Luke Donald: \u201cAn incredible day. To win this morning was huge for us. We all know how important it is to get off to a good start and we knew how strong the US were in foursomes.<\/p>\n
\u201c3-1 was a great start. To win those top two [matches] gave us such good momentum and inspiration for our boys. The guys grinded to win the session again this afternoon. That\u2019s another tick in our box and I\u2019m very happy where we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lowry misses, Burns misses, McIlroy misses. The match is halved. Europe led two up with seven holes to play but consecutive birdies from Cantlay got it back to all square and the match stayed that way until the end. It required some wonderful putting and shots from tee to green from McIlroy as Cantlay and Burns came at him with all they had, but the Northern Irishman showed exactly why he won the career grand-slam this year and he came so close to winning a full point alongside Lowry. Europe lead 5\u00bd-2\u00bd after a wonderful opening day of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. <\/p>\n
Cantlay is in the bunker, Lowry has 21ft, Burns and McIlroy both have about 12ft.<\/p>\n
All in the approach shots…<\/p>\n
Lowry and Burns just miss the fairway. McIlroy and Cantlay bomb it straight down the middle. This is like Rome all over again.<\/p>\n
Burns and McIlroy exchange birdies<\/p>\n
What nerve from McIlroy. Burns is far closer to the hole but the Northern Irishman pours in a brilliant birdie putt to keep it all square and the final match goes down the 18th hole. This has been a phenomenal contest.<\/p>\n
It truly is extraordinary how a player of Cantlay\u2019s ability can perform so poorly in majors yet be so brilliant in the Ryder Cup. The American failed to make the cut in three of the four majors this year but makes a stunning birdie putt at the 16th to pile the pressure on McIlroy and Lowry. McIlroy answers with a birdie of his own \u2014 of course he does. Burns then plays a beautiful approach into the par-three 17th. He has 7ft, McIlroy has 13ft.<\/p>\n
The match hung in the balance for so long after the unusual sight of Donald Trump fist-pumping DeChambeau and Griffin on the 1st tee, but a brilliant late surge of energy from Fleetwood \u2014 and then a show of resilience on the 18th \u2014 gives Europe a 5-2 lead. DeChambeau\u2019s clutch birdie at the 17th took the match down the last but the big-hitting American was off his game this afternoon and Fleetwood capitalised with those late birdies. All eyes turn to Cantlay and McIlroy.<\/p>\n
![\"Tommy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/46fcfc5e-998b-4f8d-9382-4c8b093d948b.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Fleetwood celebrates his birdie putt at the 16th, which gave he and Rose a two-up lead<\/p>\n
PA<\/p>\n
Fleetwood and Rose scent victory<\/p>\n
Brilliant from Fleetwood and Rose. They have 5ft and 9ft respectively for birdie. You\u2019d imagine they\u2019ve wrapped this up. They need one of those to take it to 5-2.<\/p>\n
Two matches in the blance<\/p>\n
Brilliant from DeChambeau, who follows up an exquisite approach into the par-three 17th with a clutch birdie putt. He cuts the European lead from two to one with only the 18th to play. Can the Americans salvage a half? Rose, Fleetwood and Griffin all hit good tee shots with DeChambeau marginally off line. This is seriously tense stuff.<\/p>\n
Behind them, where it is all square, Lowry finally repays McIlroy\u2019s brilliance with a wonderful iron shot of his own, leaving 9ft for birdie at the 16th. McIlroy follows suit. He has 10ft.<\/p>\n
Fleetwood was a little off in the first half of this round having been so brilliant alongside McIlroy this morning, but the Englishman has rediscovered his groove with both the irons and putter and Europe now have breathing space in match two. The FedEx Cup champion has a big swinging putt for birdie at the 15th but judges the break perfectly, DeChambeau misses his attempt for a half, and Europe are two up with two to play. <\/p>\n
Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n Some astonishing statistics here that summarise just how much Scheffler struggles in the Ryder Cup. He is now winless in his past six matches and the first world No1 to lose both Friday Ryder Cup matches since Tiger Woods in 2002. And this courtesy of Jamie Kennedy\u2026<\/p>\n \u2022 Since September 2021, Scheffler has won 22 per cent of Tour events he\u2019s played (19 of 116) How many sessions will the world No1 play in tomorrow?<\/p>\n In the defence of Scheffler and Spaun, they have done their best to get back into this first match, with both players finding some consistency with their irons and holing lengthy putts, but the European pair have been relentless. The latest example comes as Donald\u2019s side secure their fourth point: Spaun and Scheffler play beautiful approaches into the 16th but Straka gets his to draw then spin inside both of their balls and he holes the putt. He and Rahm secure a 3&2 win and Europe lead 4-2. Astonishingly, Rahm has not lost a pairs Ryder Cup match since 2018.<\/p>\n Straka celebrates his long birdie putt at the par-three 14th<\/p>\n GETTY<\/p>\n Immediately after USA drag it back to 3-2, Scheffler finally makes a putt, canning for birdie from 23ft to send the American fans wild at the 15th. Well, their delight doesn\u2019t last long because Rahm then holes from 20ft to stay at three up with three to play. Dormie. The Spaniard has been incredible on the greens today.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n Behind them, Fleetwood birdies the par-three 14th, meaning that Europe will lead 6-2 at the end of day one if it stays this way.<\/p>\n This afternoon\u2019s four-balls have been largely nip and tuck, but that is absolutely not the case in match three, where the Scandinavian duo of Aberg and Hojgaard have been demolished 6&5 by Thomas and the outstanding Young. The Europeans did not hole enough putts but Young was phenomenal in his first Ryder Cup round and it feels fitting that the match should be won by him making a birdie after a 293-yard approach to only 15ft at the par-five 13th. It is the second largest US victory in a four-ball match and it would be extraordinary if we do not see Young in the foursomes tomorrow morning.<\/p>\n McIlroy and Lowry\u2019s lead cut<\/p>\n Young and Thomas have all but wrapped up a battering of the Scandinavian duo Aberg and Hojgaard, so eyes are now on the second and fourth matches in particular. Fleetwood and Rose remain all square after a birdie at the 13th but Burns and Cantlay have now got themselves back to one down with six to play. This first day could end with any number of scorelines.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Graeme McDowell has provided an insight of what it\u2019s like to play with McIlroy in the Ryder Cup\u2026<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n Just when you think the Americans are fighting back, Europe drop yet another dagger. This time it\u2019s Straka at the par-three 14th. A delightful Spaun approach sets up a 9ft birdie putt \u2013 and seemingly the chance to get back to two down with Rahm in the rough and Straka some 31ft away. The Austrian has other ideas. He rolls in the putt and unleashes the most passionate of fist-pumps. He and Rahm remain three up and have just five holes to play.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n McIlroy has largely been on his own as the dominant force in the final match but Lowry now comes to the party and just when Europe needed him too. A Cantlay birdie from 14ft had got USA back to one down at the 10th but the Irishman fizzes a beautiful iron shot way long of the flag at the 11th, which rips back and nestles up close to the flag. He taps in from 3ft and Europe are two up again.<\/p>\n Lowry celebrates getting back to two up<\/p>\n SHUTTERSTOCK EDITORIAL<\/p>\n Up ahead, Young and Thomas are now four up and could get to five after the former plays yet another delightful approach. He has been outstanding in his first Ryder Cup round.<\/p>\n European big guns firing amid grim abuse<\/p>\n Rick Broadbent, Bethpage Black<\/p>\n Donald\u2019s big guns are firing here. Some of the abuse has been grim after a subdued start to proceedings \u2014 MacIntyre, Clare Fleetwood and Fitzpatrick have all been targets \u2014 but McIlroy and Rahm have set the right tone here. After they both won their respective morning matches, they are on course to be the only two players to win twice on the opening day. Playing with Straka, Rahm has won three holes in his four-balls match against the hopelessly out-of-sorts Scheffler and Spaun. As much as Donald will be delighted with his team so far, the form of Scheffler will be another, more unexpected boost. <\/p>\n Rahm is four under in 12 holes<\/p>\n GETTY<\/p>\n Fleetwood and Rose all square<\/p>\n For all the dominance of Rahm and McIlroy, Europe are yet to win a hole this afternoon in match two or three. That is until Fleetwood holes from just off the green at the 11th to take him and Rose back to all square against Griffin and DeChambeau. There is now only one blob of red on the leaderboard.<\/p>\n Fleetwood celebrates with Donald, left, after getting back to all square<\/p>\n SHUTTERSTOCK EDITORIAL<\/p>\n You wonder whether Scheffler will be in the ear of Phil Kenyon tonight, the putting guru from Yorkshire who is employed by three players on both sides. The world No1 has found some better ball-striking from tee to green but the putts are staying up, while Rahm is making his. You can really see why Rahm is valued so highly in this European team and his seventh successful putt from between 8ft and 20ft today (he has missed only two from that far) takes him and Straka three up.<\/p>\n Europe are looking solid again, but the player who continues to be a thorn in their side is Young. He played more ice hockey and baseball before the age of 13, but after a rain-lashed trip to Scotland with his father \u2014 during which the pair played St Andrews Old and New courses, Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and Gullane \u2014 the New Yorker\u2019s focus shifted and he is now playing in his first Ryder Cup. He is an enormous hitter, with that distinctive pause at the top of his backswing, and is three up alongside Thomas after another missed putt from Aberg.<\/p>\n Young is one of the longest hitters in the tournament<\/p>\n ALAMY<\/p>\n And another from McIlroy! The Northern Irishman holes from 25ft for birdie and he and Lowry are now two up against Burns and Cantlay. It felt like momentum was swinging towards USA but that is being stifled by the Masters champion, who is doing things on his own in that final match.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n There is a Scandinavian putting problem at the moment. The third match could easily be all square but Aberg and Hojgaard have both missed multiple putts inside 15ft over the past few holes and find themselves two down. Young and Thomas are giving opportunities and they need to take them.<\/p>\n There are no such issues for McIlroy, who lets out a guttural roar after a birdie putt that puts him one up with Lowry over Burns and his Ryder Cup nemesis Cantlay. Europe are up in two, down in two.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies onceScheffler still struggling<\/p>\n Bradley is on the tee of the par-three 8th trying to motivate Scheffler and Spaun as the European fans sing \u201cshoulda picked yourself\u201d. After another terrible foursomes session for Scheffler \u2014 he is 14 down in his past 26 holes in the format in the Ryder Cup \u2014 the world No1 needs to get on a run here in the four-balls. The American will hope that a beautiful iron to 8ft is a sign of things to come, but he misses the putt, Rahm holes for birdie, and Europe are now two up.<\/p>\n The last time a world No1 lost both of his Friday Ryder Cup matches? Tiger Woods in 2002.<\/p>\n The world No1 is out of sorts<\/p>\n SHUTTERSTOCK EDITORIAL<\/p>\n Rose and Griffin trade blows<\/p>\n \u201cWhatever you can do\u2026\u201d <\/p>\n We haven\u2019t heard much from Ben Griffin, the rookie who once stepped away from golf to work as a loan officer, but he pours in the longest putt of the day from 56ft.<\/p>\n Griffin celebrates holing the longest putt of the tournament so far<\/p>\n REUTERS<\/p>\n It looks like the USA are going two up but up steps Justin Rose, who drains a dagger from 41ft for a half. It\u2019s heating up out there.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n Brilliant from Thomas, bizarre from DeChambeau. The former plays an exquisite approach into the par-four 5th then taps in for a birdie that takes him and Young two up. DeChambeau then has a short putt to do the same alongside Griffin but a tentative jab slides by the right edge of the cup. Europe need to be careful \u2014 USA are gathering momentum.<\/p>\n DeChambeau birdies and Spaun dangerous<\/p>\n Spaun looks a player who could be dangerous this week. Long a PGA Tour journeyman, he dropped out of the world\u2019s top 500 and lost his card in 2021 after his diabetes was misdiagnosed, but the Californian is now the reigning US Open champion after a stunning 64ft putt at the final hole in June. He may be one down with Scheffler against Rahm and Straka but his ball-striking looks dialled in and he is dangerous with the putter. <\/p>\n He will have also heard the roar behind him just now as DeChambeau pours in a birdie putt to take a one-up lead over Fleetwood and Rose after five holes. USA and up in two, Europe up in one \u2014 but it\u2019s tight. <\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n Lowry had an excellent start to the season but his form has tailed off as the year\u2019s gone on and Europe will be hoping that he rediscovers that beautiful ball-striking that brought him the 2019 Open. It\u2019s not quite crisp iron play yet for the Irishman but the putter gets hot at the 2nd. There is more red on the board than at any point today after his partner, McIlroy, fails to get up and down from that booming drive at the 1st, but Lowry holes a beautiful birdie putt from 21ft and the match is all square again.<\/p>\n McIlroy then hits a sumptuous iron shot at the par-three 4th to less than four feet, but he hits a poor putt for the second time in three holes and the match remains all square.<\/p>\n An update from a friend \u2014 and European supporter \u2014 who is at the Ryder Cup fan zone under the Rockefeller Center in New York. \u201cVery subdued here,\u201d he reports. \u201cMainly Europeans here now.\u201d The ripple effect of Europe\u2019s dominance is clearly being felt well beyond the confines of Bethpage.<\/p>\n The \u201csubdued\u201d fan zone under New York\u2019s Rockefeller Center<\/p>\n SPENCER KING<\/p>\n Hojgaard\u2019s\u00a0perfect\u00a0start<\/p>\n Of all the PGA Tour players in the Ryder Cup, only McIlroy has a longer average driving distance than Rasmus Hojgaard, Europe\u2019s sole rookie this week after he replaced his identical twin Nicolai from the team in Rome. How are his nerves? Seemingly non-existent as the Dane crushes the best drive at the 1st hole so far, 336 yards and just short of the green. It\u2019s an easy up and down. What a start to your Ryder Cup career.<\/p>\n Up ahead, Rahm and Straka get back on level terms after the Austrian chips in from the fringe of the green, then Rahm cans for birdie to go one up. Europe continuing the momentum into the afternoon.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n The course is soft, shorter than usual, the rough is down and there\u2019s barely a drop of wind. This should be a birdie fest this afternoon and Spaun gets the first of the session to give USA an early lead. After a fist-pump from Trump, DeChambeau drives just short of the 1st green but Fleetwood makes a birdie of his own with the most confident of putts from the front edge and the hole is halved. How his putting has improved since Phil Kenyon switched him to a mallet putter at the RBC Heritage in April.<\/p>\n \u2022 Meet putting guru Phil Kenyon with three players in each camp (who\u2019s rooting for Europe)<\/a><\/p>\n Trump puts his arm around DeChambeau before the afternoon four-balls<\/p>\n GETTY<\/p>\n Analysis: Bradley\u2019s odd pairing<\/p>\n Tom Kershaw, Bethpage Black<\/p>\n Luke Donald couldn\u2019t help but smile when a fan shouted, \u201cYou\u2019re the best Donald\u201d, as Rahm and Hatton wrested control of the opening match against DeChambeau and Thomas. Even with all the European backroom team\u2019s meticulous preparation, such an electric start in the opening session must have surpassed expectations. <\/p>\n The triumph of Aberg and Fitzpatrick in particular will have brought joy given it was something of a gamble to split the former from Hovland. That statistical calculation by vice-captain Edoardo Molinari was in stark contrast to Bradley\u2019s decision to select Morikawa and English in the foursomes. According to Data Golf, that pair were ranked 132nd out of 132 possible optimal foursome pairings for Team USA. They lost 5&4 against McIlroy and Fleetwood, but, then again, few could have matched their five birdies in the opening seven holes. <\/p>\n Trump watches Spaun tee off at the 1st, where he made a birdie to put USA one up in the first four-balls match<\/p>\n SHUTTERSTOCK EDITORIAL<\/p>\n Schauffele and Cantlay did earn the Americans some momentum heading into the afternoon, but Bradley was more focused on Donald Trump\u2019s presence inspiring a fightback. The president arrived on the first tee, sparking chants of \u201cUSA, USA\u201d, but Europe\u2019s Donald is the one really smiling.<\/p>\n My Bethpage scouting mission… sort of<\/p>\n Angus Oliver<\/p>\n How does one prepare for providing live coverage of the Ryder Cup? Stock up on coffee and biscuits, of course, but I went one further by doing my very own Bethpage Black scouting mission this week \u2014 just not quite the type that you might expect. As loyal readers, you need course intel, so I went down to my local simulator to take on the 7,468-yard beast off the back tees. And it was luxurious. There was no wind, I walked only a few yards, I didn\u2019t lose a single ball, and I finished with a pleasing four-over round of 75, including a birdie at the 1st. I imagine nobody in the Ryder Cup will be getting a mulligan off the tee at the 15th, as the simulator\u2019s settings allowed me, though.<\/p>\n My card\u2026 but with a mulligan at the 15th<\/p>\n The US crowd need ramping up and Donald Trump walking out into the stands behind the 1st tee has done exactly that. There is a rousing rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner then Scheffler \u2014 who was out of sorts in his 5&3 this morning \u2014 and JJ Spaun march onto the tee to face Rahm and Sepp Straka. All four players miss the fairway.<\/p>\n Trump arrives at the 1st tee<\/p>\n AFP<\/p>\n Analysis: Stellar start for Europe<\/p>\n Rick Broadbent, Bethpage Black<\/p>\n Quite a morning here. I walked much of the match between Aberg-Fitzpatrick and Scheffler-Henley, and it is remarkable what the Ryder Cup can do. Indeed, but for a great approach on the 13th and a saving par on the next, this would have been done and dusted earlier. The body language of the Americans was x-rated, whereas uber-cool Aberg was smiling and even winking at Swedes in ice hockey garb by the ropes.<\/p>\n Make no mistake, 5&3 is an awful result for Scheffler, the USA\u2019s biggest gun. It was not necessarily a huge shock, though. Two years ago he started off losing 4&3 in a match against Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. And then there was the 9&7 loss against Aberg and Hovland. From this we might judge that foursomes is just not his bag. <\/p>\n A humbling of the opposition\u2019s leading player is always an extra boost for the team. Keegan Bradley was also clearly hoping Bryson DeChambeau would be the team\u2019s emotional leader and he started brilliantly, a monster drive over the trees to the right of the first fairway leading to a birdie putt. He could not see it out.<\/p>\n This was a stellar start for Europe. Fitzpatrick buried a few Ryder Cup ghosts and the key duo of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood delivered, but quite what possessed Keegan Bradley to pair Collin Morikawa and Harris English, ranked as the worst available partnership from 132 options by Data Golf, is anyone\u2019s guess.<\/p>\n McIlroy, pictured, and Fleetwood have never lost in foursomes together<\/p>\n PA<\/p>\n Foursomes are usually a happy hunting ground for Europe, so nobody should get ahead of themselves, but when you listened to Bradley\u2019s remarks after losing the three opening matches, you had to cringe. \u201cWe just had the President fly over in Air Force One, so I\u2019ve got a feeling things are going to turn here,\u201d he said. They will need a lot more than that this afternoon.<\/p>\n This afternoon\u2019s four-ball pairings are out, with McIlroy \u2014 alongside Lowry \u2014 up against Cantlay again. Remember in Rome that McIlroy had to be held back by Lowry when clashing with Cantlay\u2019s caddie Joe LaCava in the Marco Simone car park. LaCava was accused of overly celebrating as McIlroy lined up a putt for a half after Cantlay made a long birdie attempt on the 18th green during the Saturday four-balls. All eyes will be on that match.<\/p>\n 17:25 Scottie Scheffler & JJ Spaun v Jon Rahm & Sepp Straka Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n The American fans find their voice again. It\u2019s been pretty subdued at Bethpage, but it\u2019s hardly surprising such has been Europe\u2019s dominance this morning. Hovland slices his drive way right at the 18th, MacIntyre can only hack out the fescue into a bunker, and Schauffele\u2019s approach finishes 9ft from the hole. USA take the final match 2up and the score is 3-1 to Europe after the first session. The four-ball pairings will be revealed shortly.<\/p>\n USA one up with one to play<\/p>\n Hovland\u2019s bunker shot goes long, Cantlay\u2019s putt is left short in the jaws of the hole, so MacIntyre has 8ft for par and a half. The Scot pushes it. The Americans are one up with one to play. Can the European duo salvage half a point?<\/p>\n All square with two holes to play, MacIntyre goes pin seeing, but that\u2019s no good \u2014 his ball doesn\u2019t draw enough and leaves Hovland a tricky shot out the bunker for a much-needed up and down. Cantlay has a 21ft putt for birdie.<\/p>\n All square in final match<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not exactly what we wanted,\u201d Bradley says as Schauffele misses way left with his tee shot at the 15th en route to an American bogey. Hovland meanwhile makes a clutch par putt and the red is once again extinguished from the scoreboard. The final match is all square with three holes to play. \u201cWe just had the president fly over in Air Force One so I\u2019ve got a feeling things are about to turn,\u201d Bradley says. He better hope so.<\/p>\n Hovland celebrates getting back to all square alongside MacIntyre<\/p>\n REUTERS<\/p>\n Hovland and MacIntyre fight back<\/p>\n Brilliant from Hovland and MacIntyre, who get back from three to one down after consecutive birdies. They have five holes to go, so another Friday foursomes clean sweep is suddenly back on the cards. No team has ever done so in back-to-back Ryder Cups.<\/p>\n Rahm and Hatton thrive in \u2018intense atmosphere\u2019<\/p>\n Some reaction from Rahm and Hatton after they beat DeChambeau and Thomas 4&3.<\/p>\n \u201cAgainst two crowd favourites, we knew it would be loud and need our best,\u201d Rahm said. \u201cWe battled in those first seven holes, then found some great vibes. He\u2019s a joy to partner with. He can be very dependable. I have full confidence in him.\u201d<\/p>\n Hatton meanwhile said: \u201cThe second shot into seven [when there was a branch resting on his ball] was a bit of hit and hope. Thankfully it went straight. We knew it would be a difficult start. It was a pretty intense atmosphere out there.\u201d<\/p>\n Scheffler and Henley played three times together at the Presidents Cup last year and seemed the perfect pairing going into this second match, but the American duo have been annihilated 5&3 after an incredible performance from Aberg and Fitzpatrick. <\/p>\n How much of that is to do with Bradley picking Henley to tee off on the odd-numbered \u2014 and longer \u2014 holes? He is the shortest player in the tournament and there is no doubt that Scheffler was shackled \u2014 but there is also a trend emerging with American world No1s. They have now lost six straight foursomes matches dating back to 2010.<\/p>\n American world No1s in Ryder Cup foursomes2010 \u2013 Tiger Woods (with Steve Stricker) \u2013 lost 2018 \u2013 Dustin Johnson (with Rickie Fowler) \u2013 lost2018 \u2013 Johnson (with Brooks Koepka) \u2013 lost2023 \u2013 Scottie Scheffler (with Burns) \u2013 lost2023 \u2013 Scheffler (with Koepka) \u2013 lost2025 \u2013 Scheffler (with Russell Henley) \u2013 lost<\/p>\n Just like Rahm and Hatton, McIlroy and Fleetwood \u2014 \u201cFleetwood Mac\u201d \u2014 have also won three out of three foursomes matches when paired together. The British duo cruise to a 5&4 hammering of Morikawa and English and Europe are now 2-0 up. The perfect start. <\/p>\n There it is, the first point on the board goes to Europe as Thomas misses from 6ft, giving a 4&3 win to Rahm and Hatton. This opening match had all the makings of a classic but DeChambeau and Thomas have been dominated ever since that extraordinary recovery shot out the rough from Rahm at the 6th. They were five under in 15 holes and have now won three out of three foursomes matches when paired together in Ryder Cups. <\/p>\n Donald celebrates with Rahm and Hatton<\/p>\n REUTERS<\/p>\n Daylight for Cantlay and Schauffele, who go three up after Hovland misses a short par putt, but there\u2019s no respite for the other Americans. Henley makes a huge birdie putt at the 14th but Aberg answers with one of his own \u2014 the Swede and Fitzpatrick are an astonishing seven under \u2014 then Thomas is forced to take a free drop after DeChambeau\u2019s tee shot at the 15th goes way off line and into the stands. Europe look set to take a 3-1 lead.<\/p>\n Trump headed for Bethpage<\/p>\n The US president has left the White House\u2026 in his golf shoes.<\/p>\n Rahm and Hatton go three up with five to play so this final match is now vital for USA and Keegan Bradley. They have almost certainly lost the first three matches and it\u2019s absolutely pivotal that they avoid being on the wrong side of another clean sweep. Schauffele and Cantlay are doing all they can to make that happen and have just gone two up after a bogey from MacIntyre and Hovland.<\/p>\n Hatton and Rahm led Europe out in Rome as Luke Donald\u2019s side won all four Friday foursomes matches and they now have breathing space over DeChambeau and Thomas in the first match at Bethpage Black. It comes after a brilliant 19ft putt from Hatton and Europe can now sense a 3-1 lead. We\u2019re not quite at this stage, but it is worth noting that no away team has swept a session since Europe in the 1987 Friday four-balls at Muirfield Village.<\/p>\n Rahm and Hatton made three straight birdies at the 12th, 13th and 14th<\/p>\n GETTY<\/p>\n Extraordinary. All red has now been extinguished from the leaderboard as Cantlay misses from 9ft and MacIntyre and Hovland get back to all square. Morikawa and English drag one back in the third match but it\u2019s a five-under front nine for McIlroy and Fleetwood, who are four up. DeChambeau then smashes a birdie putt through the break at the 11th, forcing Thomas to make a gutsy par putt to salvage a par and stay only one down. All the momentum is with Europe.<\/p>\n Hatton looks at a ball obstructed by a twig at the 7th \u2014 the European pair still won the hole<\/p>\n AP<\/p>\n It seemed an odd decision when Henley took the first tee shot instead of Scheffler, meaning the shortest player in the tournament would be teeing off on all the odd-numbered \u2014 and therefore longer \u2014 holes. It means at the 9th, Fitzpatrick has almost 30 yards less than Scheffler for his approach after a booming Aberg drive, the Englishman hits it to 14ft, and the birdie putt is holed. Europe are now four-up over Henley and the world No1, who is 13 down in his past 18 Ryder Cup foursomes holes. <\/p>\n The away team has won just 1 of the past 12 foursomes sessions at the Ryder Cup but Europe are now turning the screw. Rahm makes birdie from 11ft to give Europe the lead over DeChambeau and Thomas for the first time, then McIlroy stiffs it from 100 yards to take a four-up lead with Fleetwood. That truly is a star foursomes pairing for Europe. Donald will be delighted.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies onceUSA need Trump to stoke fire<\/p>\n Rick Broadbent, Bethpage Black<\/p>\n Early days of course and the 1st tee was curiously subdued other than the emcee pleading \u201clet\u2019s f***ing go\u201d, but the golf is warming up. McIlroy\u2019s putting has been rock solid, DeChambeau started with a stroke of pure adrenaline over the trees, the likes of Fitzpatrick and Aberg have started well, and Rahm and Hatton have just got back on level terms. It\u2019s still fairly quiet out on the course and it might take lunchtime drinking and the arrival of Trump to really stoke the fire. <\/p>\n DeChambeau almost drove the 1st green in the first foursomes match of the tournament<\/p>\n GETTY<\/p>\n Putts dropping for Europe<\/p>\n Now the putts are dropping for Europe. First it\u2019s McIlroy to take a two-up lead with Tommy Fleetwood<\/a>, then it\u2019s Fitzpatrick to go three-up with Aberg, and finally MacIntyre from 14ft to salvage an unlikely half alongside Hovland. <\/p>\n Chris Solomon of the No Laying Up podcast has just made the observation that it is so soft at Bethpage Black that it is almost worth being in the rough \u2014 which is so short anyway \u2014 to make it easier to control one\u2019s spin. Every player is ripping the ball backwards an absolute mile.<\/p>\n McIlroy\u2019s putting has been exemplary alongside Fleetwood<\/p>\n GETTY<\/p>\n Brilliant from Fitzpatrick and Rahm<\/p>\n Stunning from Fitzpatrick, who responds to an exquisite approach from Scheffler at the 5th by fizzing an iron to less than 3ft from out the rough, but it\u2019s bad news for Europe as Cantlay and Schauffele go 1up over MacIntyre and Hovland at the 2nd.<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies once<\/p>\n Rahm has a revolting lie at the 6th after that Hatton drive but hits the shot of the day so far over the rough, bunkers and to only 12ft from the flag. They remain one down.<\/p>\n Rahm played to only 12ft from the hole from this lie<\/p>\n Aberg and Fitzpatrick lead<\/p>\n Solid start for Europe at Bethpage with Aberg tapping in a birdie putt at the par-five 4th after a beautiful approach to go one up alongside Fitzpatrick. That will please Donald because the Swede had looked a little out of sorts over the first three holes. McIlroy then holes a lengthy par putt to stay 1up with Fleetwood over Morikawa and English, but Hatton\u2019s tee shot at the 6th goes way left into a rancid wasteland. A birdie for Thomas and DeChambeau will likely make it 2up USA in the first match.<\/p>\n Hovland and MacIntyre under way<\/p>\n The final foursomes match pits Viktor Hovland and Robert MacIntyre against Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, villain of the 2023 Ryder Cup after he was accused of not wearing a cap in protest against a lack of pay to play in the tournament. Well, the US players are now receiving an additional $200,000, the cap is back on, and his caddie Joe LaCava is still on the bag after clashing with McIlroy in the Marco Simone car park. <\/p>\n MacIntyre\u2019s tee shot is pushed into the left rough but the lie is good for Hovland, whose approach play is excellent, before Schauffele just misses the fairway on a more aggressive line.<\/p>\n Rahm hits a beautiful second into the par-five 4th but a delicate chip from Thomas salvages a half for USA in the first match. A decent McIlroy approach at the 2nd has given Fleetwood a good luck at birdie.<\/p>\n McIlroy and Fleetwood 1up<\/p>\n World class from Fleetwood, whose chip out the rough at the 1st just evades the hole, leaving Europe an easy birdie putt for McIlroy. English misses his putt so Europe go 1up.<\/p>\n Henley goes close with his approach at the 2nd but Aberg\u2019s is pulled, Fitzpatrick misses the long birdie putt, and Scheffler gets USA back on level terms from 8ft.<\/p>\n McIlroy tees off in front of a packed-out gallery at the 1st hole<\/p>\n GETTY<\/p>\n McIlroy close to 1st green<\/p>\n It\u2019s time for Rory McIlroy<\/a>, the Masters champion and Europe\u2019s best player, and Tommy Fleetwood, who recently won his first PGA Tour event at the Tour Championship. The pair won both of their foursomes matches when paired together in Rome and have made significant improvements to their game this year \u2014 McIlroy with his approach play since shortening his backswing, and Fleetwood with his putting since moving from a blade to mallet putter.<\/p>\n Shane Lowry applauds as the European fans sing \u201cis this a library?\u201d to the American fans at the 1st tee. Little of that hostile reception so far. McIlroy then comes close to driving the green before Harris English, paired with Collin Morikawa, takes a safer line down the middle of the fairway.<\/p>\n Up ahead, DeChambeau finds the bunker at the par-three 3rd but makes amends with a clutch par putt to stay one up alongside Thomas.<\/p>\n Aberg and Fitzpatrick 1up<\/p>\n Scheffler can\u2019t get close from the rough to the left of the 1st and Fitzpatrick then exposes Henley\u2019s error off the tee by playing a beautiful wedge to just a few feet. Aberg comfortably knocks the putt in and Europe go one up. Up ahead, Thomas and Hatton both miss their birdie putts so USA remain ahead. <\/p>\n That was the perfect start for Fitzpatrick, who will be well aware of his dismal Ryder Cup record having won only one point from eight matches. However, the Englishman has had success here int eh past\u2026<\/p>\n Aberg and Fitzpatrick in perfect position<\/p>\n Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick are up next against the world No1 Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley. Aberg, the Swede who was an amateur only three months before the last Ryder Cup, nails his drive over the trees on the perfect line, leaving Fitzpatrick a short distance in.<\/p>\n And then this is bizarre \u2014 Henley, the shortest player on either team, hits the opening tee shot instead of Scheffler. That means he will tee off on all of the odd \u2014 and therefore longer \u2014 holes instead of Scheffler, who ranks first for every tee-to-green metric on the PGA Tour. His tee shot is hooked into the left rough as well, so advantage Europe in match two.<\/p>\n DeChambeau and Thomas 1up<\/p>\n The perfect start for USA. Hatton\u2019s nervy chip out the rough is chunky and leaves Rahm a longer birdie putt than he would have liked, which he leaves short. Nerves. Thomas\u2019s chip was uncharacteristically poor and well short of the hole but DeChambeau got a good read from Rahm\u2019s attempt and the American makes his birdie putt. Keegan Bradley\u2019s side are one up in the first foursomes match. <\/p>\n DeChambeau almost reaches 1st green<\/p>\n DeChambeau and Thomas enter the 1st tee box draped in an American flag before Rahm and Hatton are booed when introduced by the emcee. Rahm is to hit the first tee shot. How are your nerves? He lines up to hit over the trees and directly at the 1st green, some 350 yards away, but flares it out to the right, leaving Hatton a chip out of the rough. The pin is at the back so it shouldn\u2019t bee too tricky but it\u2019s advantage USA after DeChambeau smokes his drive on the perfect line. It leaves Thomas a flick from the front of the green to get up and down for birdie. <\/p>\n Will DeChambeau take on the 1st?<\/p>\n So it\u2019s Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas against Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton first up in a mouthwatering clash between the emotional heartbeats of both sides. Rahm is a powerful fader of the fall off the tee while Hatton\u2019s wedge play is among the best in the game, so it is little wonder that Luke Donald \u2014 and Edoardo Molinari\u2019s statistical model \u2014 has paired them together once again. They are also team-mates on LIV Golf and won both of their foursomes matches when paired together in Rome in 2023. The big question, though, as we approach this first match, is whether DeChambeau will attempt to drive the green with his opening tee shot? It would be a risky play in foursomes, but stranger things have happened\u2026<\/p>\n Not exactly \u2018Welcome to Hell\u2019 at the 1st<\/p>\n Rick Broadbent, Bethpage Black<\/p>\n Interesting times on the 1st tee so far. They played Springsteen\u2019s \u201cBorn in the USA\u201d which is always misunderstood and is really about misery in American heartlands after the Vietnam war. The emcee then arrives with the pithy message \u201cLet\u2019s f***ing go\u201d. Nice. The crowd is much quieter than normal and, although the stands are huge, they are set well back and much less intimidating than in Rome or Paris. Anyway John Denver is on the PA now singing about West Virginia. No sign of any of the USA\u2019s many vice-captains trying to whip up the masses. It\u2019s not exactly \u201cWelcome to Hell\u201d. Fifteen minutes to go. <\/p>\n European fans behind the 1st tee before the Friday morning foursomes<\/p>\n GETTY<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies onceIs McIlroy\u2019s skin thick enough for the hostility?<\/p>\n Half a block from the flashing Jumbotrons of Times Square on 44th Street lies Jimmy\u2019s Corner, the iconic boxing-themed dive bar where parts of Raging Bull were filmed (Tom Kershaw writes).<\/p>\n If Rory McIlroy tried to invoke the stoicism of Marcus Aurelius before the last Ryder Cup in Rome, only to be coined \u201cRocky\u201d after nearly coming to blows with a caddie in a car park, the works of Martin Scorsese may provide more apt preparation in New York. <\/p>\n The Northern Irishman might ordinarily be hugely popular in the United States, and his charm offensive went so far as to hail it \u201cthe best country in the world\u201d, but Europe\u2019s talisman will be the public enemy at Bethpage Black. There have already been boos and barbs. Now, the proverbial bottles will be thrown into the ring.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Since September 2021, Scheffler has won 22 per cent of Ryder Cup matches he\u2019s played (two of nine)<\/p>\n![\"Ryder](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/c9d216d3-1ae7-4b42-bf88-906227677172.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"Donald](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/3c5852b4-c14a-4407-affd-e12f42b4fa35.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"Rory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/85601db6-c15a-45cd-9e01-3a3020f091e6.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
17:41 Bryson DeChambeau & Ben Griffin v Tommy Fleetwood & Justin Rose
17:57 Justin Thomas & Cameron Young v Ludvig Aberg & Rasmus Hojgaard
18:13 Patrick Cantlay & Sam Burns v Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/d1b9980b-97d0-46db-aad2-178918cd6cf6.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"President](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/df466673-65c9-441b-ad2c-46a7408487d1.jpg\")
Schauffele and Cantlay dig in<\/p>\n![\"Ryder](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/716a2b42-b499-4f9a-b134-e5b23e0e80e0.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"APTOPIX](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/f1247247-0976-4c27-b4ab-dab762b1bd3a.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Justin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/9825355c-16f7-43ec-996a-058901efbf9c.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Tommy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/742f4cfd-ecba-45eb-ba80-0f940517bbdf.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Rahm](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/2d24d104-13de-46a8-9cb1-f0151ff4cb77.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"McIlroy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/0ccf2cc1-f3cb-4152-96ee-0b1fa39c14bb.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Fans](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/36ec14ec-ed6c-4ea8-9838-5e9c15b087e8.jpg\")
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![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/\/bb75ceb3-4bfc-4b99-8bda-a574e17be7eb.jpeg\")
How important is the foursomes?<\/p>\n