Europe 11.5 USA 4.5
Afternoon fourballs
5:25pm: Justin Thomas and Cameron Young lose 2 up to Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry
5:41pm: Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau lose 3&2 against Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose
5:57pm: JJ Spaun and Xander Schauffele win 1 up against Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka (17)
6:13pm: Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay lose 1 up against Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick
Morning foursomes
12.10pm: Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Young win 3 up against Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Åberg
12.26pm: Harris English and Collin Morikawa lose 3&2 to Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood 3 up
12.42pm: Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay lose 3&2 to Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton
12.58pm: Russell Henley and Scottie Scheffler lose 1 up to Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland
Shane Lowry and McIlroy win on 18:
That was a fun but mammoth 12-hour plus day. Here’s Philip Reid’s report to summarise it all, where he calls it the Bloodbath of Bethpage. Hard to argue with that.
It’s over to Malachy to see it out tomorrow for what should you imagine be a short enough Ryder Cup Sunday the way things have been going. You never know. Hope you enjoyed all that. Good night!
Europe have a record lead going into the singles. Incredible stuff by Donald’s team. Flawless golf.
Luke Donald: “Every time the Americans came at us, we came back. The resilience is incredible. We’re trying to get 14 and a half first, and hopefully we can add to that too.”
Keegan Bradley: “Really proud of them. We got beat today but I’m proud we fought.” Mentions Patriots coming from behind to win a Superbowl.
Cantlay misses with the chip-in. Putts conceded, so Burns has 25 feet to tie the match, which he misses!
Matt Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton win 1 up against Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay.
Performance until the end! Fitzpatrick brings back memories of his US Open win with a fairway bunker shot to a few feet. Hatton spins back and hits Fitz’s ball! Rory loves that one watching on.
Burns goes too long, outside chance of birdie. Cantlay wedges with far too much spin, off the green. Could be another Europe win here.
Match 3: Spaun has stepped up at the end as you’d expect from the US Open champion and he spins it back to almost gimme range for birdie at 18.
Rahm hits the bunker, and USA could get a rare point against the odds. Straka blades a chip and Rahm doesn’t hole the bunker shot, so all set for a USA win. Spaun gets it.
JJ Spaun and Xander Schauffele win 1 up against Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka
Match 4: Birdie holed by Cantlay with Burns in closer, so the two Europeans have to hole one for a half. Hatton birdies! Yep, never giving an inch.
Match 4: Great approach by Burns but Fitzpatrick matches him, hitting it to a similar distance at the par 3 17th.
Match 4: Cantlay holes a big putt to halve the hole to keep the final match level heading to the final two holes.
Match 3: Spaun birdies the 17th to bring that match also even to the last. If America could take the last two matches, you never know.
Rory comes over to Rose and Fleetwood and looks delighted. Lowry comes over to hug Fleetwood. They all look delighted. Great scenes.
Not such a good scene, but not a surprise:
Rory McIlroy: “Hugely satisfying, it’s our first full point as a partnership. Another blue point on the board. I’m so proud of this boy, I’m drained to say the least, the credit goes to Shane today.”
Shane Lowry: “It was intense, it was like something I’ve never experienced. This is why I get up in the morning. I love being a part of this team. That’s only a point, we still have a job to do, we need to keep the foot on the gas. I’m going to cheer the boys in.
Rory on the crowds: “It’s not for me to see, people can be their own judge on whether it went too far. It was great to win today after what we had to go through” He looks on the verge of tears and Lowry slaps his back.
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry win 2 up against Justin Thomas and Cameron Young
What a performance by the lads, triumph through adversity. Massive for the team.
Match 1: Lowry with another brilliant approach to five or six feet! Closing out the match in style. Young misses the green short, Thomas in the fringe at the front. Rory about 15 feet above the hole.
Match 4: Burns and Cantlay still fighting for the Americans, who are the only team not losing, all square in that one.
Match 2: Fleetwood misses a putt to win the match. Now up to Rose, fittingly to win the match from about 6 or 7 feet.
Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood win 3&2 against Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau
One of the great Ryder Cup performances today by Justin Rose, Fleetwood right with them. Scheffler loses all four matches.
Match 1: Lowry birdies! Another clutch moment by the Offalyman! Holes the putt and stands still, fist out. 15 and 17 he’s made massive contributions down the stretch. Dormie 1, Europe can’t lose the match now as they head down 18.
Match 1: Brilliant approach at the par 3 17th by Lowry! Steps up and hits a big shot to 5 feet. But JT nearly holes it for an ace in response. Quality match that one.
Match 1: Cameron Young holes a great birdie putt, as Rory taps in to stay 1 up. Two holes to go for the Irish
Match 1: Meanwhile, Rory nails another iron right at it at 16, walks after it.
Match 2: Rose is unfazed, smashes a driver down the fairway and eats a banana. Not a care in the world.
Match 3: Spaun holes a putt and Rahm follows him in with birdie. Nothing given up.
Match 4: Cantlay was ready to walk in a putt to finally stop it from being all blue on the board but it lips out.
Match 2: Haha would you believe it, he’s done it again! Birdie for Rose, knocks in another one. DeChambeau now has a putt to extend the match, which he does really well to be fair. Survives.
Strange moment as DeChambeau starts giving out to the European team. Ted Scott is squaring up to Francesco Molinari. They’re raging. It’s all kicking off! Fooch has to tell DeChambeau to chill out.
Match 2: Scheffler misses the green at the 15th, just doesn’t look the same player at all. Rose has a mid-distance birdie putt ahead but DeChambeau the best position as he spins back below the hole.
Match 3: Both Rahm and Straka inside the American pair at the 13th. This is turning out to be a rout.
Match 1: Big birdie putt by Justin Thomas at the 15th puts the Irish lads under pressure, they need to make one of them.
Birdie for Lowry! “Come on, f**king come on!”. Ole rings around. Lowry look like he’s ready to burst a few people in the crowd. Europe stay 1 up
Match 1: A superb shot at the tough 15th by Lowry, goes to the middle of the green and down the slope to 8 feet with McIlroy in trouble. Great approach by Rory after a free drop to inside Lowry’s ball!
Match 2: A birdie for Justin Rose and DeChambeau can’t match it, so it’s Europe 3 up. Amazingly Scheffler could go 0-4.
Match 2: Fleetwood with another approach right at the hole, unstoppable.
Match 1: McIlroy has now resorted to driving it into the crowd to shut them up... or something. Poor drive well left into the hospitality tents at the 15th, but Lowry is on the fairway.
Match 1: Lowry goes for it but knocks it a few feet past, one chance gone. McIlroy for birdie from 9 feet straight in! Birdie for McIlroy! Big first pumps and shouting! Thomas misses! Europe are up. Europe 1 up. Massive moment for the Irish lads.
Match 2: Superb again, Birdie for Tommy Fleetwood, 27 feet and in. Scheffler ties with a birdie though.
Match 1: Great approach by Thomas to 6 feet at the par 3 14th, Lowry spins down the slope and about twice the distance. McIlroy then hits it to about 9 feet below the hole. Two good chances there.
Match 1: Not a well played hole, the 13th par 5, by the top pairings. Thomas and Lowry both struggling for par. Thomas doing his best to quieten down the crowd for Rory in recent holes at least, after quite a lot of abuse. Rory steps up but misses and a good bit past. Looks a bit weary. Young leaves his birdie putt short.
Lowry misses his par putt, so it’s up to Rory to clean up for a half, which he makes.
Match 2: Good effort by DeChambeau but now Europe have two short attempts for birdie, which Fleetwood makes! Europe 2 up
Match 1: Lowry and McIlroy losing a bit of steam, Lowry with a poor iron from the fairway, McIlroy lays up well from the bunker though. Young goes for it from 286 yards, into the bunker.
Match 2: Rose is called a “grandpa” by a tedious bore in the crowd. Fleetwood hits it close to 6 feet, then Rose hits it inside him to 3 feet. Unreal golf. Americans can’t match it, DeChambeau is the best at 20 feet.
Match 1: McIlroy is in the bunker off the tee, Lowry on the fairway as are the two Americans at the par 5 13th.
Match 4: It happens again. Burns holes a 36 footer for birdie, then Fitzpatrick follows him in from 32 feet. Europe just won’t give an inch!
Match 3: Finally a bit of life in the Americans as JJ Spaun makes a 45 footer for birdie. Rahm can’t follow it up, and USA bring one back. Europe 1 up
Match 2: McIlroy has a decent putt for birdie but doesn’t move on him from mid-range. Hole halved.
Match 2: DeChambeau gets the crowd going with a birdie at the 11th, a big fist bump and geeing up gesture to the gallery. That match is back to Europe 1 up
Match 2: A rare mistake by Rose at the 11th as he pulls it long and left over the green. Two good shots by Scheffler and DeChambeau, Bryson is closer.
Match 4: Finally some action in the final match as Fitzpatrick knocks in a birdie to make it three blue on the board again. Dominant. Europe 1 up
Match 1: McIlroy three-putts for bogey, and Lowry leaves himself a testy one for par to stay all square, which he gets!
Match 3: That man again! Rahm wins with a birdie at the 9th hole. Europe 2 up
Nobody has won a hole yet from Match 4, the final match. Only one birdie each in fourballs on a receptive course. Not a classic.
Match 2: But the second match is a birdie fest and Fleetwood gets rewarded for his brilliant approach. Scheffler hit the flag and went off the green and couldn’t chip in.
Match 2: Fleetwood knocks it within a foot at the 10th as Scheffler hits the flagstick!
Match 1: Lowry misses the green at the 11th as McIlroy from the bunker leaves himself a long way away on the green. Young’s shot is on the green, outside chance of birdie. Thomas with the best of the lot to 10 feet.
Match 1: Lowry is in the bunker on the 10th, McIlroy is well down the fairway. Average enough shot by the Americans leaves a door open for McIlroy but he pulls it a bit and not too near the hole.
Match 2: Fleetwood maybe showing a bit of fatigue this evening and misses a 5 footer for birdie that would have won the hole. Still ahead in the match.
Match 1: Justin Thomas knocks in a birdie putt from 20 feet at the 9th. So now Lowry needs a birdie to halve. Lowry misses. Oh no, too much pace and the match is back to all square.
Match 2: A bizzare shot by DeChambeau from the fringe rough with his putter as he almost double hit it. Scheffler’s putt is poor too, well short at the 8th.
It’s up to Rose, who birdies yet again! Inspired stuff by the Englishman and puts Europe ahead 1 up. He walks it in.
Match 1: Another cracker by Lowry who has lit up on this front 9! 9 feet for Lowry, 12 feet for Young. McIlroy lips out from further out, great effort though.
When the abuse reached (what we hope) was its peak and doesn’t get worse:
Match 1: Great effort by Rory to lag it up close to the hole and let Lowry go for it. He misses sadly. Can still win it if Thomas misses a decent length par putt. Which he gets.
Match 2: DeChambeau lips out for birdie from distance, good effort. Sets the stage for Rose to win the hole... and birdie for Rose! Match A/S. Back to no red on the board.
Match 1: Unfortunately the excellent Cameron Young drains a massive putt from 36 feet on 7 to win the hole for USA against McIlroy/Lowry. Europe 1 up
On the next hole, Young pulls his tee shot into the bunker. Thomas misses the green too long and left. Great shot by Lowry, to about 20 feet on the green. McIlroy down the right of the green, not as good.
Match 2: Another brilliant shot by the inspired Rose at the 7th, carrying the challenge this evening.
Match 2: Birdie for Scheffler. But again Justin Rose holes a birdie putt to keep it at only 1 up for the USA.
Match 1: Lowry bangs another down the middle, flying it since all this happened.
Match 4: Brilliant shot to the par 5 4th by Fitzpatrick, threatens the hole and gives himself a good eagle chance.
Match 1: Poor wedge by McIlroy unfortunately towards the back of the green. Lowry steps up with a good wedge but Young should birdie the 6th.
McIlroy refusing to take his putt while the shouting goes on, backs away again. Lowry comes over to have a chat, this is getting nasty.
That a boy Shane! Birdie for Lowry! Gives it back to them. Lowry has now gone eagle-birdie-birdie.
Here’s Lowry’s eagle
Match 1: Another big drive by McIlroy on the 6th, who can let loose without much worry of the rough. Cameron Young after a great drive hits a great wedge to close though.
Match 2: DeChambeau looking inspired with the world number 1 and goes eagle-birdie himself to put USA ahead in that match. USA 1 up
Match 1: Birdie for Lowry! He goes birdie-eagle to silence the New York fans. What a run and he loves it. Europe 2 up
Match 2: DeChambeau then bringing the noise for the USA, nearly with an albatross at the par 5! Stunning shot, but seems like eagles are needed to make any dent on the Europeans. Match back to all square
Match 1: Nasty, low-brow heckling for Lowry, mentioning his weight as he stuffs another approach close at the 5th. McIlroy is told he “sucks” as he hits one even closer. Not working, New Yorkers.
Well then Lowry coming in with a bang there to put the Irish lads in front.
It’s all blue on the board again as...
Match 3: Birdie for Straka! He puts Europe 1 up. This could be a mauling the way it’s going.
Match 2: The first move of the foursomes and it’s Justin Rose. Three birdies in a row! Europe 1 up
Match 1: Two eagle chances for the Irish lads. McIlroy gets heckled again as he’s taking his putt (what’s with that?), so it’s upto Lowry and he holes it!
Eagle for Lowry! Gives it socks to the crowd when he does it. Europe 1 up
Match 2: Another cracker by Rose at the 3rd, he has come out on fire today against the strong American pairing.
Match 1: That’s more like it Shane, big shot by Lowry to the middle of the green at the par 5. Typically massive drive by McIlroy, and joins him on the green. Young misses, Thomas on the green too.
Match 4: If you’re wondering why Hatton is out there, he is a late replacement for Viktor Hovland, who reported having a sore neck after his foursomes match. He goes out with Fitzpatrick. No holes won yet, with birdies the order of the day.
Match 2: Rose is in the zone, hits an excellent approach to close at the 2nd, putting pressure on the Americans. Scheffler follows him, birdies are the order of the day.
Match 3: Straka mishits his wedge but the other three are all within a few feet.
From earlier:
Data Golf also points out that 5 players have been by far and away the best this Ryder Cup so far, and four of them are American:
Cameron Young is +6.5 strokes gained, but Fleetwood (+5.5), Fitzpatrick (+4.7), Rahm (+4.46), McIlroy (+3.19) are all bringing it. Hard to beat that.
Match 3: Rahm with a great drive off the 1st, long and down the fairway, the best of the lot.
He birdies the first at least:
Match 2: DeChambeau and Scheffler are both very close at the first, Fleetwood and Rose will have to make a putt to halve probably. Rose makes the birdie! Relentless. All square
Match 1: Good shot by Rory to decent range for birdie, the closest of the group. Can’t make the putt though.
Tommy Fleetwood is the image of composure following on from Justin Rose.
DeChambeau sends a stormer over the trees to find the green. He looks fired up after his point in the foursomes earlier.
In the opening match, McIlroy and Lowry tied the first with Thomas and Young, all pars.
The Match 2 players are out ready to be introduced to the crowd. It’s Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose again pairing up for Europe, facing Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau.
Meanwhile in Match 1, Young also fails to sink his shot. Chance for Lowry and McIlroy.
Thomas fails to sink his long putt for the birdie and concedes, leaving it to Young.
Big boos for Europe now as McIlroy lines up his putt. It just skims the edge of the hole. Millimetres.
Lowry first up again, debating his club choice 95 yards from the pin. His shot drops just short of the green and takes a little roll back.
Justin Thomas next up. Opposite result to Lowry, he sends it beyond pin. Young finds the sweet spot with his effort, McIlroy a yard or two off him.
Rory next. Mammoth shot from him to send it over the trees.
Cameron Young follows suit before Justin Thomas goes Lowry’s route.
Off we trot down the fairway.
Match 1 players being presented at the first tee. Bit of a boo for McIlroy and Lowry.
Lowry up first. Lovely drive from him to stick to the fairway.
Europe captain Luke Donald is making his way down to the first tee ahead of the four-balls session.
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry will be the first of his charges to tee off in the next few minutes, facing USA’s Justin Thomas and Cameron Young.
“There’s heckling and banter and, then, there is verbal abuse, and Rory McIlroy was subjected to some outrageous personal brickbats which were aimed not just at him but also his wife during the morning foursomes of the second day’s play in this 45th Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black,” Philip Reid writes from New York of Saturday’s early session.
“At one point, McIlroy – who had gone out of his way to state his admiration for the United States before the match, citing that he had an American wife and an American daughter and lived in the country – was forced to back off his shot on the 16th, not for the first time of the round, and clearly exasperated, shouted: ‘Shut the f**k up!’”
Read Philip’s report on Saturday’s foursomes in full below:
So McIlroy and Lowry will be out again together, at 5.25pm. Amazingly even if Europe lose all four afternoon matches, they will still be leading heading into Sunday. But with the Americans stronger in the singles, they will be targeting at least 10.5 points with two wins - a historically unassailable number for the team behind.
Match 4: Bob MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland beat Russell Henley and Scottie Scheffler 1 up
What a scalp as Scheffler has now lost 3 out of 3 matches at Bethpage. Par enough to win the last hole and Europe go 5 ahead.
Afternoon fourball pairings announced:
Thomas-Young v McIlroy-Lowry
Scheffler-DeChambeau v Fleetwood-Rose
Spaun-Schauffele v Rahm-Straka
Burns-Cantlay v Hovland-Fitzpatrick
So Europe up with one hole left, MacIntyre is in the semi rough off the tee. Henley hits a great drive down the fairway.
Wow, Scheffler misses the green from the middle of the fairway. Terrible shot at what is usually a strength in his game, ball-striking. Hovland hits the middle of the green.
MacIntyre from 90 feet almost goes off the green, 12 feet to the fringe. Henley misses the birdie putt, so it’s all on Hovland then to rescue the hole.
Hovland holes it! Unreal
No dice from Henley, so MacIntyre has a chance to go 2 up with two to go, but he also misses, so Europe still 1 up with two to go.
On the 17th hole, mediocre shot from Hovland, well away from the hole. 90 feet Scheffler takes advantage and hits it 12 feet. Big advantage US
Meanwhile on the Rory incident:
“I don’t mind them having a go at us. Like that’s to be expected. I mean, that’s what an away Ryder Cup is. Whenever they are still doing it while you are over the ball and trying to hit your shot, that’s the tough thing. You know, look, in between shots, say whatever you want to me. That’s totally fine. But give us the respect to let us hit shots, and give us the same chance that the Americans have, I guess.”
Scheffler hits an okay iron shot onto the green but a tough ask to hole for birdie from there.
Hovland takes it straight at the hole and spins back to 17 feet.
We all wanted a close Ryder Cup this year, but we would have never thought a home team could be as far off it as the Americans have been so far. Almost needing Scheffler and Henley to get something from the final game to keep the interest going.
America are here for the taking in the final matches, and Hatton does it!
Match 3: Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton win 3&2 against Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.
Match 4: Scheffler’s leaves the putt up the slope well short, but so does Hovland from the other side.
MacIntyre makes the par! So does Henley and Europe still 1 up.
Match 4: MacIntyre hits it to the back of the green at the 15th, Henley on the front a ong bit away.
Match 3: Rahm with a brilliant approach at the 16th hole to close! Schauffele makes the mistake of spinning it back off the green.
Match 4: “Get in the bunker” shouts a heckler, but these Europeans are trained on VR headsets, that’s not gonna bother them much as MacIntyre hits it to 5 feet and Hovland holes the putt. Back ahead! Europe 1 up
Match 3: Rahm misses a birdie putt on the 15th and the Americans survive, but running out of holes.
Match 2: Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood win 3&2 against Harris English and Collin Morikawa!
The winning shot by McIlroy with that wedge as Morikawa misses the putt:
“It’s Rory McIlroy, I can play from the places he hits it! We’re close off the course, our families are so close. I’m lucky to play alongside him, I’ll take that any day.” - Fleetwood
“You’ve got to focus on the task at hand. You stick together with your partner. What Tommy just said, the feeling is mutual. We’ve backed up Rome with two wins here” - McIlroy.
Match 4: Birdie for USA. Henley knocks it in from Scheffler’s approach to bring the final match back to all square.
Match 2: English and Morikawa have gone for broke and English has hit it close again. Getting a bit hairy now.
But a brilliant response by McIlroy, a short iron to 3 feet!
Before the shot, crowd reaction as an American shouts “FREEDOM!” just before Rory hit and he says back “shut the f**k up”. That shut them up for the moment anyway.
Match 3: Big par putt by Hatton after not the best chip by Rahm as Rahm/Hatton stay 2 up with four to go against Cantlay/Schauffele.
Match 4: Disappointing wedge by Hovland as he doesn’t get the spin from the wedge, door open for Scheffler to put it close. Which he does, but not quite gimme range.
Match 2: A surprising rally by the much derided pairing Morikawa and English. From 213 yards up the hill at the tough 15th, Morikawa hits a wonder fairway wood to 16 feet and English knocks it in for birdie. Fleetwood Mac only 2 up now with 3 to go after McIlroy had a putt to win the match on the 14th. Europe 2 up
Match 1: Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Young win 4&2 against Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Aberg
Well deserved win for the Americans, Young gets his second point of the Ryder Cup.
Match 4: Scheffler has come to life, an iron to inside 2 feet at the 12th. Hovland then does his best to match him, hitting it to 5 feet. MacIntyre makes it to halve the hole!
Match 2: English goes way right on the 15th as McIlroy is long and just in the rough, but sitting up lovely.
Match 3: Big hook by Cantlay at the par 5 13th with a wood, Hatton much closer to the green with his fairway wood.
Match 1: Aberg lips out at the 15th for birdie, great effort, but just not his day. Dormie 3 for the Americans there.
Match 2: McIlroy with a putt to win the match at the 14th, which he knocks quite a bit past as he goes at it aggressively. Then Fleetwood misses, a bit sloppy. Europe 3 up
Match 4: Scheffler knocks it in for birdie, could have done it with a par though. Europe 1 up
Match 4: USA need to pick off something from the final two matches and a chance at the 11th as MacIntyre flies the green and Henley hits it relatively close. Hovland then chips over the green, so the Americans should take advantage.
Match 3: Rahm and Hatton go two up! Rahm’s brilliant approach is taken advantage of by Hatton and an important move at a key time. Europe 2 up
Match 3: Another cracker by Rahm, giving up nothing, to 5 feet at the 12th. Schauffele hits it only 45 feet, big chance for Europe there.
Match 1: DeChambeau unleashes one down the middle at the long 15th and with the Americans 3 up, should be a win you’d imagine. But it’s a struggle for them in the other matches.
Match 2: McIlroy/Fleetwood in the trees at the par 5 13th, but Rory manages to get to the front of the green successfully.
Match 4: Scheffler finally gets the putter going from 15 feet but it’s only for par to stay 2 down.
Match 3: Another piece of Spanish short-game magic from Jon Rahm to hit it close and rescue Hatton. Schauffele then misses his birdie putt. Big half there, Europe still 1 up.
Match 1: Another iron approach nailed by Cameron Young to 8 feet at the 14th puts pressure on Fitzpatrick and he misses the green in the fringe. Young has been the star for the US team and surely has to play in the evening session.
Match 1: Big error by Aberg as he thins a pitch through the green at the 13th. DeChambeau is in worse shape though, in a bad lie with a tree in the way. Hits it over the green too.
Match 3: Cantlay still battling away and hits a great shot and chance for birdie. Hatton overshoots the green from the bunker, gone a bit ragged on them.
Match 2: Another dart by McIlroy, who has been sensational. English hits it to 6 feet, McIlroy hits it 2 feet! Both made but another one down and 4 up.
Match 4: Another one slips by for Scheffler, birdie chances have come and went for the Americans. MacIntyre then holes a par with a great up and down to stay 2 up.
Maybe the Americans need Furyk out there for a bit of energy:
Match 4: Hovland birdie from the fringe at 8! Scheffler misses the putt for a half. Europe 2 up
Match 2: Fleetwood hits the flag and nearly pitches in for an eagle 2 at the 11th!
Match 3: Very poor drive by Hatton at the 10th will put them under pressure.
Match 1: Decent shot by Aberg to 15 feet, but DeChambeau outdoes it to hit to 5 feet.
Match 3: Good iron approach by Cantlay to the back corner of the green at 9 after Hatton overhits the green.
Match 1: Aberg just misses a big birdie chance to get one back, 3 down.
Match 2: Fleetwood chips to 6 feet and McIlroy gets the par. Should be hard to beat from there.
Match 2: Mistake by McIlroy going left at 10, English hits a good iron to the middle of the green.
Match 4: High-quality match this one as Henley and MacIntyre hit the greens with fairway woods at the tough par 4 7th.
Match 3: Pitched in for birdie by Jon Rahm! Incredible shot from a tough lie standing in the bunker. Good chip attempt by Schauffele but can’t make it. Europe 1 up
Match 1: Aberg can’t make par as he can’t rescue the damage of a poor approach into this hole. DeChambeau makes par and wins the hole. USA 3 up
Match 4: Henley gets one back at the 6th after holing a birdie. Europe 1 up
Match 1: Awkward stance for Fitzpatrick at the 10th with the ball stuck up on the bank of the bunker. He overhits the green from the tough spot, but could be another bogey here for the Europeans.
Match 3: Mistake by Cantlay as he pulls it left on the par 3 8th. Hatton follows him into a similar place.
Match 3: Not a great chip by Rahm at the 7th, but not a great bunker shot by Schauffele, but not worry for them as Cantlay knocks in the par putt. Hatton from 13 feet to halve the hole, goes wide, and that game has gone from 2 up to all square. A/S
Match 1: DeChambeau birdies the 9th from 16 feet... but Aberg matches him from 7 feet. That’s a half. USA 2 up
Match 2: Almost another birdie for Rory and Fleetwood on the 8th, but they get a gift with a bogey from the woeful English and Morikawa grouping. Europe 4 up
Match 4: MacIntyre and Hovland go 2 up as Henley misses a par putt at the 5th. He’s struggles so far. Europe 2 up
Match 2: Fleetwood leaves it short with his approach at the 7th, McIlroy’s pitch is well short. But USA probably not going to take advantage, English leaves his bunker shot well short of the pin too.
But Fleetwood makes par from 20 feet again! Loving it on the greens the past few days. Morikawa doesn’t even threaten the hole from 10 feet. Europe 3 up
Match 3: Cantlay knocks in a birdie at the 6th from 11 feet. Hatton to halve the hole from 8 feet.. which he gets. Europe 1 up
Match 1: Aberg misses from six feet! That’s a big few holes for the Americans. USA 2 up
Match 4: Scheffler holes from 16 feet for birdie after a clumsy enough chip by Henley. Hovland from six feet makes it though for a half.
Match 1: A rare bogey by Fitzpatrick and Aberg and USA take advantage as Young takes advantage to put some red on the board. USA 1 up
He then hits a dart at the eighth to three feet! Fitzpatrick responds well though, hitting it to six feet for birdie.
Match 3: Another mistake by Europe, Hatton misses a short putt to reduce the deficit to one. Europe 1 up
Match 2: A rare mistake by McIlroy on the 6th, who dumps it right in the bunker with a wedge. Shades of the mishit wedge at 13 at Augusta earlier in the year. Still a chance for Fleetwood to get up and down though.
Match 1: Mediocre pitch by Aberg leaves Fitzpatrick with work to do for par at 7.
Some people complaining about Bethpage Black playing too easy this week, considerably easier than even the average punter would play it, never mind set up for US Open conditions.
The result of the set-up seems to have backfired for the Americans so far, traditionally they are stronger in that sort of format but have negated the advantage of premium ball-strikers like Scottie Scheffler in harder conditions.
Match 4: MacIntyre birdies! Drains it at pace from 20 feet. Europe 1 up
Match 2: McIlroy birdie! Incredible stuff, 22 feet straight in at the 5th. Four birdies in a row in foursomes, how can you beat that? Europe 2 up
Match 1: Aberg hits the better of the approaches at the sixth after USA were down the right. Fitzpatrick’s putt was a good one but just slides by.
Match 2: “Hey HackIlroy” Rory hears but still early enough for the heckles with the beer not readily available at 8.20pm local time. Fleetwood hits it middle of the green at the 5th.
Match 3: Great approach by Schauffele at the par 3 3rd to close, Rahm hits a good one too though so Europe has a chance of birdie too... which Hatton makes! Rahm and Hatton are a menace in this format. Cantlay follows them in for a birdie.
Match 2: McIlroy/Fleetwood halve the par 5 with birdies.
Match 2: Best approach at the 2nd by Rahm, hitting from the rough helping the spin. It’s good enough to win the hole as the Americans were in the trees and couldn’t make par. Europe 2 up
Match 1: Young misses the green, Fitzpatrick safely on at the 5th.
Match 4: Henley with a beautiful wedge shot, which spins back to a few feet. MacIntyre does the same but more spin to about 7 of 8 feet. Well holed for the birdie by Hovland, Scheffler does the same for a half.
Match 2: Birdie for Fleetwood! Another one at the 3rd after a brilliant iron to 7 feet by McIlroy. Such a strong pairing they’ve proved to be. Europe 1 up
Match 1: The top match is back to all square as Fitzpatrick chips it stone dead for birdie, Young’s bunker shot is to about 7 or 8 feet and DeChambeau can’t convert. A/S
Match 4: Best European drive of the day by Hovland in the final match. Scheffler hits the fairway too.
Match 2: Fleetwood birdie! Holes from the fringe of the green, what a putt! Match A/S
Match 3: Good shot by Cantlay from the trees to about 20 feet behind the hole. Outshone massively by a stunning wedge shot to a foot by Hatton! They win the hole after Schauffele misses the putt. Europe 1 up
Match 1: Aberg goes to the right of the green in two at the par 5 4th, DeChambeau hits it in the bunker.
Match 3: Wayward drive by Schauffele at the 1st, Rahm also off the fairway on the right.
Match 2: McIlroy and English do the same thing as the first match and spin it off the front at the 2nd.
Match 1: Chip-in by Cameron Young. A man inspired and another birdie. Great effort by Fitzpatrick, but the putt just slips by. Americans up in both of the first two matches. USA 1 up
Match 2: So close! McIlroy’s chip was looking in all the way but lips out, very unlucky. Birdie for English, well holed. USA 1 up
Match 1: Aberg hits the middle of the green at the par 3 3rd. DeChambeau goes over the green but closer in the fringe.
Match 1: Great chip by Fitzpatrick to a few inches from the hole. Young chips it about 5 feet past, but DeChambeau makes it for the half on the 2nd.
Match 2: Fleetwood is 110 yards in the rough, but bounces through to the rough on the other side of the green. Morikawa hit his approach to about 10 feet.
McIlroy launches one but doesn’t cut enough of the corner and goes well down the left into the gallery. English hits it into the right fringe.
Match 1: Aberg from 110 yards spins way back into the fringe with a wedge. DeChambeau does the same, but goes further into the rough on the front.
Not much rough at Bethpage, big-hitting Penge would have been an asset.
Two lovely drives by Young and Fitzpatrick as ‘Fleetwood Mac’ - Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood come out on the tee.
What a shot Cameron Young! Spins it in to a foot of the hole. Hard to match that. Not a bad effort though by Fitzpatrick to 10 feet or so.
Aberg birdies! Massive response by the Swede to tie the first hole. They won’t be intimidated.
They’re off! Aberg hits it well into the rough on the right, not the best start. “USA, USA” and “De-Cham-beau” ring out as Bryson looks to launch one at the first. Right in the middle of the fairway as expected.
Some stats from yesterday:
Best strokes gained from the foursomes -
Matt Fitzpatrick +4.2
Tyrrell Hatton 1.8
Bryson DeChambeau 1.3
Rory McIlroy 1.2
Tommy Fleetwood 0.9
Best strokes gained from the fourballs -
Cameron Young +3.5
Justin Thomas 2.8
Tommy Fleetwood 2.8
Rory McIlroy 2.3
Patrick Cantlay 1.4
If Matt Fitzpatrick replicates the form from yesterday, Europe will be hard to beat in the opening match, but same could be said about Cameron Young.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the second day of the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York. It was a day to remember for the Europeans yesterday as they took a three-point lead - 5.5 to 2.5 - but as US captain Keegan Bradley said, it’s only 28 per cent of the total points that have been played for. Expect a big response from the American players today, but the European star players and stalwarts have been in form - Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy have won 5.5 out of a possible 6 points so far. Whereas the American duo of Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau went without a point on the opening day. A strange pick by Bradley to choose Harris English and Collin Morikawa to play Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood again.
Here are the tee times for the foursomes:
12.10pm: Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Young v Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Åberg
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
