Europe Dominates Morning Foursomes at Bethpage Black
The 45th Ryder Cup kicked off with a stunning display of dominance from Team Europe, who silenced the home crowd at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, New York, by seizing a commanding 3-1 lead after the opening foursomes session. Team USA, seeking to reclaim the trophy on home soil, was left reeling after being decisively outplayed in three of the four morning matches on Friday, September 26.
The European charge began early and was relentless. The powerhouse pairings of Jon Rahm & Tyrrell Hatton, Ludvig Åberg & Matt Fitzpatrick, and Rory McIlroy & Tommy Fleetwood secured victories with remarkable ease. Across those three matches, the Europeans completely controlled the play, winning a combined 18 holes compared to just four for their American counterparts. The results underscored a challenging start for U.S. Captain Keegan Bradley, whose top pairings struggled to find their rhythm.
Day 1 Morning Foursomes Results:
- Jon Rahm & Tyrrell Hatton (EUR) def. Bryson DeChambeau & Justin Thomas (USA), 4&3
- Ludvig Åberg & Matt Fitzpatrick (EUR) def. Scottie Scheffler & Russell Henley (USA), 5&3
- Rory McIlroy & Tommy Fleetwood (EUR) def. Collin Morikawa & Harris English (USA), 5&4
- Xander Schauffele & Patrick Cantlay (USA) def. Robert MacIntyre & Viktor Hovland (EUR), 2 UP
The lone point for the United States came from the experienced and reliable duo of Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. In a tense battle, they held off a late charge from Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland to win 2 UP, preventing a disastrous morning sweep for the home side.
USA Looks to Rebound in Afternoon Four-Balls
Facing a significant deficit, Captain Bradley was forced to shuffle his strategy for the afternoon four-ball (better ball) session. Both teams introduced entirely new pairings, with all eight players who sat out the morning session seeing action. The pressure is now squarely on the Americans to mount a comeback and narrow the gap before the weekend.
As noted by digitaltrendstoday.com, Team Europe entered the event with a significant experience advantage, featuring only one Ryder Cup rookie compared to four for the United States. This dynamic may have played a role in the morning’s outcome, as European veterans appeared unfazed by the famously boisterous New York crowd.
Day 1 Afternoon Four-Ball Pairings:
- 12:25 p.m. ET: Scottie Scheffler & J.J. Spaun (USA) vs. Jon Rahm & Sepp Straka (EUR)
- 12:41 p.m. ET: Ben Griffin & Bryson DeChambeau (USA) vs. Tommy Fleetwood & Justin Rose (EUR)
- 12:57 p.m. ET: Cameron Young & Justin Thomas (USA) vs. Ludvig Åberg & Rasmus Højgaard (EUR)
- 1:13 p.m. ET: Sam Burns & Patrick Cantlay (USA) vs. Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry (EUR)
The afternoon matchups feature several compelling storylines, including a showdown between Patrick Cantlay and Rory McIlroy, reigniting a rivalry that flared up at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome. With 28 total points available throughout the three-day event, the U.S. team needs to secure 14.5 points to win the cup outright. A 14-14 tie would see Europe, as the defending champions, retain the trophy. As the afternoon session unfolds, the Americans will need to harness the energy of the home crowd and deliver a much-needed counterpunch to keep their hopes of redemption alive.
