Ryder Cup Live: Europe open up 3-1 lead after Ryder Cup opening morning foursomes
By Andy Hampson, PA, New York
Europe drew first blood as they opened up a 3-1 lead after a stunning performance on the opening morning of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
The defending champions shut out the noise of a raucous and partisan New York crowd to put the United States on the back foot on a day President Donald Trump was due to visit.
Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton led the way as they came from behind to beat Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas in the first foursomes match 4 and 3.
The heavyweight ‘Fleetwood Mac’ pairing of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood then saw off Collin Morikawa and Harris English in convincing fashion, 5 and 4.
Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Aberg were similarly impressive as they claimed a shock 5&4 win over world number one Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley.
The only blot on the European scorecard was the two down defeat suffered by Robert MacIntyre and Vitkor Hovland against Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay in the fourth match.
Currently, McIlroy is partnered with Shane Lowry in the final match of the fourballs against Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay.
That match is tied after the opening two holes.
Nevertheless, it was still a fine start for Luke Donald’s side as they began their quest for a first away win since 2012.
It was the first time the continental team had won the opening session of a Ryder Cup on American soil since 2004.
Their superb performance certainly quietened the home crowd after much had been made of the hostile reception the visitors were likely to encounter.
There were even rumblings of discontent as it became increasingly likely Europe would register first on the scoreboard.
The match had begun in fiery enough atmosphere with the crowd, whipped up prior to the start by US captain Keegan Bradley, in good voice in the 5,000-capacity grandstand at the first tee.
Rahm, addressing the ball amid the cacophony, hit a wayward first shot while DeChambeau, treated to relative silence, smashed a superb straight drive
That enabled the American pair to win that first hole, but the Europeans settled as the crowd began to disperse around the course.
Rahm and Hatton struggled early on but halved the next five holes and then had a close call after the Spaniard drove into the trees on the seventh.
Hatton came close to disturbing the ball as he stepped on a branch, but no penalty was called, and he hit a brilliant approach to allow Rahm to level the match. They then won the eighth to take the lead and did not look back.
Fleetwood’s brilliant iron play carried him and McIlroy to a convincing victory. They were five up after eight and lost only one hole all morning.
Scheffler and Henley also had no answer to the accuracy of Fitzpatrick, and the Yorkshireman and Aberg were rarely troubled.
That left Schauffele and Cantlay to provide the only bright spark for the US but even they, having led by three after 11, needed to dig deep after being pegged back to level with three to play.
It left Bradley with much to ponder ahead of the afternoon fourballs matches.
“We just had the president fly over on Air Force One, so I have a feeling things are going to turn,” he told a TV reporter.
Trump was expected to arrive at Bethpage before the afternoon session. Security at the course had been tightened considerably ahead of his visit.
