“Quite incredibly, this managed to be an even uglier day for the United States of America off the golf course than it was on it.” Ewan Murray on an astonishing day of Ryder Cup golf. That’s it for today. Thanks to everyone who messaged – it was a lot of fun. Please join Scott for the singles from around 5pm on Sunday afternoon. You’ll be in hands as safe as Luke Donald’s – well, nearly as safe …
Bryan Armen Grahamat from Bethpage Black: “No World No 1 had ever started a Ryder Cup by losing three straight matches. Scottie cheffler went one worse.”
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You think Tommy Fleetwood has had a good week? It’s this good: he’s the first visiting player to win all of the first four matches on U.S. soil since Europe joined the Ryder Cup in 1979.
By the way, he’s just been seen first having fun with his son Frankie and some stuffed toys, and then having fun stroking a dog. He’s living his best life in all sorts of ways.
Jonathan Gresty likes an irony this week. He emails that in the week that the US President, “said Europe is ‘going to hell’, there is immense poetry and joy in seeing the Americans getting completely humiliated - on their own blessed turf - by the wisdom and craft of the Old Continent.” It does need to be polished off, though. If it all falls apart, the irony will be anything but.
Andy Bull on a remarkable incident earlier today regarding an MC on the first tee. It was very strange.
European fans are lapping this up. Colin Livingstone references and rewrites the famous sign on the Bathpage Black first tee: “The Black course is an extremely difficult course. Which we only recommend for European golfers.”
The European fans at Bethpage are dancing with outrageous glee. Simon MacMahon is with them in spirit: “I’m not quite calling it yet, but amongst all the European golfing brilliance on display so far this weekend, a mention too for their captain Luke Donald and his vice captains Jose-Maria Olazabal, Thomas Bjorn, Alex Noren, and Edoardo and Francesco Molinari. It really is a team effort. And now it’s all kicking off! Gotta LOVE LOVE LOVE the Ryder Cup.”
Joe Pearson isn’t happy that I used Patrick Cantlay’s nickname – well, one of them: “As anyone who watches a lot of golf, Cantlay’s nickname is All-Day, because he plays so slow. Ice Man? No”
Day 2 scoreline: USA 4½-11½ Europe
Luke Donald on a remarkable week so far: “I didn’t really imagine this. The job is not done yet, though. But to hear the ‘Ole’s’ from our fans is very fun. Every time the Americans came at us, we came back at them. The confidence these guys have in themselves and in each other is wonderful. We’re trying to get to 14 and a half points first. We won’t be complacent.”
“The lights have gone out on Broadway,” says Nick Faldo.
USA 4½-11½ Europe
Patrick Cantlay goes all out to make his chip and can’t do it. Next up, Sam Burns from 25 feet. Good effort but the Euro putts were conceded. They’ve won with sparkling approach play. Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick beat Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay 1UP.
Burns/Cantlay lose to Hatton/Fitzpatrick 1UP (F)
USA 4½-11½ Europe
JJ Spaun on his match: “I leaned on my partner for wisdom and guidance.” Xander Schauffele on the Europeans: “They’re playing unbelievable golf. They’re making a lot of birdies and we’re not.”
And then there was one (match). Europe won’t want to fritter away two points. Matt Fitzpatrick is in sand, just like when he won the US Open – and he does much, much better than even that blow – he’s left himself a tap-in! And Tyrrell Hatton has nudged up against it. Literally! “Billiards,” giggles Nick Faldo, adding: “Jeepers!”
Burns can only find the middle of the green and Cantlay’s hard spinning approach rips back off the front of the putting surface. Advantage Europe.
USA 4½-10½ Europe
The Americans led after only one hole in the third match. But it was the right hole: the 18th. JJ Spaun and Xander Schauffele beat Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka 1UP.
Spaun/Schauffele beat Rahm/Straka 1UP (F)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (14)
USA 4½-10½ Europe
Can Straka make par? No. Even if Rahm does, it could be moot. First up Xander Schuaffele has a putt and it is, quite frankly, rubbish. Short from 15 feet. Now Rahm needs to hole and hope JJ Spaun misses. Rahm … makes it. Gritty. Very gritty. But Spaun has a very short putt for the win – and he makes it.
The action is now confined to the final hole. Sam Burns finds the first cut with his drive, Patrick Cantlay the fairway. Matt Fitzpatrick finds sand, Tyrrell Hatton the fairway.
Up ahead, Jon Rahm splashes out of the bunker but can’t find the hole and Sepp Straka hits a clumsy chip to 20 feet.
Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka make a curious pair. Physically, they are very alike. But while Straka has a head entirely free of hair, Rahm has it everywhere. Straka’s approach to 18 has spun back off the front edge. Next up is JJ Spaun who pops his effort to 3 feet – what a year this has been for the US Open champion. Xander Schauffele claps his partner and then finds the green. Jon Rahm needs a good blow here – but his ball plummets into sand. A first American point of the afternoon beckons.
Ice Man. Patrick Cantlay earned his nickname winning individual titles. He’s not lifted a trophy for a long time, however, but in team competition he remains ice cool. He drains his birdie putt at 17. Can Tyrrell Hatton follow him in? Yes he can! The Americans have made four birdies in a row – and they’re locked at all square with Hatton and Fitzpatrick.
Sam Burns launches a superb tee shot at 17 in the final match. He’s got 4 feet for his birdie and piles pressure on the Europeans. Only 18 feet for Patrick Cantlay, though. Matt Fitzpatrick, so mocked for his Ryder Cup record ahead of this week, has been very good this week and he’s bang in this hole with a touch less than 6 feet for his birdie. Finally, Tyrrell Hatton gets an early Christmas present. He hit a bit of a rotter and the slopes swept his ball to 12 feet.
Embraces all round as team mates meet up for a post-round chin wag. Rory McIlroy hugs Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose, then Shane Lowry does the same. Scottie Scheffler wanders over to shake hands with various Europeans. They watch Sepp Straka shave the hole at 17. Xander Schauffele misses with his attempt. Now Jon Rahm can win the match – but his putt slips past! JJ Spaun’s turn and he makes it – the match is all square going up 18!
Back at 16 Tyrrell Hatton drops a 20 foot birdie putt. Sam Burns tries to follow him in and leaves the putt on the front edge but Patrick Cantlay converts from 11 feet. What a tough competitor he is. So flinty. So resilient.
Good tee shots from the Americans at 17 and they need it as they are 1DOWN. JJ Spaun is tight in – about 4 feet. Xander Schauffele has 16 feet. Sepp Straka is furthest away at 20 feet but Jon Rahm has 8 feet.
Fin asks: “Do you feel the US could’ve done anything differently over the last 2 days?. The English-Morikawa partnership was an odd one and Scottie Scheffler has played the Tiger role as the ineffectual star. But could Bradley do much to halt the blue waves really?” A question for the end of play but there will be lots of questions ahead for many American golfers and administrators.
The back two matches can now get the TV coverage they deserve. There was so much going on in the top two games footage has been a little sparse. Can the Americans close the gap?
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (16)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (14)
USA 3½-10½ Europe
Rory McIlroy on this afternoon: “Hugely satisfying … Our first full point together, I’m so proud of this guy … Another blue point on the board ... I’m drained to say the least … I just chipped in when I could.” On the crowds: “Look, when you play away, the crowds are challenging. People can make their own judgment on if it went too far. I’m just proud of us.”
Shane Lowry: “It was intense ... Something I’ve never experienced ... This is why I get up in the morning ... I love being a part of this team ... It’s only a point … We have a job to do … We need to keep the foot on the gas.”
USA 3½-10½ Europe
Success for the old friends. Hugs all round and a bellow from the heart and soul of Shane Lowry as the Americans fail to make birdie at 18 and concede the match. Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry beat Justin Thomas and Cam Young 1UP.
Thomas/Young lose to McIlroy/Lowry 1UP (F)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (15)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (15)
USA 3½-10½ Europe
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Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick are hanging tough in the final match against Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns. All square heading to 16 thanks to an 8 footer from Hatton.
Shane Lowry might have tired yesterday, but he has found a second wind late today. After the drama on 16 and 17 he hits a beauty into 18. He has 5 feet for birdie with the Americans outside 15 feet. They’ll need to make those and hope Lowry misses. McIlroy is also only 15 feet away. Advantage Europe.
Justin Rose on the chaos at the end of his match: “It was a shame. I was waiting to putt. They were going through their motions. They came again. I said it’s my putt, right? Maybe not so polite. It was taken the wrong way. But it was an amazing match. Tommy was amazing. Epic match.”
Tommy Fleetwood: “It’s part of it, right? It was one moment out of a lot of great golf. It’s not that big of a deal. I enjoyed being part of that match.”
USA 3½-9½ Europe
Justin Rose find the hole! He and Tommy Fleetwood have been superb yesterday and today. Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood beat Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler 3&2.
Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 1UP (17)
Scheffler/DeChambeau lose to Fleetwood/Rose 3&2 (F)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (14)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (14)
USA 3½-9½ Europe
Back to 16. Only Scottie Scheffler found the green. Bryson DeChambeau has 12 feet for par, Tommy Fleetwood 7 feet, Justin Rose also 7 feet. Scheffler has 28 feet for birdie and a 2 putt might be enough to keep the match alive. With Europe 3UP the Americans are on fumes and he really needs a par breaker. Good line but it has come up short!
Rory McIlroy can’t equal the birdie of Justin Thomas at 17. The latter had his arms in the air, pleading for quiet from the masses. Can Shane Lowry find the hole from 6 feet? It will guarantee a half point if he does. More pleading from JT. Lowry makes it! Fist pump, fist pump, fist pump from the Irishman. He’ll need a sleep tonight.
This is dizzying. Shane Lowry nails his tee shot at 17 to 5 feet. Rory McIlroy is 14 feet away, Cam Young 22 feet and then … Justin Thomas almost holes his effort! He’s got 13 inches. Or rather, he’ll pick it up from 13 inches. Wow. Europe will need to hole a putt to go up the last with a 1UP lead.
There are many folk who feel that the current state of the world resembles the 1970s. Dean is one of them, at least with regard to the condition of the Ryder Cup. He emails: “Do you think it’s time the USA invited South America and Canada to join them for future matches?”
Cam Young – what a superstar he’s been this week. He drains a 15 foot birdie putt at 16 when he knows that Rory McIlroy is in tight to the hole – and the Northern Irishman duly makes the birdie.
Meanwhile, leaving the 16th tee there have been metaphorical hugs and kisses in the second match.
Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 1UP (16)
Scheffler/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 3UP (15)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (14)
Burns/Cantlay v Hatton/Fitzpatrick 1UP (13)
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JJ Spaun pours in a birdie at 14 and Jon Rahm follows him in. “Europe has all the answers,” bemoans Rich Beem on Sky Sports. The Euros stay 1UP in match three.
Lost of heavy breathing on the 16th tee. Everyone explaining themselves. Everyone insisting it’s a fuss about nothing while getting a bit hot under the collar. Imagine falling out with Tommy Fleetwood. It’s like having a fight with your favourite teddy bear.
Up at 15 it’s getting desperate for the American power duo. Scottie Scheffler flubs his approach into the rough and flubs his chip shot short of the hole. Justin Rose has 15 feet for birdie and he tells Bryson DeChambeau’s caddie to get out of his way. Then he nails the putt! Just outstanding from Rose. Time for another little cuddle with Tommy. DeChambeau up now and he needs his 12 foot birdie putt to extend the match … Sensational! He makes it. Then he gets mad with the English. Absolute argy bargy.
To the 135 yard flick that is 14. The Europeans lead the third match 1UP. JJ Spaun and Xander Schauffele are just outside 12 feet but with sidehill putts. Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka have 9 feet for birdie from under the hole. Advantage Europe.
What with all this swearing, Gary Naylor is suggesting the course be renamed.
“Bethpage Blue.”
Score on the doors? Bonkers, but Europe are on course for a sweep. Three matches are tight, however.
Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 1UP (15)
Scheffler/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 3UP (14)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (13)
Burns/Cantlay v Hatton/Fitzpatrick 1UP (12)
Well played Justin Thomas. It was the hole or nothing - and he found the hole. “F**king come on!” he cries, his body contorting with fury and frustration. First up to match him is Lowry. “Come on!” he bellows as his birdie drops. “F**king come on!!” This is outragously mad. The prim sport of golf living up to its twee reputation.
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At 15, Justin Thomas, Cam Young and Shane Lowry have found the fairway. Rory McIlroy has found the hospitality bins. Lowry finds the middle of the green and the contours help him again - gravity and those slopes leave him inside 9 feet for birdie. McIlroy does even better from a scruffy lie after a free drop. He finds the same slope and has less than 6 feet for a 3. Justin Thomas and Cam Young have around 16 feet for their own birdies.
To the 14th green. Tommy Fleetwood tucked his tee shot tight but can Justin Rose beat him into the hole? He has about 15 feet for his birdie … and in it pops! The two Englishmen are having the time of their lives. They have a little cuddle as they wait for Bryson DeChambeau to match the birdie. Yikes! A total push! The beefcake bro blinks. Fleetwood and Rose are 3UP with 4 to play.
“Tommy. Tommy, Tommy. Tommy, Tommy Fleetwood.” He and Justin Rose have made nine birdies through 13 holes and he’s almost certainly made it 10 with a tee shot at the par-three 14th to 3 feet 5 inches. Scottie Scheffler has 20 feet on the same green and Bryson DeChambeau … has 6 feet. The US pair are playing really well but they’ve hit an English wall. So far – don’t count chickens …
TOMMY FLEETWOOD! 27 feet away from the hole, looking for birdie at the par-five 13th, with Scottie Scheffler tight to the pin, the Southport man has holed another long putt!
(Then Rory McIlroy makes his birdie at 14. He tried to stay in his own space. He tried so hard. Then everything burst out! Shouting in the direction of the galleries. Extraordinary! And then Justin Thomas missed his own birdie putt. Europe leads in all four matches!)
Scottie Scheffler doesn’t miss, though, on 13. He’s still 2DOWN though.
Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 1UP (14)
Scheffler/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 2UP (13)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (12)
Burns/Cantlay v Hatton/Fitzpatrick 1UP (11)
No time wasting from the top match – they’re straight to the 14th tee. The par-three is playing only 135 yards but Cam Young has hit a rotter that has settled against the collar. Justin Thomas is up next and makes up for his partner’s shot. He’s got about 6 feet for birdie. Shane Lowry’s turn and he needs a fillip. It’s not a great blow, though. He pulls it but the contours of the green bail him out. He has 16 feet for a 2. Rory McIlroy has the best line of them all but it spins back to about 9 feet.
The top match is limping up the par-five 13th a little. Cam Young has the best look at a birdie from 16 feet, but pulls up short. That saves his partner Justin Thomas who still had 7 feet for his 5. Shane Lowry misses from 7 feet to match Young. But Rory McIlroy doesn’t from 4 feet. They are all square with 5 to play.
Every now and again, a fourball match goes a bit haywire. For example: the third match at 11. JJ Spaun has 3 feet for par, Jon Rahm 6 feet, Xander Schauffele 13 feet and Sepp Straka 7 feet. Messy stuff but Spaun and Straka scrape pars.
And then Tommy Fleetwood completes a winning birdie at 12. He and Justin Rose are 2UP again.
Thomas/Young A/S McIlroy/Lowry (12)
Scheffler/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 2UP (12)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (11)
Burns/Cantlay v Hatton/Fitzpatrick 1UP (10)
Superb from the English pair in match two. Tommy Fleetwood knocks his approach to 7 feet, then a fan calls Justin Rose “grandpa” so he dumps his inside 4 feet. Scottie Scheffler is outside 40 feet and Bryson DeChambeau has 20 feet left. Big advantage to the Europeans on 12.
Sam Burns holes a putt from Manhattan and then Matt Fitzpatrick drains one from Brooklyn at 10. Okay, okay, they were both a touch outside 30 feet, but that was fun. American joy punctured by the understated Sheffield man. He and Tyrrell Hatton stay 1UP on Burns and Patrick Cantlay.
Fin is looking ahead to Sunday’s singles: “Leading on from what you said regarding fatigue, I feel opening the singles with Justin Rose or Jon Rahm might remove a touch of pressure from McIlroy. He does look a bit spent and that putter is running a little cold in this session.” Good point and related is that Rahm looks strong – he must have a tremendous engine.
Hello JJ. The US Open champion JJ Spaun pours in a 42 foot birdie to win 10 and halve the deficit in the third match. It’s the first hole Jon Rahm has lost on the back nine all week. Up ahead in the top match, no-one can make birdie at 12.
Thomas/Young A/S McIlroy/Lowry (12)
Scheffler/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 1UP (11)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (10)
Burns/Cantlay v Hatton/Fitzpatrick 1UP (9)
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Birdie for Bryson DeChambeau at 11 to win the hole. It was only 12 feet but he bounced electrically around the green. The blood vessels, bones and muscles of his neck are strained like the cables holding up a Manhattan bridge in a storm. Astonishing. Exhausting just to observe. He cuts the European lead to 1UP over himself and Scottie Scheffler.
If there is a fear for Europe it might be that in the top match there is possibly a touch of fatigue. Rory McIlroy has withstood a lot this week and Shane Lowry tired on the back nine yesterday. The latter has just wafted a horrible approach wide of the 12th green. The Americans have two balls in the heart of the green. What can Rory McIlroy respond with? He joins the Americans in having a putt of around 30 feet for birdie.
In the final match, Patrick Cantlay has 11 feet for birdie but it slips by the hole. Sam Burns and Tyrrell Hatton are done, but Matt Fitzpatrick has 8 feet for a winning birdie which would give Europe another lead. It’s straight in and the normally unflappable Yorkshireman motions for the noise to quieten down. Europe are all square in one match and up in three. Remarkable stuff.
Chances at 11 in the top match. Shane Lowry has 14 feet for birdie from the rough and Justin Thomas 10 feet from the green. Lowry’s ball had a look but stays out. This clash is all square and the Americans are desperate to get red on the leaderboard. Thomas cannot find the hole but Rory McIlroy misses his par putt. Yet again Thomas asks the galleries to be quiet as Lowry settles over his own par putt from 4 feet – and he holes it. A relieved clap from his pal McIlroy. Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka have sneaked 2UP in the third match. The big Spaniard and the quiet Austrian proving an inspired combination.
Thomas/Young A/S McIlroy/Lowry (11)
Scheffler/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 2UP (10)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 2UP (9)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (8)
The 11th green is raucous. Cries of “USA! USA!” mixed with European songs. The noises are echoing through the trees. Back at 10 neither Scottie Scheffler or Bryson DeChambeau can match Tommy Fleetwood’s tap in. The European pair are now 2UP.
Matthew Dony emails: “Walking the putt in is a strong move, but saving the penguin walk for tomorrow? Gotta love Justin Rose. Gotta LOVE the Ryder Cup!” Simon McMahon’s favourite phrase is catching.
“How good is that?!” says Nick Faldo, sighing again, this time in pleasure. Tommy Fleetwood has hit his approach at 10 to 10 inches. Then the Sky Sports commentator sighs in astonishment as Scottie Scheffler’s approach clatters into the flag stick and ricochets back into greenside rough. Justin Rose is 9 feet away and Bryson DeChambeau 19 feet. The quality of this match is just terrific.
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Quality approaches at 9 but who can make the birdie?! Not Rose. Not DeChambeau. Not Scheffler. Can Fleetwood double the European lead as they make the turn? No! Not a great strike either, really. “Oooohhh,” sighs Nick Faldo on TV.
Thomas/Young A/S McIlroy/Lowry (9)
Scheffler/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 1UP (9)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (8)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (7)
Classic Ryder Cup peppering of the pin at 9. It’s a 451 yard par-four. Justin Rose has 26 feet for birdie, Bryson DeChambeau 11 feet, Scottie Scheffler 8 feet and Tommy Fleetwood 5 feet. They have the hole surrounded.
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The top match makes the turn. A pumped up Justin Thomas unleashes a ferociously fast swing at his ball and finds the fairway. A more controlled Rory McIlroy does the same. TV shows us a line of law enforcement officers looking at the galleries and suggests they’ve turned up to keep the calm.
An excited Simon McMahon is back – and with his catchphrase, too! “Oh my gawd, Matt. Rose walking it in at 8 with a bonus fist pump you just don’t see unless it’s Ryder Cup weekend. Or you’re at the McMahon annual putting competition at the Himalayas in St. Andrew’s. Gotta LOVE the Ryder Cup!”
As blue drops off the leaderboard in the top match, Sepp Straka steps forward in the third game out. Some doubted his inclusion this week but he’s a two-time PGA Tour winner in 2025, has experience of Rome, and he holes from 12 feet at 7 for a winning birdie. He and Jon Rahm go 1UP on JJ Spaun and Xander Schauffele.
More noisy scenes at 9. Justin Thomas tries to quieten the galleries as Rory McIlroy lines up a 21 foot birdie putt that edges the hole. Thomas himself holes from 20 feet and stands tall as he peers out at the galleries, waggling his earlobe. Can Shane Lowry match him for a half from 9 feet? No he can’t! Huge roars from the galleries. The match is all square.
Thomas/Young A/S McIlroy/Lowry (9)
Scheffler/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 1UP (8)
Spaun/Schauffele A/S Rahm/Straka (6)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (6)
What a bewildering game this is. Bryson DeChambeau can bazooka a ball over 350 yards but he’s just hit a putt 6 feet when the hole at 8 was 12 feet away. It was a double hit, too (no penalty these days). In mitigation, he was up against a collar of rough but it was all part of this infuriating business. Justin Rose takes advantage by making a walk in birdie from 21 feet. He started the walk when it was 8 feet out! Absolute scenes from the oldest man in the match! He and Tommy Fleetwood are now 1UP.
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Fin is impressed by one American: “It feels like DeChambeau is a one man team so far this weekend. If Rose and Fleetwood turn that match around the USA could disintegrate.” Cam Young is not doing too bad, Fin!
Updated
Cam Young and Justin Thomas have played two at the par-three 8th and neither are inside 15 feet. Before Rory McIlroy putts from 25 feet Thomas urges quiet. The putt misses but it’s a safe par. Young’s long par putt pulls up short then Shane Lowry misses for birdie. Thomas has to stand off his par putt before he drains it at the second attempt and then gives some back to the galleries. This is a tight session.
Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 1UP (8)
Scheffler/DeChambeau A/S Fleetwood/Rose (7)
Spaun/Schauffele A/S Rahm/Straka (6)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (5)
Scottie Scheffler has missed the green at 7. He’s stuck on a bank above a bunker. Just standing is a conundrum. His stab forward flies a good 20 feet past the hole. Partner Bryson DeChambeau edges the hole with his long birdie attempt. Justin Rose has 8 feet for a winning birdie and he makes it! The match is all square. A tremendous tussle.
When you win a hole in match play, keeping the foot down tends to matter. But Cam Young and Justin Thomas have missed the green at the par-three 8th while Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy have both found the green.
Cam Young drains a 36-foot birdie at 7 to win the hole against Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry. His partner Justin Thomas bounces around the green, lifting his arms, putting his hand to his ear. He’s pumped but Cam Young is one of the stars of the Ryder Cup. The New Yorker is having the week of his life. Thomas and Young are now 1DOWN through 7.
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Matt Fitzpatrick launched a superb approach to the par-five 4th but he can’t find the hole with his eagle putt from 14 feet. The match remains all square, however.
Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 2UP (6)
Scheffler/DeChambeau 1UP v Fleetwood/Rose (6)
Spaun/Schauffele A/S Rahm/Straka (4)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (4)
Bryson DeChambeau’s putting has been sensational this week, but at 6 he can’t find the hole from 22 feet. Scottie Scheffler is up next from 11 feet and he finds the birdie! But the Europeans can match him. Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood are both closer. As Scheffler tucks into a sandwich, Rose steps forward and makes a par breaker of his own. His career Indian Summer continues apace.
Damien Woods emails: “God bless the Americans but you never poke an Offalyman. Shane’s father, Brendan, scored points in the all Ireland football final of 1982 when they were overwhelming underdogs but beat a Kerry team going for five in a row. Expect something similar today...”
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This could be getting tricky. Rory McIlroy has stepped off his putt once more. He and Shane Lowry are chatting to the officials, but not a lot is happening. McIlroy circles the shot then tries again … the ball lags close. There are jeers to follow. Dame Laura Davies on Sky Sports wants to head out there to sort it out. “Ridiculous,” she says. And it’s surely only going to get worse. Then Shane Lowry drains his birdie from 11 feet. It’s only for a half as Cam Young has a tap in, but it’s spicy!
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Rory McIlroy is waiting to hit a putt. And he’s waiting. He wants quiet and he’s not getting it. Meanwhile, the situation:
Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 2UP (5)
Scheffler/DeChambeau 1UP v Fleetwood/Rose (5)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (3)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (3)
The American big boys have lit the fuse. After his eagle-3 at 4, Bryson DeChambeau knocks his approach at 5 inside 7 feet, and Scottie Scheffler joins him in that range. Their opponents, meanwhile, are struggling for birdie. Justin Rose is up first from 34 feet and can only lag to gimme distance. Tommy Fleetwood is 18 feet away and his putt edges the hole but doesn’t drop. DeChambeau capitalises by finding the hole and there is now red on the board. Can their team mates match them?
“No envelope situation,” reports Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir. He expands that Viktor Hovland stepped down for cautionary reasons this afternoon and will play in the singles. He also explains that Shane Lowry has had a fan removed from the property for bad behaviour.
The Europeans can’t match the eagle of Bryson DeChambeau so the second match is now all square (or tied as the US scoring system prefers this week). Back on 2, Matt Fitzpatrick misses a 3-foot putt but Tyrrell Hatton helped him out from the same range. Shane Lowry drains another winning putt at the 5th and gives another roar from the heart.
Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 2UP (5)
Scheffler/DeChambeau A/S Fleetwood/Rose (4)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (3)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (2)
Simon McMahon is enjoying the fiery scenes: “Absolutely tremendous from Shane Lowry there on 5, giving it the full eff you plus bonus finger jabbing at the punter who had heckled McIlroy moments before. You just don’t see that any other week of the year, unless of course you’re drinking in Lochee High Street in Dundee. We’re all just friends and golf fans at the end of the day, though. Gotta love the Ryder Cup.”
Bryson DeChambeau is not everyone’s cup of tea, but he is standing strong today. He doesn’t look happy about it, but his 193-yard approach to the par-5 4th misses the hole by inches. A gimme eagle for him. He’s happier as he gets to the green and urges the galleries to make more noise.
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After Shane Lowry’s excitement, and Justin Rose’s quality, Sepp Straka makes a winning putt of his own at 2. Europe lead in three matches. A giddy start to the afternoon for the visitors.
Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 1UP (4)
Scheffler/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 1UP (3)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (2)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (1)
Shane Lowry is pumped! There is aggro in his game with Rory McIlroy and when he holes a long eagle putt on 5 he goes bananas and shouts “F**k you!” as he points to someone in the gallery.
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Joe Pearson asks: “Given Viktor Hovland’s situation, will we get to find out who’s in Bradley’s envelope?” Let’s hope the neck is just a little sore and the physios can work their magic, Joe. We will likely only learn that name if the worst case scanerio emerges tomorrow.
We have a break of the fourball deadlock, by the way. Justin Rose opens birdie-birdie and the second one wins the hole for Europe. He and Tommy Fleetwood lead 1UP in the second match.
Ryder Cup rookies might be wondering what happens if Viktor Hovland can’t play tomorrow. The two captains put the name of a player in an envelope for these circumstances. If Hovland can’t play, the American whose name is in Keegan Bradley’s envelope will sit out the singles, and their match will be deemed to have been halved.
Fantastic speculation about Viktor Hovland’s neck. Nick Faldo on Sky Sports wonders if he pulled it celebrating his putt on 17. There is a precedent for this. Ian Woosnam issued a famous fist pump when he holed the winning putt in the 1991 Masters – and pulled a muscle in his upper arm. He then spent his time in the Butler Cabin partially-anaesthetized by adrenalin as he struggled to get the sore arm inside the green jacket.
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Interesting. Viktor Hovland was set to play in the fourth match with Matt Fitzpatrick, but Tyrrell Hatton has turned up on the tee instead. Sky Sports reports the Norwegian has a neck injury. They’re taking on Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns.
Earlier today, Scott reported an incident when Rory McIlroy shouted American fans to “shut the f*** up”. “I don’t mind them having a go at us, that’s to be expected,” he said after winning his foursomes. “I mean, that’s what an away Ryder Cup is. In between shots, say whatever you want to me. That’s totally fine. But just give us the respect, let us hit shots, and give us the same chance that the Americans have.” Fans have taken to shouting “miss it” or “it’s downhill” or “you missed this one yesterday” (and similar) as Europeans address the ball. The galleries have also collectively counted out loud as Europeans set themselves. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a little more intense if this afternoon goes on.
Match three is testament to the cosmopolitan nature of the modern world. Spaniard Jon Rahm (married to an American) alongside Austrian Sepp Straka (whose mum is American) up against the Americans Xander Schauffele (French-German dad, Taiwanese-Japanese mum) and JJ Spaun (dad of European descent, mum Filipino-Mexican). It makes the simplicity of all the howling and hollering around this match seem a little bewildering!
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A good start from Scottie Scheffler. He knocks his approach at 1 to 3 feet after the English pair leave their second shots outside 10 feet. What about beefcake Bryson? He tucks his effort inside Scheffler’s. (Back at the tee, JJ Spaun’s caddie jogs down the tunnel stroking the various Stars and Stripes flags on the wall.) Justin Rose makes his birdie, then they ask the Americans to polish off their efforts. Scheffler brushes his in for an opening half.
Match number two. Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose up against the Alpha Americans Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler. Big roars for Scheffler, wild ones for DeChambeau. He’s absolutely amped and biffs his ball just short of the green. Scheffler is less alpha than his partner, of course, but syncing this pair together is a big statement ask from captain Keegan Bradley.
Some sloppy approach work after all four players in the first match found the fairway. Rory McIlroy and Cam Young have the best birdie opportunities. McIlroy up first from 14 feet. He gets the count from the gallery and the putt misses on the high side. Young has half the distance and he pulls it! A flat start all round.
First up in the fourballs: Shane Lowry (in the fairway) and Rory McIlroy (in the fairway) versus Cam Young (in the fairway) and Justin Thomas (in the fairway). There was a lovely photo on TV just now, showing Young as a toddler with his father at a Bethpage Black US Open, watching Tiger Woods. They looked like Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin.
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It’s also worth remembering that these New York galleries don’t only throw flak at the Europeans. Earlier today, a voice hollered at Scottie Scheffler, while he stood over an approach shot on the back nine: “You’re the World No. 1 - start playing like it!”
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There are dangers for Europe over the next 30 hours, of course. One is complacency. The outside chatter can be that the Europeans are flying and the Americans are flagging. But the players cannot afford to think like that. Rory McIlroy addressed another threat: how the crowd dynamic will change in the singles. The current lead is the exact one that the victorious European team had at this stage in 1987 – but an 8-4 advantage went pear-shaped at Brookline in 1999. One reason it went wrong there is that, in an intimidating atmosphere, the players coped with a pal by their side but struggled when they were alone. It’s not done yet.
Thanks Scott. How much fun was that first session?! I’m a little exhausted and I was only watching it. I’m not saying I have the answer to the following riddle, but there is plenty of criticism flowing the way of Keegan Bradley’s captaincy. On Sky Sports Nick Dougherty and Laura Davies have pegged him stubborn for sticking to his plan. I think we can all understand what they mean. But remember Thomas Bjorn in 2018? It’s also widely believed that he won because he stuck to his plan. I suppose the only conclusion is that if you’re going to stick to a plan it had better be a damn good one.
Here are the results of the morning foursomes …
4&2 DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 3&2
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 3&2
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP
USA 3½-8½ Europe
… and with that I’ll hand you over to Matt Cooper for the afternoon fourballs. See you tomorrow for the singles.
The Saturday fourballs
5.25pm: Justin Thomas and Cameron Young v Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry
5.41pm: Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau v Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose
5.57pm: JJ Spaun and Xander Schauffele v Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka
6.13pm: Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay v Viktor Hovland and Matt Fitzpatrick
Robert MacIntyre is asked about the nonsense from the gallery he has to endure. “It’s difficult … but we’ve got guys like this [taps Hovland affectionately] to back you up … guys in the changing room … the support staff … family and friends … our fans as well … we’re doing this not just for ourselves but everyone that’s here … just delighted to do it with this guy!”
USA 3½-8½ Europe
Bob MacIntyre, who has taken so much abuse from the gallery this morning, has the welcome task of cosying the first putt up to kick-in distance. The world number one and world number three remove their caps and come across to shake their victors’ hands. Another session won by Europe in style! Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland beat Russell Henley and Scottie Scheffler 1UP.
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (F)
USA 3½-8½ Europe
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Scheffler has left Russell Henley stuck teetering on the edge of a bunker. Can Henley channel his inner Jon Rahm, who holed out on 8 earlier from a similarly unpromising position? Nope, though he dinks out gracefully nonetheless, to four feet. That’s a great shot by any measure … and yet it’s not quite good enough in these extreme circumstances. Two putts for Europe from 12 feet to win the match.
Scottie Scheffler up first … and he plays a stunningly awful shot from the fairway. A miscue that squirts off to the right and dunks apologetically into the tousled banks guarding the front of the green, between the bunkers. Where on earth did that come from?! That could possibly be the worst shot the world number one has hit in his entire career. He’s normally so deadly from that range. That’s an unforced error and a half. Viktor Hovland piles on the pressure by safely finding the centre of the green. Wow.
Whatever happens down the 18th, this will be the first time in the European era of the Ryder Cup (since 1979) that an away team has won all three opening sessions. Hovland and MacIntyre need to hold on for the win if Europe are to match their own third-session scoreline record of 3½-8½, though, a high-water mark set on Saturday morning in 1987.
Bob MacIntyre’s tee shot at 18 threatens to sail into the thick stuff down the right, but settles atop the shorter rough. Russell Henley responds by splitting the fairway. The USA not giving up hope of a half-point that would make the difference between a four-point deficit and a five-point gap.
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (17)
USA 3½-7½ Europe
… or is it?!?!?!?! Because Russell Henley can’t make the 12-footer for birdie … and then Viktor Hovland makes up for his poor tee shot, and then some! He rolls in the 12-footer from the fringe, and the half ensures Europe can’t lose this final match now! Wow. There have been some sensational shots played this morning by both teams, and that’s right up there.
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (17)
USA 3½-7½ Europe
There’s a rare old hubbub around the 17th green. A lot of hospitality having been enjoyed. Never mind the fact he’s 90 feet away, MacIntyre has a huge ridge to get up and over. Perhaps he should take a wedge, rather like Gary Woodland did on 17 at Pebble Beach en route to winning the US Open? But there’s nothing in the road, other than the hill, so putter it is. He races it 12 feet past. To be fair, that’s not the worst effort, though in the context of this match, it’s not likely to be of much use.
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Viktor Hovland up first. He sends his eight iron onto the green … for what that’s worth, because he’s carved it way right, and though it’s on the long kidney-shaped dancefloor, he’s left his partner with a 90-foot putt. Scottie Scheffler isn’t going to look this gift horse in the mouth, and fires his tee shot straight at the flag. Well, a little to the right and long, but only by 12 feet. Huge opportunity for the hosts to level things up. Imagine the change in the mood in both camps if they can turn this one around!
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (16)
USA 3½-7½ Europe
… but a fairly poor effort dies harmlessly to the left. Halved in par. We move on … and the final match of the morning is the first to reach the par-three 17th.
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (16)
USA 3½-7½ Europe
Henley hits such a good putt. It is indeed a left-to-right drifter, set off on a gentle roll. It shaves the left-hand side of the cup. So close to birdie that would have asked big questions of Bob MacIntyre. Now the man from Oban has a fairly straight uphill effort to win the hole.
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Hovland takes aim straight for the pin, worrying not a jot about the bunker guarding the front of the green. He lands his ball near the cup, but it spins back to 17 feet, leaving an uphill putt. The one Henley will have is a bit more of a left-to-right slider. It’s advantage Europe, but not by any great measure.
The rough down the left of 16 isn’t thick … but Scottie Scheffler’s ball is sitting down. So he does a pretty fine job of whipping his wedge into the front of the green. Pin high, nearly, but 25 feet away. Viktor Hovland will be coming in from the middle of the fairway.
Bob MacIntyre, his tail up, sends Europe’s tee shot at 16 down the middle. Over to Russell Henley, who pulls his drive a little into the rough along the left, but it’s not particularly thick, so it shouldn’t prove too much a problem for Scottie Scheffler. This is beautifully poised. What the USA would give to turn this one around. Even half a point would give them a little something extra to work with this afternoon.
This anchor game is so precious to both teams now. From the fringe at the back of 15, Viktor Hovland duffs his putt, the backswing impeded by taller, thicker grass. That leaves plenty of work for Bob Mac to do … but he rolls in a very missable downhill ten-footer for the par. Now Russell Henley, from seven feet, simply has to make it. And he does! This one’s going to the wire, one senses. It’s been a heck of a scrap.
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (15)
USA 3½-7½ Europe
USA 3½-7½ Europe
Patrick Cantlay is just off the front of the green. He doesn’t hit a particularly good putt. His ball trundles a good four feet to the right of the cup, and even clips the European marker. It’ll still be Europe, and Xander Schauffele will give Tyrrell Hatton a read. He makes the putt, then takes off his cap, ready to shake hands on the match. Hatton makes no mistake, and that’s another point for Europe, who now can’t lose the session.
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 3&2 (F)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (14)
USA 3½-7½ Europe
Xander Schauffele’s iron into 16 spins back off the front of the green. Jon Rahm turns up the heat by wedging from 143 yards to three feet. Europe with a huge chance of chalking up their second point of the morning soon. Can the hosts dig deep and find something? Over to Patrick Cantlay, who has a good line in irritating Europe.
Jon Rahm has a big chance to put Europe dormie three in the third match. But he underhits a fairly straight uphill 15-footer on 15. Once again, Europe leave the door ajar for the hosts, although that’s not half as careless as the McIlroy-Fleetwood three-putt on 14 back there. Still, all the eventualities are still possible.
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (15)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (14)
USA 3½-6½ Europe
“GET IN THE BUNKER!!!” Not sure how clever some of this abuse is. Because the golfing gods don’t seem to like it very much. We’ve already seen Rory respond to some over-excited yelling by closing out his match in style; now Bob MacIntyre sends his tee shot at the par-three 14th to four feet. That leads to birdie, and the reclamation of a lead briefly lost when Scottie Scheffler wedged close at 13. It’s fair to say this is hotting up.
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (14)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (14)
USA 3½-6½ Europe
Still, what a response to that trenchant back-and-forth between Rory McIlroy and the gallery! Fuelled by righteous anger, Rory hit one of the shots of the week so far. He speaks to US television: “You gotta focus on the task in hand … in the team format you can stick together with your partner and it makes things easier … it’s an absolute pleasure to play with Tommy.”
USA 3½-6½ Europe
… but Collin Morikawa can’t make his birdie putt. Tommy Fleetwood tidies up for the birdie and a European point. The players are friendly with each other, at least, congratulating each other on a fine fight. Fleetwood lets his shoulders droop in a mock collapse as he smiles wryly at McIlroy, who is grinning now. They did their best to let that one slip, though. Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood beat Harris English and Collin Morikawa 3&2.
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 3&2 (F)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (14)
Henley/Scheffler A/S MacIntyre/Hovland (13)
USA 3½-6½ Europe
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Whether that outburst proves a wise move by Rory only time will tell. How much of that is the gallery getting under his skin, or his professional irritation at the mistake on 14 that sparked this unlikely comeback, is up for debate. A healthy mix of both, I’d guess. Anyway, it’s all bubbled to the surface, and no doubt that’ll have a knock-on effect one way or the other for the rest of the week.
Rory effs and jeffs at the gallery
“Guys, shut the fuck up!” Rory’s irritation betrays him in unequivocal fashion, after one doofus screams “FREEDOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!” in an elongated fashion as he stands over his shot. And there’s a good case to be made for not poking the bear because – Harris English having sent his approach from 152 yards to eight feet – McIlroy arrows his from 149 yards to three feet. Another big exchange of putts coming up.
Tyrrell Hatton rattles in a ten-footer for par on 14. He had to do that, because Patrick Cantlay was waiting to win the hole from three feet. Cantlay tidies up for the half, but that’s a boost for Europe, who are just about holding firm in the face of this American fightback …. but only just. And it might not take much more fighting back for Europe to buckle. The momentum is with the hosts right now … and don’t the crowd know it!
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 2UP (15)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (14)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (12)
… and suddenly Rory McIlroy’s preposterous rush of blood on the 14th green comes back to haunt Europe. Because he can’t make his 20-foot birdie putt on 15 … but Collin Morikawa is able to steer in his downhill right-to-left swinger for birdie, and all of a sudden, from four holes down, the USA are just two adrift with three holes to play. Could one of the most outrageous comebacks in Ryder Cup history be unfolding here?!
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 2UP (15)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (13)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (12)
USA 3½-5½ Europe
The lead match fizzles out, with Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Åberg zig-zagging their way up 16 to little effect. They concede the hole and the match to the USA, who thoroughly deserve their comprehensive victory. They’ve been as excellent as the European pair have been shabby. Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Young beat Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Åberg 4&2.
4&2 DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (F)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 3UP (14)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (12)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (12)
Harris English sends his tee shot at 15 towards the booze lounge down the right. Collin Morikawa takes advantage of the free drop to whistle a fairway wood into the back of the green. Rory McIlroy, having split the fairway, sets up Tommy Fleetwood to find the heart of the green. Putting competition coming up.
Bob Mac rolls it in! Then blows a few kisses in the direction of his fans, observers and critics in the gallery. That’s a huge half in the context of Scottie’s out-of-this-world approach.
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (15)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 3UP (14)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (12)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (12)
Scottie Scheffler has finally turned up to the party! Having just made that birdie putt on 11, he sends the USA’s second at 12 from 214 yards to 20 inches. That’ll be conceded. Viktor Hovland has to respond, and does so, whipping Europe’s approach to six feet. But this is a big putt coming up for Bob MacIntyre, and for Europe, who face shipping a two-hole lead in short order.
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Ludvig Åberg has a downhill 15-footer for the win on 15. But his putt, tickled well enough to look like going in for a while, lips out on the right. Nice try, but the USA are now dormie three in the lead match.
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (15)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 3UP (14)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (12)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (11)
Not for the first time today, Bob MacIntyre sends an iron carelessly through the back of a green, this time at 11. Viktor Hovland can’t hold the green coming back, either, and though MacIntyre nearly holes the chip from the front of the green, that’s bogey out of nowhere. Scottie Scheffler has two putts to win the hole, but needs only one, rolling in from 12 feet for birdie. Meanwhile up on 14, Rory McIlroy has a putt to close out match two … but races it five feet past, and Tommy Fleetwood misses the one coming back! A hole gift-wrapped to the USA, and McIlroy will be fuming with his amateur-hour error.
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (14)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 3UP (14)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (12)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (11)
Jon Rahm fires a forensic iron from 167 yards to four feet on 12, setting up a birdie chance. “You missed one of those a few holes ago!” a wag in the crowds reminds Tyrrell Hatton. But it’s not happening twice. Hatton carefully pokes it into the centre of the cup, and having been hanging on to their slender lead for so long, he and Rahm elegantly double it.
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (14)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (13)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (12)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 2UP (10)
Scottie Scheffler busts the USA out of jail on 10. He rolls in a 15-footer for par to salvage a half. But he’s otherwise not firing with Russell Henley. Meanwhile up on 13, Bryson DeChambeau spurns the chance to put his team dormie four, his eight-footer for birdie horseshoeing out. And Europe are 4UP with five to play after halving 13, despite Tommy Fleetwood having put his partner in the trees, he and Rory McIlroy finding themselves out of position from that point on. A clever chip back out, then a long lagged putt, and par is enough for the half.
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (14)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (13)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (11)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 2UP (10)
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Cameron Young has been Team USA’s star turn so far this week, and he continues to shine under his home-state sun. He swishes his tee shot at the 165-yard par-three 14th to eight feet. Matt Fitzpatrick’s response only just squeaks over the bunker to the right of the green, and though Ludvig Åberg will have a putt, Europe could find themselves on the wrong end of dormie very soon.
Xander Schauffele still has the opportunity to win the 11th with a birdie putt from ten feet. But he races it three feet past. That allows Tyrrell Hatton to make his par putt and turn the pressure back on the USA. Patrick Cantlay isn’t missing the short par saver, and the pair move on. Hatton and Rahm are clinging onto their one-hole lead by their very fingernails.
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (13)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (12)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (11)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 2UP (9)
Tyrrell Hatton’s game continues to unravel. Now he blades a bunker shot through the green on 11. To repeat: this is surely unsustainable. But once again Jon Rahm digs deep into his bag of tricks, flipping out from deep grass behind the green to four feet. They might not be done here yet. Meanwhile in the lead game, the par-five 13th is halved in pars, both teams having visited the trees and clanked chips through and over the back of the green.
… and while that pantomime was in season, Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood took turns to make their short birdie putts on 12. Despite Team USA’s magical efforts, this match looks more and more like a shoo-in for Europe. Holes running out for the hosts.
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (12)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (12)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (10)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 2UP (9)
Bob MacIntyre’s wedge into 9 is poor. Over the back. Viktor Hovland does well to chip back to five feet, and when Scottie Scheffler fails to make his mid-range birdie putt, MacIntyre has the opportunity to make good his error. Of all the Europeans, he’s copped the most abuse this week, and gets some more as he lines up his putt. So when it drops, he’s within his rights to clench his fist in celebration and swivel round, waving it at the folk who had been giving it the big one. You can bet your bottom dollar everyone involved, player and crowd, enjoyed that little back and forth.
The quality of the golf in the second match right now is off the charts. We’ve just seen Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood trade darts at 11. Now Harris English and Rory McIlroy do it at 12: English from 192 yards to six feet, Rory from 178 yards to three. It’s absolutely absurd. The USA are playing some stunning golf, yet finding it almost impossible to make serious in-roads.
Patrick Cantlay is so unlucky with an uphill right-to-left swinger from 15 feet on 10. It looks like dropping all the way, but somehow stays out stubbornly on the right lip. That’s an escape for Europe, for whom Jon Rahm had flown the green with his approach. Tyrrell Hatton chipped out of tangled greenside rough to a couple of feet, and it’s a half.
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (12)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (11)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (10)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 2UP (8)
Harris English takes his time over the four-and-a-half-foot birdie putt. He makes it. That was non-negotiable. See also: Matt Fitzpatrick from 15 feet on 12. In it goes! Cameron Young tidies up for the USA’s birdie, and those are a couple of halves that will please Europe more than the hosts, given how the holes developed.
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (12)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (11)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (9)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 2UP (8)
… but in the meantime, on the par-three 8th, both teams ore on the fringe. Viktor Hovland walks in an 18-footer for birdie, piling the pressure on Scottie Scheffler, whose flat stick has been cold for most of the week so far. He can’t make his putt of similar distance, and Europe are 2UP again in the anchor match.
Ludvig Åberg knocks his approach at 12 pin high. But it leaves a 15-footer … and Bryson DeChambeau sends his short iron to five feet. Meanwhile on 11, Collin Morikawa wedges from 123 yards to five feet … only for Tommy Fleetwood to clatter the flagstick from 102 yards, the ball nearly dunking in for eagle. That’s a pick-up birdie for Europe, and suddenly Harris English’s putt will look a lot longer. These top two matches could be over sooner rather than later.
… but Hatton has lost his rhythm, and this might not be sustainable. He flays his tee shot at 10 into thick oomska down the left. Patrick Cantlay splits the fairway and once again it’s advantage USA.
Tyrrell Hatton becomes the latest European to make a weird unforced error from the centre of the fairway. He sends his approach at 9 left and long. Jon Rahm chips gracefully again, this time to six feet, and that’s enough for par … though Xander Schauffele has the chance to snatch the hole from 12 feet. He leaves it short. “That was weak, man, that was gross,” sighs Hunter Mahan on Sky Sports. Mahan already showcasing a willingness to tell it as he sees it. (He’s already told Wayne Riley to “watch your mouth” after the summariser talked down the chances of a Scottie Scheffler putt that subsequently went in. Very funny. Wayne’s a big boy, he can take it.)
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (11)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (10)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (9)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (7)
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An uphill ten-footer for Ludvig Åberg to nick a hole back in the top match at 11. He doesn’t quite give it enough pace, and it dies off to the right. A chance to make good his error of the previous hole gone. It’s been a sore 15 minutes for the Swede. Meanwhile on 10, Rory McIlroy makes an unforced error from the centre of the 10th fairway, yanking his approach into the gallery on the left of the green. But Tommy Fleetwood wedges wonderfully to six feet, and McIlroy makes the putt for a par that keeps Europe well ahead in match two.
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (11)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (10)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (8)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (7)
Rahm's outrageous chip-in
This could be the shot of the tournament, folks. Close the book now. On the par-three 8th, Patrick Cantlay pulls his tee shot left of the green. Tyrrell Hatton responds by pulling his tee shot even further left, on the edge of a trap. No stance. Jon Rahm is left with an almost impossible shot, standing knee-deep in the bunker, hands down the shaft. Anywhere on the green will be a decent outcome … especially with the flag on the same side, not much room to play with. No matter! Rahm swishes with delicate rhythm, gently lobbing his ball and landing it on the fringe, from where it runs out, left to right, slowly but surely into the cup! Xander Schauffele nearly follows him in from the edge of the green, but that would have spoiled the delicious beauty and perfection of Rahm’s shot. What a steal! You’ll be seeing that once or twice.
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (10)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (9)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (8)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (6)
Updated
Ludvig Åberg underhits his par putt from the fringe, and the USA take a proper grip of the lead match. That hole was gift-wrapped by the young Swede, who walks off in a hot funk. Meanwhile birdie for Henley-Scheffler back on 6, and the arrears are halved in the anchor match.
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (10)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (9)
Schauffele/Cantlay A/S Rahm/Hatton (7)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (6)
Cameron Young sends his tee shot at 10 into a bunker down the right of the fairway. Bryson DeChambeau then dumps his second into the rough well before the green. Serious advantage Europe … but then Ludvig Åberg, from the centre of the fairway, whistles his approach into the bank just above a bunker guarding the front of the green! What a huge unforced error. Young chips top six feet, then Fitzpatrick, forced to stand in the bunker and grip down the shaft, can only hack out through the green and onto the fringe. This hole has been a total fiasco for Europe, and they’re about to hand it over.
Jon Rahm sends a dismal chip onto 7. A good 12 feet short. Xander Schauffele then catches his bunker shot too cleanly, the ball flying 16 feet past the flag. But Patrick Cantlay makes the putt coming back, while Tyrrell Hatton doesn’t make the shorter one up the green. That’s a huge win for Team USA, who out of nowhere, and without having to do too much, level up in the third game!
2UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (9)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (8)
Schauffele/Cantlay A/S Rahm/Hatton (7)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 2UP (5)
Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley are out of sorts as well. The latter dunks his approach at 5 into greenside sand. Scheffler, plugged, can only bash out into the middle of the green, 17 feet from the pin. Europe meanwhile make a fuss-free birdie, and suddenly the momentum is tipping back towards the visitors.
2UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (9)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (8)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (6)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 2UP (5)
Collin Morikawa isn’t on his game at all. The two-time major winner nearly dumps his tee shot at the par-three 8th into the water. The ball hangs onto the bank, and Harris English clips up to eight feet. After Rory McIlroy nearly drains a 25-footer for birdie, Morikawa has the opportunity to get out of Dodge with a half, but his par saver is never going to drop. An awful effort, and the USA are in serious bother in this second game now.
2UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (9)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (8)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (6)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (4)
Matt Fitzpatrick and Cameron Young take turns to throw darts at the flag on 9. Bryson DeChambeau is left with a 16-foot left-to-right for birdie … and in it goes. Air-punch! Trailing foot in the air, Payne Stewart style! That hands the pressure over to Ludvig Åberg, who makes no mistake. This is an outrageously good game.
2UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (9)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 3UP (7)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (6)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (4)
Tyrrell Hartton missed a four-footer on 5. Now he makes a trickier one from similar distance – downhill, and seconds after Patrick Cantlay threw the gauntlet down with a ten-footer – and Europe escape with a half. There’s some magnificent golf being played by both teams this morning, with no quarter given. Everyone having to earn everything.
2UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (8)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 3UP (7)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (6)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (4)
Both teams slightly out of position on 7. Tommy Fleetwood ends up with a 20-footer for par … and he walks it in. It’s a classic matchplay blow, because Collin Morikawa, having been left ten feet away from the hole by Harris English’s sand-heavy bunker shot, misses the shorter par attempt. What was a possible 1DOWN from the American perspective is now 3DOWN.
2UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (8)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 3UP (7)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (5)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (4)
Updated
Europe look to be in the box seat on 4. Scottie Scheffler has a 17-footer for birdie; Viktor Hovland will try from six. Scheffler rattles in his putt, and the crowd go wild. “No pressure, Viktor!” yells a wag in the gallery. Reader, he means the exact opposite. But Viktor holds his nerve and tidies up to share the spoils in birdie. This is great fun.
2UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (8)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 2UP (6)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (5)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (4)
Ludvig Åberg’s birdie putt takes a little bobble as it leaves the face of his putter. The ball kinks out on the right, and he picks up both ball and Bryson DeChambeau’s marker. In the blink of an eye, Team USA have taken control of this morning’s lead match!
2UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (8)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 2UP (6)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (5)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (3)
At the par-three 8th, Cameron Young sends a fantastic tee shot to two-and-a-half feet. Matt Fitzpatrick responds by landing his effort seven feet away. What a back and forth! Meanwhile back on 5, Tyrrell Hatton misses a downhill four-footer to gift a hole back to Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
1UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (7)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 2UP (6)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (5)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (3)
Matt Fitzpatrick can’t get Europe out of trouble on 7. His nine-foot par attempt doesn’t drop, one dimple short, and Cameron Young tidies up for the par that gives the USA the lead in the opening match. That’s only Europe’s third foursomes bogey of the week so far … and that number remains the same, as Fleetwood splashes to six feet and McIlroy makes good his mistake to make the par putt and salvage the half.
1UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (7)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 2UP (6)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (4)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (3)
Updated
… and up on 7, Bryson DeChambeau nearly holes a chip, his ball rolling four feet past. Ludvig Åberg then leaves a weak chip nine feet short, and suddenly a little momentum shifts America’s way across Bethpage. Two big opportunities coming up for Team USA at 6 and 7.
Harris English lands his iron into 6 right next to the pin … but the ball spins back hysterically, miles from the flag. No matter, though, because Rory McIlroy makes an egregious error from the centre of the fairway, slapping his ball into the grassy bank guarding the front. It pings back into the trap, where Tommy Fleetwood will find himself shortsided. The door was wide open for Europe to go three holes up there, but it’s just slammed back in their startled faces.
Sky Sports commentator Ewen Murray points out that the USA aren’t even playing badly. They’re six under for their balls this morning. But they’re collectively 5DOWN. The small margins in matchplay golf.
DeChambeau/Young A/S Fitzpatrick/Åberg (6)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 2UP (5)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (4)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (3)
Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood clip decent but not spectacular irons into 5. English doesn’t quite hit his 30-footer; Harris looks on grimly as his ball teeters on the edge. Rory McIlroy steers in his 25-foot left-to-right slider, though. (An east-coast supermarket reference back there, the eagle-eyed will have spotted. The internet generation can’t get enough of them.)
DeChambeau/Young A/S Fitzpatrick/Åberg (6)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 2UP (5)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (4)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (2)
Matt Fitzpatrick’s 13-foot birdie putt on 6 shaves the left-hand side of the hole. Not sure how that didn’t move in. Fitzpatrick looks confused. Two putts from distance for Cameron Young and Bryson DeChambeau, and the lead match moves on still tied. But back on 2, Bob MacIntyre curls in a right-to-left 20-foot swinger to put some more blue on the board! That putt only just grabbed the left-hand side of the cup before dropping, and was rolling downhill fast as well. The small margins between success and possible disaster.
DeChambeau/Young A/S Fitzpatrick/Åberg (6)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 1UP (4)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (3)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (2)
Cameron Young’s drive at 6 finds thick stuff down the right. Even with Bryson’s power, it’s a job to gouge out with any accuracy, and he does well to find the green. But Team USA are a good way outside the approach of Ludvig Åberg, who comes in from the fairway. A half-chance for Europe here.
… so Tyrrell Hatton rolls in the left-to-right 17-foot slider for birdie! Suddenly Patrick Cantlay’s putt looks twice as long. He does extremely well to tidy up and staunch the bleeding, but the USA, after Schauffele’s wonderful tee shot, must be wondering where their next hole is coming from.
DeChambeau/Young A/S Fitzpatrick/Åberg (5)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 1UP (4)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (3)
Henley/Scheffler A/S MacIntyre/Hovland (1)
Xander Schauffele, off the back of gifting Europe a hole with that short putt on 2, makes good by sending a gentle high draw into the par-three 3rd. His ball lands softly, five feet away. Jon Rahm’s effort is very decent, over the flag, 17 feet away, but this is advantage USA.
Hovland tidies up on 1 for Europe’s birdie. He wonders about conceding Scheffler’s shorter putt, but doesn’t. The world number one, under the gaze of His Airness, tidies up. Tied. Everyone moves on.
DeChambeau/Young A/S Fitzpatrick/Åberg (5)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 1UP (3)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (2)
Henley/Scheffler A/S MacIntyre/Hovland (1)
Russell Henley is this close to back-spinning his approach at 1 into the cup. He’s maybe three feet away. Bob MacIntyre follows up with a wedge that lands much further back, but utilises the camber of the green to bring it back to five feet. Putting contest coming up. Meanwhile on 2, Xander Schauffele’s short putt lips out on the left, and it’s a gift to Europe, who have started fast in match three.
DeChambeau/Young A/S Fitzpatrick/Åberg (4)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 1UP (3)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (2)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland
It gets even better for Europe, as Rory McIlroy’s tee shot at the par-three 3rd lands pin high, seven feet to the right of the cup. In goes Tommy Fleetwood’s birdie putt, and all that early American momentum already up in smoke. Meanwhile the last of the morning foursomes gets under way, with Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler safely finding the fairway near the dogleg at 1.
DeChambeau/Young A/S Fitzpatrick/Åberg (4)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 1UP (3)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (1)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland
Bryson’s second into the short par-five 4th finds a bunker at the front of the green. Åberg’s fairway wood drifts wide right of it, but Fitzpatrick has plenty of uphill green to work with, and nearly chips in for eagle. Åberg picks up for Europe’s birdie. The USA can’t make one, though, Young’s splash out from sand going ten feet past, Bryson failing to make the putt coming back. A few minutes ago, the USA were leading in the first two matches. Now there’s no red on the board, while the only splash of colour on it is European blue.
DeChambeau/Young A/S Fitzpatrick/Åberg (4)
English/Morikawa A/S McIlroy/Fleetwood (2)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (1)
Like Bryson and Åberg before them, English and McIlroy both spin their approaches at 2 back onto the fringe at the front. Morikawa nearly chips in; Fleetwood strokes home his long putt! A conservative fist-bump to celebrate the win. No point getting too carried away on the 2nd green. But that’s good news for Europe … and there’s more on 1, where Schauffele fails to make the 20-footer that remained for birdie. He didn’t give it enough juice.
1UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (3)
English/Morikawa A/S McIlroy/Fleetwood (2)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (1)
Updated
Schauffele’s drive at 1 has ended up in the middle of the bunch of trees to the right of the dogleg. Cantlay is forced to whip over the top of them. He does exceptionally well to land his ball in the middle of the green. Schauffele will have a look at birdie from 20 feet or so. Hatton has a much better angle of attack, and from 66 yards lands ten feet in front of the pin. His ball takes a couple of hops forward and stops a couple of inches away. That’ll be conceded. Big putt coming up for Schauffele now.
The third match takes to the 1st tee. Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton. Yay, yay, boo, boo, you know who cops for what. Rahm takes Europe’s first shot, and like Åberg earlier, sends it towards the trees down the right. Schauffele follows him there. Not an ideal start for either pairing.
1UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (3)
1UP English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood (1)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton
There’s no stopping that man Cameron Young, who is already staking his claim to be the player of the tournament, he’s been that good. He chips in from the fringe to the side of the par-three 3rd, and the USA have another splash of red on the board. “Not a surprise to see Michael Jordan there,” begins Phil Crockford. “He is a very keen golfer, and once got banned from a golf course because he was wearing the wrong type of shorts. Obviously, he then bought a golf course a few miles up the road.”
1UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (3)
1UP English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood (1)
McIlroy nearly holes that next shot! He’s not got much green to work with, but pops his chip onto the fringe, then rolls it out, straight towards the flag. Or straight until it’s last couple of turns, anyway, when it drifts a couple of millimetres to the left, enough for it to horseshoe out. So close to a gallery-busting birdie! And the pain doubles for Rory as English steers in his gentle left-to-right slider for birdie. The first splash of colour on today’s board is US red!
DeChambeau/Young A/S Fitzpatrick/Åberg (2)
1UP English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood (1)
Fleetwood’s second into 1 isn’t all that, missing the green to the right. The door’s open for Morikawa, who from 86 yards wedges over the flag … but doesn’t get too much backspin. He’s left English with a 15-footer for birdie, while McIlroy faces an awkward chip. Still advantage USA, but Morikawa’s missed the opportunity to put serious pressure on McIlroy’s next shot.
… but Young trundles his chip eight feet past. Fitzpatrick, with his trademark cross-handed chipping grip, wedges to tap-in distance. So close to a chip-in. But then Bryson, like Åberg on the 1st, rescues the situation by rolling in his putt. Tied after 2, and this is already shaping up to be quite the battle.
DeChambeau/Young A/S Fitzpatrick/Åberg (2)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood
Matt Fitzpatrick and Cameron Young send their drives at 2 down the middle. Ludvig Åberg finds the green with his approach but the ball spins back into the fringe. Bryson should learn something about how receptive the greens are, but doesn’t, spinning America’s second back into the thicker stuff behind the fringe. Slight advantage to Europe here, with the not inconsiderable caveat of the hot-in-form Young taking Team USA’s next shot.
Back on the 1st tee, Rory McIlroy is roundly abused in the pantomime style. He throws back a couple of theatrical kisses to the gallery. A cheeky smile. All good knockabout fun. Everyone enjoying it. He takes the first shot of match two … but with the adrenalin pumping, lashes his drive into the gallery down the left! We’ve not seen anyone over there yet. McIlroy and his partner Tommy Fleetwood were excellent yesterday; their opponents here, Harris English and Collin Morikawa, not so much. But English starts well by finding the semi-rough down the right of the fairway. Advantage USA.
Updated
Bryson puts down his marker anyway. It’s clearly going to be conceded, but he’s not going to shoot Europe a glance begging for it. Looking needy? Nope! No sir. No quarter given. But when Fitzpatrick arrives on the scene, he tells DeChambeau to pick up his coin. Then Åberg rolls in the birdie putt, a glorious response to DeChambeau and Young’s perfect start, and gives the air a little rabbit punch himself. This is on! This’ll do just nicely! Seventeen more holes of this, please!
DeChambeau/Young A/S Fitzpatrick/Åberg (1)
Updated
Cameron Young was in stellar form yesterday, and he immediately keeps on keepin’ on. From the centre of the fairway, he lands his wedge 15 feet past the flag, then screws it back to tap-in distance! Sensational! In the stand, the living legend Michael Jordan, game recognising game, punches the air in delight. That’ll be a gimme birdie. Matt Fitzpatrick, from a tight angle in the rough to the right, wedges to ten feet. Under normal circumstances, we'd be praising that shot to the hilt. After what Young’s just done, that’s not going to happen. Åberg at least with a chance for birdie, though.
Luke Donald’s turn, and he’s asked about the positives he took from yesterday’s performance. “The resiliency of the guys … how they handled the moment … got off to a great start … finished strong … it gets loud when you cross the road but they handled it great … we celebrated yesterday because it was a great day for us but we know there’s a lot more work ahead … keep going … momentum … get some blue on the board early … we have a plan, depending on how this morning goes, either way … I’m very confident that whatever happens, we’ll be ready.”
Keegan Bradley dispenses some folksy charm on US television. “We’re ready for a fight … seems like New York has woken up a little bit here … crowd’s goin’ … I’m excited … I gotta good feeling about today … we’re currently in the firing-up zone right now, we’ll worry about pulling back later today … I just want [Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler] to be them, to go out there and be the best players they can be … be the leaders of this team and go out and get some points for us today!”
They’re at it again: “De! Cham!! BEAU!!! / De! Cham!! BEAU!!! / De! Cham!! BEAU!!!” Bryson lost both of his matches yesterday, but he brought the noise regardless, and today’s partner Cameron Young was nigh-on perfect on his Ryder Cup debut in the afternoon, the main reason Ludvig Åberg and Rasmus Højgaard were shredded 6&5. (To be fair, Young’s partner Justin Thomas admitted as much, telling a post-match interviewer that he enjoyed the best seat in the house for the show Young put on.) So this is going to be quite a test for Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick … and the former carves Europe’s opening tee shot towards the trees near the left-to-right dogleg. Not ideal. Bryson takes America’s first strike of the day, and larrups a beauty over the corner, landing his ball 40 yards shy of the green. Perfection. “De! Cham!! BEAU!!! / De! Cham!! BEAU!!! / De! Cham!! BEAU!!!” They’re at it again. Again!
The American fans have got themselves a new chant. Derived from the classic “U! S!! A!!! / U! S!! A!!! / U! S!! A!!!”, it goes “De! Cham!! BEAU!!! / De! Cham!! BEAU!!! / De! Cham!! BEAU!!!” before segueing back into a round of “U! S!! A!!! / U! S!! A!!! / U! S!! A!!!” This instant baroque classic is what greets the man himself, plus Team USA’s new hero, Cameron Young, as they take to the stage on the 1st tee. Wow. The partial will demur, but what a beautiful noise. Some atmosphere at Bethpage right here!
Updated
A reminder of the scores on the door after day one. This is what happened in the Friday morning foursomes …
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 4&3
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 5&3
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 5&4
2UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland
… and here’s how things shook down in the afternoon fourballs …
Scheffler/Spaun v Rahm/Straka 3&2
Griffin/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 1UP
6&5 Young/Thomas v Åberg/Højgaard
Burns/Cantlay A/S McIlroy/Lowry
… which leaves us with the current scoreline of USA 2½-5½ Europe.
Updated
Preamble
Europe go into the second day of the 2025 Ryder Cup leading 5½-2½. That’s a damn fine position to be in. But it’s not quite as good as the 6½-1½ first-day advantage they established on US soil in 2004, or the 6-2 first-day leads they built Stateside in 1987 and 1999. And while Europe went on to win the first two of the three events we’ve just referenced, the third on that list was Brookline, so, well, y’know. Put it this way: no European golf fan worth their salt who lived through that will be counting their chickens just yet. So with much still to play for, these Saturday morning foursomes should be a whole world of fun (all times BST). It’s on!
12.10pm: Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Young v Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Aberg
12.26pm: Harris English and Collin Morikawa v Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood
12.42pm: Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay v Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton
12.58pm: Russell Henley and Scottie Scheffler v Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland
