Europe crushes US in Ryder Cup: Dominates and nears title

The bleeding continued for the American team in the 45th edition of the Ryder Cup, held on Saturday. The Americans suffered three defeats in four foursomes matches, falling behind the Europeans with a score of 8.5-3.5 in what is quickly becoming a “Bethpage Black Blowout”. For the third consecutive session, things didn’t go well for the United States team, with only one of their three losses reaching the 17th hole. If a miraculous comeback doesn’t happen, the U.S. team risks losing the Ryder Cup for the eleventh time in the last 15 matches, and falling to the Europeans on American soil for the first time since 2012. Europe is the second visiting team to win each of the first three sessions of a Ryder Cup.

“We are excited about the situation of our team, and we have to keep our foot on the accelerator”

Rory McIlroy

The American team of Scottie Scheffler, world number 1, and Russell Henley, had the opportunity to come back in the anchor match, but Henley missed a 13-foot birdie attempt on the 17th hole, which would have won the hole. On the 18th hole, Scheffler hit one of the worst shots of his career, sending a wedge from 116 yards into the right rough. Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland had two putts to win the match. Scheffler’s defeat, by 1 up, left him with a 0-3 record this week. He hasn’t won in his last seven Ryder Cup matches, going back to Europe’s 16.5-11.5 victory in Italy two years ago. Jon Rahm of Spain and Tyrrell Hatton of England continued to torment the Americans, defeating Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele 3 and 2, giving the Europeans a 7.5-3.5 lead.

Every time the Europeans seemed to be in trouble, Rahm rescued them with his incredible short game. On the 8th hole, a bad tee shot from Hatton left Rahm with an awkward stance on a bank above a bunker next to the green. Somehow, with his feet in the sand and the ball in the rough above him, Rahm holed it from 49 feet for birdie.

Rahm has a 9-1-3 record in his last 13 Ryder Cup matches; Rahm and Hatton have never lost in a foursomes match playing together. The Americans earned their only point of the session with a 4 and 2 victory by Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Young over Matt Fitzpatrick of England and Ludvig Åberg of Sweden. The U.S. team won four of the first 10 holes, and the European duo was never able to exert much pressure. Young, who grew up in New York and set the scoring record at Bethpage Black at age 20, became the first American rookie to win his first two Ryder Cup matches, both by at least four holes, since Patrick Reed in 2014. Young and Justin Thomas defeated Åberg and Rasmus Højgaard 6 and 5 in a four-ball match on Friday.

Young’s pairs only lost one hole in their first two matches.

“For our country, it was to step on the gas pedal,” said DeChambeau. “Cam played incredibly today. We hit well, executed when necessary, and put pressure on them all day. They struggled to gain momentum, and when we had our opportunities, we took advantage of them.”

Bryson DeChambeau

Europe didn’t have to wait long to go three points up in the match, as McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood won again, 3 and 2 over Collin Morikawa and Harris English. English and Morikawa were 4 down after eight holes, and Bradley will surely be criticized for sending them back together after they were defeated 5 and 4 by McIlroy and Fleetwood in foursomes on Friday. The American pair won consecutive holes at the end of the match before it ended on the 16th hole. Fleetwood now has a 10-3-2 record in his Ryder Cup career, the highest winning percentage (.733) among the 51 European golfers who have competed in at least 10 matches, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Fleetwood and McIlroy have a 4-0-0 record in foursomes matches together.

“It’s Rory McIlroy,” Fleetwood said. “I can play from many of the places where he hits. Yes, we loved having the opportunity to play together in Rome. Our games combine well. Obviously, we are very close off the course. As Rory has already said, our families are very close. I’m the lucky one who plays with him in foursomes, and I accept that.”

Tommy Fleetwood