Europe Takes the Lead in the Ryder Cup, United States Seeks a Comeback
Farmingdale, N.Y. – The 45th edition of the Ryder Cup kicked off with European dominance, leaving the United States with the task of making a comeback in the final two days at Bethpage Black. The stars of the European team, led by Tommy Fleetwood, Rory McIlroy, and Jon Rahm, shone brightly, while key figures of the American team such as Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau failed to score points. The Friday’s session began with the Europeans prevailing in the foursomes (alternate shot), and continued with victories in the four-ball (best ball), consolidating a 5.5 to 2.5 lead.The difference could have been greater for the United States, but a missed putt by McIlroy on the 18th hole of the last four-ball match prevented the Americans from falling further behind. The match between McIlroy and Shane Lowry against Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns ended in a tie.“An incredible day. Starting off on the right foot is crucial, and we knew about the strength of the United States in the foursomes. The guys fought to win the session this afternoon. I am very happy with our position,” commented the European captain, Luke Donald.
Luke Donald
On Saturday, the game format will be repeated, followed by 12 singles matches on Sunday. The Europeans need 14 points to retain the Ryder Cup, while the United States needs 14.5 points to win it back. For the United States, the task will not be easy. The Europeans have won the last six Ryder Cups in which they led after the first day. The last time this did not happen was in 1999. Scottie Scheffler, the world number 1, had a complicated start, losing both matches of the opening day. On the other hand, Jon Rahm proved his worth, remaining undefeated in his last nine doubles matches, one of the longest streaks in Ryder Cup history. Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy dominated Collin Morikawa and Harris English in foursomes, while Fleetwood and Justin Rose beat Bryson DeChambeau and Ben Griffin in four-ball.“We’ve played the first quarter of a football or basketball game. They played better than us today. They made more putts. But we knew this was going to be difficult. Our guys are in good spirits. They’re excited for tomorrow,” stated the American captain, Keegan Bradley.
Keegan Bradley
