Key events
No problem for Viktor Hovland, who hasn’t let that short missed putt on 11 mess with his mind. A half, and he’s earned a hearty slap on the back from his captain Luke Donald as everyone vacates the green.
1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (14)
USA 0-3 Europe
Xander Schauffele gives his long birdie putt a good roll, but it’s always dying to the low side on the left. That’s par, but a chance for Bob MacIntyre to level things up. However his putt from the fringe gets a bit of a flier, and skitters three feet past. No way is that going to be conceded, and out of nowhere, the man from Oban might have thrown his opponents a lifeline. Big putt coming up for Viktor Hovland.
Viktor Hovland and Patrick Cantlay take turns to wedge their tee shots into 14. The Hov is closer, 15 feet to 35, but Cantlay’s ball is on the green, while Hovland’s is on the fringe. You could slice the tension with a 1-iron. The home gallery know things have already gotten real.
This will be the first time Europe has won the opening session of the Ryder Cup on American soil since 2004. They ended up winning that contest 18½ to 9½. And here’s a reminder that the winner of the morning session on day one has gone on to win the Ryder Cup on each of the last five stagings. The one previous to that, when the day-one morning winners didn’t go on to close the deal? The miracle of Medinah. A lot for Team USA to process here.
Team USA really need to hold on in this final match now. A point almost essential. Having been three holes up, anything else would be an unmitigated disaster. It’s bad enough for the hosts already. And they’re not in great shape coming up the par-five 13th, both teams on in three but Europe far closer. Patrick Cantlay can’t make the 35-footer that he’s left with … but Viktor Hovland is good for his ten footer, and that’s back-to-back business from the talented Norwegian. At the side of the green, Rory McIlroy, his morning’s work complete, screams with delight. The hosts reeling.
1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (13)
USA 0-3 Europe
USA 0-3 Europe
It’s just not happened for Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley this morning. Henley’s drive finds rough down the left; Scheffler’s approach disappears into thick greenside filth. Henley doesn’t get particularly close with his chip, and when Scottie fails to tickle in a lightning-fast downhill par putt from 25 feet, it leaves Europe with two putts to win the match. They only need one. Matt Fitzpatrick rolls it in from 15 feet, and this is Europe’s morning now: guaranteed. Ludvig Åberg and Matthew Fitzpatrick beat Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley 5&3.
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 5&3 (F)
2UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (12)
USA 0-3 Europe
USA 0-2 Europe
Rory McIlroy has a 30-footer to win the match on 14. It’s always staying up on the high side and rolls two feet past. That’s not conceded. Harris English has to go for it, and whistles his birdie putt five feet past. Collin Morikawa makes the one coming back, and McIlroy doesn’t look particularly impressed at Tommy Fleetwood being forced to tidy up … but this is matchplay golf at its highest level, so you can’t really blame Morikawa and English for hanging onto their last scrap of hope. But Fleetwood’s not missing the putt. Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood beat Collin Morikawa and Harris English 5&4.
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (14)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 5&4 (F)
2UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (12)
USA 0-2 Europe
Viktor Hovland walks in a ten-footer for birdie at 12. That’s a fine response to the missed tiddler on the previous hole, and Europe aren’t finished yet in the anchor match!
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (14)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 5UP (13)
2UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (12)
USA 0-1 Europe
USA 0-1 Europe
Bryson DeChambeau doesn’t leave his monster birdie effort on 15 short. He kind of had to make it, so it goes five feet past. Jon Rahm tickles his 15-footer to a couple of feet. It’s not conceded, but Justin Thomas has to make the par putt to have any hope of extending … and he shoves it wide right. He acts surprised, but that was a shaky stroke. First blood to Team Europe! Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton beat Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas 4&3.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 4&3 (F)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (14)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 5UP (13)
3UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (11)
USA 0-1 Europe
Collin Morikawa’s 20-foot birdie putt on 13 lips out. Unlucky, but it’s just a half, and now Fleetwood Mac are dormie five. Tommy then finds the centre of the par-three 14th, 30 feet from the flag. Morikawa needs to do something fast, and sends his tee shot half the distance inside. Another big putting competition coming up!
Justin Thomas gets his drop from the bin, and finds the green. That’s not a bad result from where he was, off a filthy lie, but he’s miles from the flag, which is at the front, his ball at the back. Tyrrell Hatton wedges to 15 feet, and somewhere an opera singer is clearing her throat.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 3UP (14)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (14)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 5UP (13)
3UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (11)
The hosts are taking control of the anchor game, though. Viktor Hovland misses a short putt on 11, and Patty Ice rediscovers his super-cool, tidying up from close range to put the USA 3UP. Meanwhile on 14, Russell Henley lands a 30-foot tramliner to put some pressure on Ludvig Åberg’s five-foot birdie chance … but Åberg calmly slots for a half. That’s a great result for the USA in normal circumstances, but with holes running out, it’ll still feel like a mild disappointment.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 3UP (14)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (14)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 5UP (12)
3UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (11)
Bryson DeChambeau clatters his drive at 15 towards the hospitality suite down the right of the hole. The ball pings off the structure and into a nearby trashcan. That’s too on-the-nose, isn’t it?
In fact Team USA are just a little bit outside Europe on the par-three 14th. Bryson DeChambeau to putt first. And he races it into the centre of the cup. He’s not gonna die wondering! A vicious punch of the air in celebration … but it’s all in vain because Jon Rahm follows him in. Half. Better news for the hosts though on 13, where Russell Henley finally finds the form that’s brought him up to number three in the world rankings. He screeches a wedge to kick-in distance, and that’s a hole back. They’re still on the brink, but they’re not done yet!
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 3UP (14)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (13)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 5UP (12)
2UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (10)
Harris English yanks the USA’s second on 12 into a bunker down the left. Collin Morikawa can’t get anywhere near the pin from the best part of 100 feet out, and that’s yet another hole shipped by the hosts.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 3UP (13)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 5UP (12)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 5UP (12)
2UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (10)
JT steps up to take his tee shot … then steps away for some reason. His own fans meet that reaction with some sarcastic woos. But the two-time major champion is made of the right stuff, and under the gaze of the living legend Michael Jordan – imagine that for pressure! – replicates Hatton’s effort. In fact betters it by a couple of feet. Huge putting competition coming up.
Tyrrell Hatton isn’t hanging about on the 149-yard par-three 14th. He wastes no time in stepping up and eases his tee shot over the flag, landing it 25 feet past and spinning it back to eight feet. Over to Justin Thomas, who has to find a response here.
JT’s putt is always staying up on the right side. He looks pained. Hatton has the opportunity to put Europe three holes up from 12 feet. It’s an uphill putt with some gentle left-to-right drift. It’s always dropping from the second it leaves the face of his putter. A couple of big putts from Hatton on the last two greens. The US 3DOWN with five to play. Better news for them, though, in the anchor match, as they win the 10th after Viktor Hovland catches a bunker shot too cleanly and flies the green.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 3UP (13)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 5UP (12)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (11)
2UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (10)
Justin Thomas carves his approach at 13 miles right of the green. He’s fortunate that the ball hits a discombobulated marshal and doesn’t fly even further off line. Tyrrell Hatton has a good look inside the gift horse’s mouth, and sends Europe’s second into rough on the other side of the green. Neither Bryson DeChambeau nor Jon Rahm get particularly close with their chips, and this is turning into a bit of a farce. Having said that, a couple of long putts are coming up for birdie.
Scottie Scheffler lobs up from the bank down the back of 12. He only just gets the ball up onto the fringe. It’s still America’s turn. Russell Henley takes putter, and he’s forced to go for it. The ball lips out, a decent enough effort, but not enough. Another hole goes by, and Europe are now 5UP with six to play.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (12)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 5UP (12)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (11)
1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (9)
… and so on 11, Collin Morikawa and Harris English are both left with more work to do than they’d ideally like. Both make no mistake. Hole halved.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (12)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (11)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (11)
1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (9)
Russell Henley continues to struggle. From the centre of the 12th fairway, he airmails the green, the ball smacking some poor punter on the hand before disappearing into the rough. Ludvig Åberg turns the screw by screeching his approach pin high to ten feet. Meanwhile back on 11, Rory McIlroy leaves a putt three feet short, while Harris English sends one a similar distance long.
Justin Thomas is shortsided on 12, so does extremely well to gently clip his wedge to kick-in distance. But that still leaves Tyrrell Hatton with a 25-footer for birdie and the win. Hatton prepares to putt, but stops as a buzzing fly comes into his life. He swats it away from his ball, before rolling in the putt and swiping the air again, this time with an emotional punch of glee. Meanwhile the fly floats away, like honey in the sun.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (12)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (11)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (10)
1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (8)
Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley don’t look like coming back at Ludvig Åberg and Matt Fitzpatrick right now. Scheffler’s approach into 11 is extraordinarily average by his own absurdly high standards, and Henley leaves his long birdie putt well short. Scheffler makes the five footer that remains, but that’s just a half and holes are running out for the USA.
Justin Thomas and Tyrrell Hatton both find the rough down the left of 12 with their tee shots. Bryson DeChambeau is up first, and he gets a flyer out of it, sending his ball into the filth behind the green. Jon Rahm responds by finding the middle of the dancefloor.
Bounceback birdie for Team USA in the final match of the morning! Patrick Cantlay knocks his tee shot at the par-three 8th pin high, and Collin Morikawa strides after his 15-foot putt as it drops. For all of their struggles in the middle two matches, the lead and anchor games are very much in the balance, and if they can put some red on the board there, the mood will shift quickly and considerably. The knife-edge majesty of matchplay golf, right here!
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (11)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (10)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (9)
1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (8)
Oh my! Bryson gives his birdie putt a good rattle, and it shaves the hole on the left and sails four feet past. It’s still America’s honour … but Justin Thomas saves their honour in another way to make the one coming back. Tyrrell Hatton still has a three footer himself, but he’s not missing that, and it’s another big escape for Europe in this lead match.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (11)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (10)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (9)
Schauffele/Cantlay A/S MacIntyre/Hovland (7)
… but there’s some better news for the USA on 9, where Harris English tidies up for birdie and just the fourth hole won by the hosts so far this morning. A huge roar that surely reaches the 11th green, where Bryson DeChambeau has a fairly straight 15-footer for birdie. If that goes in, the hosts could be cooking with gas again!
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (10)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (10)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (9)
Schauffele/Cantlay A/S MacIntyre/Hovland (7)
The last splash of red disappears from the board. Xander Schaffele sends his tee shot at 7 into rough down the left, and the US are always out of position from that point. Patrick Cantlay hits another putt in an oddly uncertain fashion, this time from nine feet, and is unable to salvage par.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (10)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (9)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 5UP (8)
Schauffele/Cantlay A/S MacIntyre/Hovland (7)
Perhaps this is it! Harris English has left Collin Morikawa behind a tree down the left of 9. No straight route to the green. So the two-time major winner manufactures a huge draw around the tree from 152 yards to four feet! That’s outrageous, the shot of the day so far. Tommy Fleetwood responds well, sending Europe’s second from the centre of the fairway to nine feet. Normally we’d be rhapsodising about that, but Morikawa’s brilliance has put that in the shadow. And given their respective positions after the tee shots, this could be a classic matchplay smash and grab for Team USA. A couple of big putts coming up. But then how many times have we said that already?!
Justin Thomas and Tyrrell Hatton trade 40-foot near-misses on 10. A pair of pars, and everyone moves on. Two halved holes after two losses for the US, so the gallery, jonesing for something to grab onto, for something to build on, try to whip up a chant of USA! USA! … but their heart isn’t really in it. The hosts searching for the spark they so desperately need.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (10)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (9)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 5UP (8)
1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (6)
Ludvig Åberg walks in a confidently struck 15-footer on 9 and punches the air with delight. Meanwhile Rory McIlroy tidies up on 8. Two more holes won by Europe, and look at their lead in matches two and three! The crowd at Bethpage, so buoyant a couple of hours ago, is pretty quiet now. But golf being golf, it wouldn’t take too much to change for the volume to be cranked up again. A huge couple of hours coming up here.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (9)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 4UP (9)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 5UP (8)
1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (6)
Harris English trundles an aggressive birdie putt four feet past on 7. He’s thankful to his partner Collin Morikawa for making the one coming back to salvage a half. But the Europeans are keeping the pressure on, Tommy Fleetwood sending a gentle high draw to seven feet on the par-three 8th. Morikawa’s response lands pin high, but on the fringe to the right, 17 feet away. Meanwhile Patrick Cantlay almost scuffs a 16-foot birdie chance on 6. The opportunity to go 2UP spurned by an uncharacteristically nervous Patty Ice.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (9)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 3UP (8)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (7)
1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (6)
Hats off to Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, who suffered such a cold start. They went 1DOWN in short order, then hung on desperately for another five holes, getting away with murder from the trees down the right of 6 for a half. Then, bang, bang, two holes in quick succession to turn things around. That’s a proper matchplay smash and grab. The spoils shared on 9. Europe remain 1UP.
Scottie Scheffler tickles in the par saver on 8, and at least his team aren’t slipping further behind. But in the anchor match, an out-of-position Bob MacIntyre nearly slam-dunks a chip, and that’s close enough to salvage a half from a hole Europe looked like losing. So it’s swings and roundabouts there.
DeChambeau/Thomas v Rahm/Hatton 1UP (8)
Scheffler/Henley v Åberg/Fitzpatrick 3UP (8)
Morikawa/English v McIlroy/Fleetwood 4UP (6)
1UP Schauffele/Cantlay v MacIntyre/Hovland (5)
