Rory McIlroy described day one at the 2025 Ryder Cup as "a great day for Europe" after opening up a three-point lead over USA at Bethpage.
Europe made a stunning start in New York to quiet the rowdy home fans, with the defending champions winning the morning foursome session 3-1 before another commanding display in the afternoon in the four-balls to build a 5½-2½ lead.
McIlroy, and partner Shane Lowry, had to settle for a tied game with Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay, and was visibly disappointed at missing a cruical putt to win the match on the 18th.
But insisted: "A tie is a great result, and what a great day for Europe."
It was a tense ending to their match-ups for McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, who insists the only thing that matters at the end of the day is getting points on the board.
Fleetwood said: "The scoreboard is what counts, and I think just our team as a collective, I think we obviously feel very prepared, and we've been looking forward to this day for a long time now. So to have got off to a good start feels great.
"Their team is stacked with amazing players. So whoever it is, the match going to be difficult, and the points mean so much."
DeChambeau, who lost to Fleetwood and Justin Rose, did not agree, though, insisting that Europe had "luck on their side".
"I played good golf, just not good enough, and they made everything," he told reporters. "Luck is on their side right now.
"Hit my irons better and roll in a couple more putts. I felt like I was clutch when I needed to be, but the putt on 16, putt on 14, there were so many putts that just didn't go in for us that went in for them."
