. He’ll have a look at par from 20 feet or so ... but Koepka and Finau will both have long birdie putts to win hole and match. Europe were in control of this game for the most part; losing it will be a bitter blow.
Rahm takes his medicine out of the rough, wedging out. He’ll be hitting three into the green now. Finau finds the centre of the green with his second, putting some serious pressure on Rose. And Rose wilts: he goes straight for the flag, but there’s not much space there, and his ball topples off the back of the green and into the drink. Koepka’s also on in two, and the USA are serious favourites to go 2-0 up now!
Another putting competition, this time on 16 between Casey and Spieth. This one ends in a draw, which is better news for the Americans than the Europeans given the state of the match.
Rose/Rahm A/S Koepka/Finau (17)
McIlroy/Olesen lost to Johnson/Fowler 4&2 (F)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (16)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (14)
EUROPE 0-1 USA
Our first sighting of this very exciting closing hole! Koepka and Finau split the fairway with gorgeous drives, but Rahm whistles his tee shot into the thick rubbish down the right. That ball’s disappeared from view; he’s unlikely to be taking the water on. So chances are, this is down to Rose to salvage a draw or snatch the win.
Finau is very close to chipping in from the edge of 17, but the ball slides past the left of the cup and it’s a half. Meanwhile on 14, Fleetwood prods an uncertain six footer wide right of the hole, and a chance to go 1UP is spurned.
Rose/Rahm A/S Koepka/Finau (17)
McIlroy/Olesen lost to Johnson/Fowler 4&2 (F)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (15)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (14)
EUROPE 0-1 USA
Thomas clips his second at 15 to six feet. In goes the birdie putt to win the hole, and the USA are beginning to make their move at the right time.
Rose/Rahm A/S Koepka/Finau (16)
McIlroy/Olesen lost to Johnson/Fowler 4&2 (F)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (15)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (13)
Europe 0-1 USA
Johnson/Fowler beat McIlroy/Olesen 4&2. Dustin Johnson’s tee shot at 16 flies serenely over the flagstick. He’ll have a four-footer to win the match for the USA. Neither McIlroy or Olesen can make the long putts they’ve left themselves, and DJ’s marker is picked up, the match conceded. That wasn’t the most sparkling match, but the Americans fully deserved their point. McIlroy, as the senior partner, contributed nothing. Europe will be concerned already, and not just about their star man’s form: since 1975, the team that wins the first point has gone on to win 15 times, a rate of 79 percent!
A little bit more on that wayward Brooks Koepka tee shot back on 6. (See 8.53am.)
Meanwhile the inevitable happens on 16. Koepka, Rahm and Rose fail to make birdies from distance; Finau makes no mistake from four feet, and the match is all square again! The small margins have gone against Europe in the last few holes: Rahm’s gravity-defying 360-degree lip-out on 14, and Finau’s spectacular rebound off the railway sleepers on 16. Without those two very strange interventions, Europe would be dormie two. But they’re not: it’s all square, and this is matchplay golf at its entertaining best!
Rose/Rahm A/S Koepka/Finau (16)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler 3UP (15)
Casey/Hatton A/S Spieth/Thomas (14)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (13)
Halves in the final two matches. Hatton knocks in a putt to save Europe at 14; Molinari lets a chance at 13 slip wide left from 12 feet. Meanwhile on 15, Dustin Johnson has a putt from 12 feet to win the match, but it slides by. The US are dormie three, though, and McIlroy is the only player out there this morning not to make a birdie.
This is astonishing! Finau’s tee shot at the par-three 16th is dismal, short and right and surely dropping in the water. But it lands flush on the top of a railway sleeper lining the hazard, flies miles into the air, and lands four feet from the hole! When it’s your day, it’s your day. Rahm, who looks a little funky right now, pulls his tee shot into sand; Rose can only find the centre of the green, a good 40 feet from the hole. Europe up against it.
The putting competition ends up in a draw. Sort of. Koepka makes par; Rahm lags up then yips a tiddler. Fortunately for Europe, Rose is able to make his par putt for the half.
Huge disappointment for McIlroy and Olesen on 14. The US look out of it, as Olesen screeches a third to five feet. But then Fowler rakes in a monster for his birdie, turning Olesen’s putt from hole-winner to hole-saver. The big Dane makes it, but halves are no good for Europe in the second match with holes running out.
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (14)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler 3UP (14)
Casey/Hatton A/S Spieth/Thomas (13)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (12)
There’s water all the way down 15 ...
... and Finau finds it with his second. That spooks Koepka, who nearly sends his second over the back of the green and into the briny, and Rahm, whose second is miles left of the flag but at least dry. Rose, who had to chip out from rough, screws his third to close range, so this is probably going to be a putting competition from distance between Koepka and Rahm.
Updated
Tiger and Captain America can only par 12 in fairly average fashion. But Fleetwood and Molinari have both given themselves birdie chances, the latter particularly with a glorious second to six feet. Fleetwood’s 12-footer stays high on the left. But Molinari makes no mistake with his putt, guiding it in carefully from the left, and Europe have clawed their way back to all square in that match too!
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (14)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler 3UP (13)
Casey/Hatton A/S Spieth/Thomas (13)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (12)
What a comeback by Casey and Hatton! Casey has done most of the gruntwork so far, but now it’s the rookie’s time to shine. His partner having found the water, Hatton screeches his second to three feet, a sensational shot which puts pressure on Thomas, who had gone close, sending his approach 12 feet past the flag. Thomas can’t make his birdie putt, and that’s three holes in three for Europe, who have hauled the third match back to all square! They’ve been behind since the very first hole; how will Spieth and Thomas react?
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (14)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler 3UP (13)
Casey/Hatton A/S Spieth/Thomas (13)
Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods 1UP (11)
Koepka finds the bunker guarding the front of the par-five 14th in two. His splash out stops well short, though, and he can’t make his birdie putt. That opens the door for Rahm, who has left himself a six-footer for the hole. He looks to have made his putt, but the ball rolls a complete 360 degrees round the edge and somehow stays out. Rahm tweaks his nose in confusion and frustration. Europe should be 2UP. But they’re not. Could that horseshoe-out prove costly for the hosts as we reach the business end of this morning’s matches?
A massive putt by Molinari on the par-three 11th! A birdie effort from 25 feet, having gone to school on his partner Fleetwood’s slightly longer putt, and Europe are clawing their way back in another match! Good luck in predicting the outcome of three of these four matches, because it’s been back and forth all morning!
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (13)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler 3UP (13)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (12)
Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods 1UP (11)
But Europe take one step forward ... because Johnson sends his second at 13 to four feet, and they’re looking very good in the second match now, 3UP with five to play.
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (13)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler 3UP (13)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (12)
Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods 2UP (10)
Hey, maybe something’s stirring for Europe! Because Casey and Hatton looked out of it, but Casey arrows his second at 12 straight at the flag. He’s five feet away. Thomas nearly salvages the situation for the States with an absurd rake, but his long putt stops one turn short. Casey converts, suddenly Europe are right in contention again!
Updated
COME ON! Patrick Reed is an astonishing player. Nobody in the final game is on the 10th in regulation. So Reed celebrates with a scream and a fist-pump as he guides a chip in from a swale to the right of the green. It’s stolen the hole, as neither Fleetwood nor Molinari can bump one in from the fringe. Captain America coming up with the goods again. And Europe are in a little trouble. USA! USA!
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (13)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler 2UP (12)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 2UP (11)
Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods 2UP (10)
The gallery falls quiet again ... with the exception of a few American fans who are giving it the full USA! USA! thing at some volume. And why not? They’re allowed, and they’ve just witnessed Koepka rattling in a 35-footer across 13 to snatch a hole from Rose and Rahm; Rose had thought he’d be putting for birdie from 15 feet, but Koepka’s success spooks him into missing his opportunity by some distance to the right. That’s a very timely intervention by the US Open and PGA champ, with the match threatening to slide away from the Americans. Something to celebrate all right. USA! USA!
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (13)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler 2UP (12)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 2UP (11)
Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods 1UP (9)
Signs of a European fightback in match three! Thomas thinks he’s made a birdie effort from 15 feet, but his ball shaves the right-hand edge and refuses to drop. But Casey had played the best tee shot, to eight feet, and makes no mistake with the birdie putt. That good news for Europe has been negated by events on 12, though, as Big Dustin guides in a right-to-left slider from 20 feet to double the USA’s lead in the second game.
2UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (12)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler 2UP (12)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 2UP (11)
Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods 1UP (9)
Some tatty play from Fleetwood and Molinari down 9. Neither European was ever in contention; both bogey and the hole is conceded in rather lame fashion. Europe were up in three matches a mere 50 minutes ago; now they’re down in three. But spool back a further 40 minutes, and there was no blue on the board then either. So it’s been to-and-fro. It could be a case of timing one’s run before the holes run out.
2UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (12)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler 1UP (11)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 3UP (10)
Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods 1UP (9)
Europe have been losing momentum, with the galleries a little subdued ... but no more! Justin Rose is in thick stuff front right of 12, down a bank, chipping blind. He looks out of the hole. But he whips his ball up onto the green, and sends it rolling towards the cup. It’s on target, but does it have enough pace? No, no, no ... yes! In it drops, just. Rose cracks a smile a microsecond before it drops, then explodes in delight as the ball disappears. He squats on his haunches and pumps both fists, screaming COME ON! That’s got everyone going again. And now Europe are 2UP with six to play.
2UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (12)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler 1UP (11)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 3UP (10)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (8)
Casey and Hatton need to do something quickly. Casey knocks his second at 10 to 12 feet ... but then Spieth replies by arrowing his to six. And then Thomas strokes one in from the fringe at the back for birdie, so Spieth doesn’t even need to putt! Suddenly Casey’s left with a tricky one to save the hole ... and he makes it! That’s kept Europe holding on. Meanwhile Olesen sends his tee shot at 11 over the flag. It’s 15 feet behind. It earns him a putt for the hole ... but he seriously overcooks the birdie effort and it’s always staying high on the left.
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (11)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler 1UP (11)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 3UP (10)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (8)
Birdie for Fowler at 10, and that’s back-to-back wins for the USA in the second match. They’ve turned that around in short order. Meanwhile finally something drops for Koepka, who chips in smoothly from the side of 11 for birdie. Neither Rose nor Rahm could make medium-distance putts, and suddenly things look a lot more promising for the US team, less so for the hosts. Ah the ebb and flow of match-play golf!
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (11)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler 1UP (10)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 3UP (9)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (8)
Koepka is doing his darndest to get the USA back into this opening match. His tee shot at the par-three 11th lands 15 feet from the flag ... though it’s just off the green. The crowd give it plenty anyway, no doubt fuelled by pints of delicious refreshing continental-style alcoholic lager beer. Plenty of that to be spotted in the bouncing parties lining the fairways. And why not? It’s Friday, it’s nearly lunchtime, and it’s France. Wine soon.
Rahm has taken to the Ryder Cup like ... well ... a Spaniard to the Ryder Cup. Following in the footsteps of Seve, Ollie and Sergio, he’s wowing the Ryder Cup gallery with some crazy golf. A par is salvaged on 10 with an outrageous chip in from the front of the green. The crowd go wild, and the mood brightens even further when Rose rolls in a birdie effort from seven feet. That was missable, and necessary too, because Koepka was less than three feet from the hole. In goes his birdie putt, and it’s a half.
2UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (10)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (9)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 3UP (8)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (7)
Updated
Reed and Woods pepper the flag at 7. They’ve both got looks at birdie from ten feet. Fleetwood offers a smidgen of resistance, but his par putt drifts by on the right. That final match is all square again, as is the second; Europe were in all sorts of bother from the get-go, and when Fowler bumps his third shot to a couple of feet, they’ve got no option but to concede. Suddenly, everything looks so different! It’s nip and tuck this morning all right.
2UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (9)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (9)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 3UP (8)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (7)
Updated
Nothing’s quite coming off for Hatton and Casey. At the par-three 8th, the former clatters the flagstick with a chip from the right-hand edge of the green, but his ball doesn’t drop; the latter nearly drains a long birdie putt, but it horseshoes out. The hole’s halved. Another half, at the par-five 9th in the opening match. Back down the hole, there’s more trouble for Europe: Olesen is already wet, and McIlroy flays his drive into thick oomska down the right, and can only advance his ball 20 feet with his second.
2UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (9)
1UP McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler (8)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 3UP (8)
1UP Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods (6)
Olesen finds the water for the second time today, a booming drive on 9 taking a slightly unlucky bounce to the left and dribbling into the hazard. Meanwhile more Golf Fever news, courtesy of Simon McMahon: “I know they say never look back but I can’t help but rewind four years to 2014, when I attended the Ryder Cup matches at Gleneagles in Scotland. To have been part of the history of this incredible event, even as a spectator, still gives me a warm glow inside. I like to think I made the difference that weekend. Strange how the most individual of sports provides the pinnacle of team events. There really is nothing else like the Ryder Cup, and that’s coming from someone who regularly attends lower league Scottish football.”
It’s all very scrappy on the par-three 8th, where Olesen is able to win the hole with a workaday par. Europe will care not a jot: they’re now up in three of the four games. Not that it means too much right now; it was only 40 minutes or so ago when there was no blue on the board at all. Plenty of ebb and flow left in these morning fourballs.
2UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (8)
1UP McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler (8)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 3UP (7)
1UP Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods (6)
Rahm is Europe’s star turn this morning, but he’s got nothing on Spieth. The former Masters, US Open and Open champion trundles a chip in from the fringe to the left of 7! That’s a birdie, and another hole won by Spieth from a not-particularly promising position. The USA are in full control of the third match. As much as Spieth has been sensational, Casey and Hatton haven’t got going at all.
2UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (8)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (7)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 3UP (7)
1UP Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods (6)
Meanwhile some very sad news. James Lawton was unquestionably one of the greats. He reported on many a Ryder Cup, stylishly so, and would no doubt have enjoyed this one too.
Everyone at @IndySport is saddened to hear of the death of former chief sports writer James Lawton today, one of the finest and most popular sports journalists of his generation. Rest in peace, Jim pic.twitter.com/RWzTMuFC4v
— Indy Sport (@IndySport) September 27, 2018
Neither Koepka nor Finau hit the green at the par-three 8th. Rahm arrows one straight at the flag, though he’s left with a 15-footer for the birdie he may need to win the hole. The American’s can’t chip in for unlikely birdies, though Finau goes close; Rahm then rolls in his putt, and hollers in delight! Another Spanish Ryder Cup idol is born! Meanwhile Olesen misses a birdie effort on 7; Casey passes up a chance at 6. It’s tight this morning. It’s been wonderful to watch.
2UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (8)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (7)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 2UP (6)
1UP Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods (5)
Updated
Koepka nearly completes an absurd escape for the USA on 7. He knocks his third to 12 feet; Rose can’t make his long birdie putt. The four-footer Rose is left with isn’t conceded. Koepka looks to have made his par putt, but the ball somehow doesn’t break right when it surely should, and that’s a bogey. Rose rolls in his putt to win the hole. Had Koepka salvaged something there, it would have been quite special given his drive was over 100 yards off line, forcing him to embark on adventures in the jungle. Not quite. But he really is some player; he gives nothing up.
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (7)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (6)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 2UP (5)
1UP Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods (4)
Spieth drains a 40-footer across 5! It was never missing. Casey can’t follow him in from half the distance, and the USA have taken control of match three. Meanwhile on 7, Koepka - whose drive went 120 yards wide left - can only lash the ball out of grass that’s as tall as him, and hope for the best. The ball finds the fairway, but then bounces into the first cut and sits deep. Finau takes a drop and finds the green in four; Rose follows him into the heart of the green in two. Koepka and Rahm will be hitting three into the green. Advantage Europe in that one.
Rose/Rahm A/S Koepka/Finau (6)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (5)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 2UP (5)
1UP Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods (4)
On 4, Reed very nearly knocks in a greenside chip from 60 feet. It’s a wonderful effort, but that’s just a par. Tiger, having found trouble from the tee, is out of it. But Fleetwood has knocked his second pin high to five feet. In goes the birdie putt, and Europe regain the lead in the final match!
Rose/Rahm A/S Koepka/Finau (6)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (5)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (4)
1UP Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods (4)
From hero to zero in double-quick time: Finau flays his tee shot at 7 out of bounds down the right! And then Koepka sends his drive bouncing into thick hay on the other side of the fairway! The US are already in serious bother on this hole.
Hatton has a birdie chance on 4, but his 20-foot putt dies off to the right. Spieth still has work to do for the half, but never looks like missing his par putt from 15 feet. That’s quite magnificent. Fowler nearly makes a 25-footer for the win on 5, but his effort drifts wide. And up on the driveable par-four 6th, quite the dramatic sequence! First Rose lets go of his driver in frustration, yet his ball lands on the green anyway. He’ll have a look at eagle. Koepka hits some poor punter upside the head with his drive, then chunks a chip. But no matter, because his partner Finau’s drive is on the fringe just to the right; Finau gently guides a delicate chip into the hole, and it’s an eagle! Rose can’t make his 35-footer - he’ll have been preparing to putt for the hole, not the half - and the USA have snatched it! What a chip by Finau, who looked nervous early doors, but has found his feet in the Ryder Cup now! Match play golf, ladies and gentlemen.
Rose/Rahm A/S Koepka/Finau (6)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (5)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (4)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (3)
Tiger is in the zone now. His second at 3 finds the thick stuff down the left, but that’s not a bother; from 50 yards or so, he flicks a crisp wedge over sand to a couple of feet! That’ll be a birdie, though Fleetwood has a 50-footer for eagle. Southport’s finest sends it dead on line ... but doesn’t hit it! Which means if Reed makes his chip, he’ll win the hole. But he’s uncharacteristically heavy handed, and the ball flies way past the cup. In the end, it’s Molinari who saves the day for Europe, getting up and down from a tight spot in front of a greenside bunker for a birdie to match Tiger’s.
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (5)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (4)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (3)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (3)
Olesen has a 12 footer on 4 to win the hole. He watches in horror as a putt that looks like dropping kinks off to the right on its very last turn. Back on the par-five 3rd, there’s a lucky break for Reed who bounces out of the bunker guarding the front right of the green, and will have a makeable chip for eagle; Fleetwood finds the heart of the green but he’ll have a long eagle putt And finally to the 5th, a hole with relatively little danger and a friendly pin position. Can anyone in the opening group make birdie? Nope! Rose’s effort from 15 feet drifts left, and Finau saves the half with a six-footer.
Hatton and Spieth halve the par-five 3rd with birdies. Meanwhile in Golf Fever news, here’s Matt Dony: “Argh, I love the Ryder Cup. The depth of feeling is entirely summed up by the way I feel about Ian Poulter. For 23-and-a-half months out of 24, mention his name, and I’ll immediately make some disparaging joke about that time he said that if he plays to his potential, it’d be just him and Tiger. Put him anywhere near a Ryder Cup, though, and I love the man. He doesn’t even need to play. I can just read a paragraph about him walking down some steps, and I’m cheering him on. Go on, Poults. Walk down that grandstand! Show those yanks how we walk! Get in, son! (I will be struggling to focus in work today.)” You and me both, Matt.
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (4)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (3)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (3)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (2)
Neither Molinari nor Fleetwood can get particularly close with their sand shots on 2. Reed flicks a lovely wedge to a couple of feet, though, securing par. Both of the Europeans end up making bogey, so Tiger doesn’t even need to make his birdie putt. He tucks it away regardless. And the final match is all square again!
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (4)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (3)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (2)
Fleetwood/Molinari A/S Reed/Woods (2)
Koepka must have kept his putter in the minibar fridge last night. He’s got another putt from ten feet or so, this time on 4, and he leaves it a little short. This is very strange behaviour, and Europe escape again, keeping hold of the lead in the opening match.
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (4)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (3)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (2)
1UP Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods (1)
Fleetwood and Molinari take turns to push 4-irons into a bunker back right of the 2nd. They’re spooked by the water; it’s the safe bail-out. Reed nearly follows them in, but his ball sticks in the thick rough instead. Then Tiger decides enough is enough: he goes straight for the flag, and lands a sensational long iron four feet from the hole! Speaking of the great man ...
It’s been a dramatic morning already. Plenty of to-and-fro action. Though not on the 2nd yet; another match goes through without a tale to tell, Casey, Hatton, Spieth and Thomas sharing the spoils. But at 1, Tiger can’t make his birdie putt from the fringe, and flicks his ball away in irritation. That’s because he knows the Open champion isn’t going to miss a straight one from eight feet - and Molinari, ice cool, rattles it straight into the cup. Europe go 1UP in the final morning fourball. The par-five 3rd is halved meanwhile, as Olesen’s birdie effort from 18 feet never looks like dropping.
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (3)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (3)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (2)
1UP Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods (1)
Tiger is looking a bit nervous. Well, it’s been a while since he’s been in the Ryder Cup cauldron. Having toyed with the water down the left from the tee, he nearly spins his second back into the drink guarding the front left of the green. He hangs on, in the fringe. Molinari screeches a fine second to eight feet. There’s pressure on Reed now ... and to the gallery’s delight, Captain America dunks his wedge straight into the water! Advantage Europe there.
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Hatton can’t make his birdie putt on 1. Spieth makes no mistake from close range, and that’s the opening hole to the USA! And there’s another surprising escape for Europe, this time on 3; Rahm does extremely well to get up and down from the rough to the right, chipping to 12 feet, making the birdie putt and beating his chest with his fist. Koepka then misses his third putt in a row to the right; he really deserved an eagle after that magnificent second, but Rahm put the thumb-screws on. That’s matchplay golf!
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (3)
McIlroy/Olesen A/S Johnson/Fowler (2)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas 1UP (1)
Fleetwood/Molinari v Reed/Woods
The final match gets underway ... and here comes Tiger Woods and Captain America! Reed gets pelters from the crowd, as you’d expect ... and as you’d expect, he shrugs them off with a smile and sends his tee shot away down the middle! Tiger meanwhile looks a little pensive, and sends his iron a little too close to the water on the left for comfort. But it’s fine. Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari meanwhile hug each other, smiling broadly as the crowd sing their praises. And their nerves are settled by a couple of calm drives. It’s all four balls in the fairway. And all of the matches are out on the course!
The 3rd is the first par five on the course. It’s a monster ... but Koepka calmly negotiates his way down the hole with a 340-yard drive and an easy iron to eight feet! Rose and Rahm meanwhile struggle, the former very fortunate not to find the hazard down the right with a wild tee shot, the latter sending his second near trees down the left. Advantage USA. Meanwhile in the second match, it’s a no-drama half.
Casey is in the thick stuff down the right of 1 ... and lets his club snag through the rough as he wedges in. It’s never reaching the dancefloor, and slam-dunks into the drink guarding the front-left of the green. It’s all down to Hatton, who sends his second over the flag to ten feet. That’s a fine shot, but quickly put into the shade by Spieth, who lands his second a couple of feet past the cup and spins it back. It looks like dropping for a sensational eagle, but hits the stick and stays out. That’s going to be a birdie, though, unless Spieth has a Dustinesque rush of blood.
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Back on the opening tee, the grandstand has got a little tired of the panto booing, perhaps saving some energy for later. Justin Thomas pushes his drive into the cabbage down the right, but Jordan Spieth knocks his down the middle. Paul Casey’s tee shot leaks to the right, in the first cut, but Tyrrell Hatton opens his Ryder Cup career with a gorgeous one down the track. It’s been a mixed bag from the rookies so far; shaky starts for Olesen and Finau, but confident ones from Rahm and Hatton. Dustin’s missed tiddler, though; he really let the Europeans off the hook there.
The par-three second is a fierce one over water. The green’s pretty shallow, there’s not much landing space. Rahm sends his tee shot 50 feet to the right of the flag; Rose is just off the back, but only 12 feet or so from the cup. Rahm lags a gorgeous putt up to a couple of feet; Rose clunks a heavy handed chip eight feet past. But he knocks in the one coming back. Koepka has another look for birdie from 12 feet, but again it stays out on the right. And on the 1st green, McIlroy can’t make his 20-foot birdie putt ... but DJ yips his tiddler to the right and Europe escape with a half! Oh Dustin!
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (2)
McIlroy/Olesen a/s Johnson/Fowler (1)
Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas
DJ follows the Rose Route down 1. A glorious wedge. He’ll be making birdie from there. That means McIlroy has to respond ... but he doesn’t, really, his second landing 20 feet right of the hole. He’ll be left with a very tricky downhill breaker to save the hole for Europe.
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Europe make the first move in the 2018 Ryder Cup! Koepka’s ten-footer is a downhill dribbler, and it stays high on the right. An inch away from a birdie. But Rose is within kick-in distance, and that’s the hole to Europe. Rose holds his fist in the air in quiet determination. It’s not quite the 17th on Sunday at Medinah, but it is only Friday morning after all.
1UP Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau (1)
McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler
Back on the tee, Dustin and Rickie are announced; the crowd try to boo, but there’s plenty of cheering too, they can’t help themselves, Johnson and Fowler are just too damn popular! Rory and Thorbjorn are showered with the love you’d expect. Fowler’s drive finds the rough down the right; DJ fires an arrow down the middle with a long iron. Then a nervous looking Olesen sends his tee shot towards Finau Country ... and the rookie’s first shot in Ryder Cup competition plops in the drink. That will hurt. It’s all down to McIlroy for Europe now, and he splits the fairway with his drive.
Finau might have stayed dry, but he’s right on the edge, and technically in the hazard. It’s all he can do to take his medicine and punch his ball back onto the fairway. Rahm then fizzes his second to ten feet! That puts real pressure on Koepka ... and the three-time major winner responds by knocking his second ten feet over the flag. That’s kept the USA in this hole ... and how they needed that, because Rose has just wedged to a couple of feet. Koepka will have to hole his birdie effort to halve the hole, you’d think. Finau on in three.
Well, I said the phony war was over ... but the US players were stopped and security checked as they arrived this morning, while the Europeans simply swanned into their team room unfrisked. A final attempt at some mind games? Dear oh dear. Anyway, the players take to the tee, and it’s an end to all that nonsense. Nearly. Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau are booed in the pantomime style as they are announced; Justin Rose and Jon Rahm cheered to the skies. The atmosphere seems to unnerve the rookie Finau a little; he blows out his cheeks hard, and nearly whistles his tee shot into the drink down the left! One more joule of energy, one more drip of adrenaline, and he’s wet. But it just hangs on. Europe’s rookie, by contrast, is the picture of confidence: Jon Rahm waves his arms like Bubba and Poults, generating an even louder cheer ... then cracks his tee shot down the middle! A small early victory to Europe? We’ll see. But all these little things count. Meanwhile Rose and Koepka stay out of the limelight, and on the fairway. It’s started! We’re under way! It’s on!
Here we go, then. The phony war is nearly over; the real thing is about to begin! There is, as you’d expect, a neck-hair-bothering atmosphere already at the first tee, where fans of Europe and the USA are whipping it up with chants of Allez Allez, plus a choreographed version of the Icelandic football team’s patented Thunderclap performed much too quickly. The grandstand behind the tee is huge; you’ll need to take 94 steps to reach the top. Ian Poulter has already made an appearance, theatrically making his way down that staircase from its summit to wild applause. Vague shades of top 1980s quiz The Price Is Right. In your dreams, a smiling Leslie Crowther would have been at the bottom to greet him; such a shame the whole scene wasn’t soundtracked by the old Come On Down music.
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For the benefit of folk who fancy getting up on the downswing this weekend but don’t always follow the greatest sport in the world, we usually cut and paste the following explainer. Hey, if it’s worth reading once, it’s worth reading a dozen times. Here we go ...
The format: The 42nd 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, the USA 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 Tiger Woods shoots 63-63-63-63 and Rory McIlroy shoots 87-87-87-87, Tiger will have taken 252 strokes, and beaten Rory by 96 shots. (You’ll get good odds on that 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 for every hole they better their opponents. So if Tiger takes five shots at the 1st, but Rory needs only three, Rory goes 1up. If Rory 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 Rory remains 2up. It doesn’t matter if Tiger took 13 shots on his way to losing the 2nd, by the way; a bit like the unwritten rule of visits to coin-lavvy-interface-venue Las Vegas, what happens on each hole stays on each hole. There is no knock-on effect.
So let’s say McIlroy wins the first nine holes of our make-believe match. With nine played, and nine remaining, Rory is 9up. Tiger can only tie at best; McIlroy can’t lose. This is known as dormie. (And more specifically, in this slightly ludicrous example, as dormie nine.) If Tiger wins the next nine, the game will end all square, and each team will get half a point to their overall total. But if Rory wins the 10th, he’s 10up with eight holes to play. He has won 10&8. If the 10th hole is halved, Rory would be 9up with eight to play. He’s won 9&8. Similarly Tiger can be said to have lost 9&8. Europe 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 fourballs; four matches of afternoon foursomes.
Tomorrow: four matches of morning fourballs; four matches of afternoon foursomes.
Sunday: 12 singles matches.
Finally, some parish notices. This MBM reporter makes no apology for ... outrageous pro-European bias; outrageous pro-Sergio bias; outrageous pro-American bias through the prism of a self-hating European; paying no heed to think-of-the-kids sermonising should Hatton or Reed lose the place completely, and enjoying every second of it too; childish excitement; childish tantrums; childish tears. Hey, it’s all part of the fun. Get on board.
And here’s your cast-iron, no-quibble, GARANTIE OFFICIELLE GUARDIAN!!! There’ll be not a single mention here of Brexit. This solemn pledge also covers other original satirical observations and biting stand-up bits on: 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; bababooey; people in golf clubs wearing clothing from the 1970s; people in golf clubs having attitudes from the 1970s; Donald Trump. None of that here. Let’s go!
Bonjour et bienvenue à la 42ème Ryder Cup!
It’s been a quarter of a century since the USA beat Europe away from home. Spool all the way back to 1993, when Tom Watson’s side triumphed at the Belfry. Davis Love sealed the deal against a tearful Costantino Rocca ... then as his team-mates cavorted and partied, made a point of searching out the distraught Italian to give him a hug. But since then, it’s the Americans who have been in sore need of a consolation cuddle whenever they’ve come over the pond, suffering heavy defeats at The K Club and Gleneagles, and going down at Valderrama, The Belfry (again) and Celtic Manor too.
Well, they’re favourites to break that inexplicably long, sorry sequence this time. Jim Furyk brings a hell of a side to Le Golf National, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines: it contains no fewer than nine major champions. Between them, this USA team have 31 majors to their name. That stat alone will send a shiver down European spines, because Thomas Bjorn can only call on five major winners, and they’ve only got eight majors between them. Oh la la!
Look at it another way, though ... through the prism of a couple of 42-year-olds. Tiger Woods has 14 majors on his CV; Ian Poulter none. Tiger’s win percentage at the Ryder Cup? A tad under 44%. Poulter’s? A legendary 72%. Different rules seem to apply in this crazy cup; call it the Monty Metric.
In any case, it’s not as though Europe are about to be shoved into the lion’s den armed with neither whip nor chair. They’ve got the world number one and new FedEx champ, $10m’s Justin Rose, in their ranks for a start. Rory McIlroy is a bona-fide superstar. Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood have enjoyed seasons to remember. And as for the entertainingly fiery Tyrrell Hatton ... well, he’s a Ryder Cup legend in the making, he’s just got to be. Hey, Sergio’s none too shabby either. Or that Jon Rahm. Or Henrik Stenson, Paul Casey, Alex Noren, etc., and so on.
As for the Americans? Well. They can boast the two players who have defined 2018 in golf: the US Open and PGA champ Brooks Koepka, who had a 75% win record at the last Ryder Cup, and the aforementioned Tiger, who after five difficult years returned to the winners’ circle at the Tour Championship last Sunday, sparking electric scenes that made the heart sing. They’ve also got Captain America, who occasionally trades under the name Patrick Reed. He was amusingly bellicose at Gleneagles, simply thrilling at Hazeltine. And he’s got a Ryder Cup win percentage of nearly 78%! He’ll be front and centre this week, it’s just got to happen. Please let him draw either Poulter or Hatton in the singles. Or McIlroy again. And we haven’t even started talking about Jordan, JT, DJ, Rickie or Phil the Thrill.
So in conclusion: (1) the USA have one hell of a team; (2) Europe have one hell of a team; (3) may the best team win; (4) this promises to be three days of sensational sporting theatre; (5) I’m wittering platitudes, but very excited so please cut me some slack; (6) actually, there’s been an outbreak of severe Ryder Cup fever, someone please call Dr Golf; and (7) IT’S ON!
Europe: Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, Sergio Garcia, Tyrrell Hatton, Rory McIlroy, Francesco Molinari, Alex Noren, Thorbjorn Olesen, Ian Poulter, Jon Rahm, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson.
Non-playing captain: Thomas Bjorn
United States of America: Bryson DeChambeau, Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Webb Simpson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson, Tiger Woods.
Non-playing captain: Jim Furyk
The morning fourballs start at 7.10am BST. That’s 8.10am in Paris, and 2.10am EDT. Here’s how they’ll go out ...
7.10am: Rose/Rahm v Koepka/Finau
7.25am: McIlroy/Olesen v Johnson/Fowler
7.40am: Casey/Hatton v Spieth/Thomas
7.55am: Molinari/Fleetwood v Reed/Woods
