Key events
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)
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)
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)
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)
… 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)
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.
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)
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!
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 5½-2½ Europe.
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
