The first foursomes session of this 45th edition of the Ryder Cup has turned out to be a severe setback for United States, the host team, which has been outplayed (and at times overwhelmed) by a very serious and solid Europe that is already leading the scoreboard 1-3. Three of the four matches, each in their own way, were resolved with great authority and convincing results by Donald’s team. In the end, however, in the fourth and final match, Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele salvaged the American team’s pride. When things were looking very grim, the American captain, Keegan Bradley, tried to rally the crowd by raising his arms, because the anticipated Bethpage inferno did not even reach purgatory status this morning. Their play did not generate much noise, and the greens of the New York colossus, with all the rain that has fallen, seemed more like those of a UK course, a bit more uneven and slower than they would have liked in the home locker room.
1. Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton win 4 and 3 against Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas.
The American duo’s effervescence barely lasted until the 2nd hole. They made a good birdie on the 1st, and on the 2nd, Thomas missed a good opportunity. After that, more noise than substance. Beside them, it is also true, the Spaniard and the Englishman were more enduring than anything else, although they got the job done with great skill and, above all, a lot of composure, waiting for their moment. And indeed, a moment of brilliance from Jon on the 6th hole, getting the ball to the green from a terrible position, finally changed the trend. From that point until the end of the match, the control was theirs. Hatton and Rahm found their rhythm (good shots, excellent putts), and no one could take them off it.
2. Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick win 5 and 3 against Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley.
It’s not about taking responsibility away from a World Number One like Scheffler, but certainly, Henley’s debut in the Ryder Cup was anything but fortunate or brilliant. He was too much of a burden on the greens and, in general, in almost every aspect of the game. Moreover, Fitzpatrick took the lead for the European pair with determination, surpassing Scheffler’s surgical precision at several moments. A key moment was undoubtedly what happened on the 5th hole. There, the Texan hit a trademark second shot, creating an excellent birdie opportunity, but the Englishman responded with a superb shot from the rough, leaving the birdie almost certain. From that moment (the Europeans won that hole), Scottie began to falter, and the European pair pulled away.
3. Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood win 5 and 4 against Collin Morikawa and Harris English.
The third thrashing of the day in a row. Rory and Tommy were imperious with a five-under-par score through the 8th hole in this foursomes format. Little more needs to be added. Beside them, the two Americans could barely offer resistance. The Englishman and the Northern Irishman were sublime, but perhaps the standout was McIlroy’s putting, lethal from those medium and short distances where many holes and points are won or lost. It’s well known that when Rory putts like that, he is usually unbeatable.
4. Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele win 2 up against Viktor Hovland and Robert MacIntyre.
It was the only match that reached the 18th hole. The Americans, without doing anything extraordinary, were 3 up just before the final third of the round, but at that point, the European duo showed their best side and won three almost consecutive holes to level the match. Overall, and although he improved as the match went on, Hovland’s start in this Ryder was more lacklustre than anything else, quite the opposite of what happened in Rome, although it somehow confirms a 2025 season for the Norwegian full of ups and downs. During the first two-thirds of the round, MacIntyre carried more weight, although neither showed their best side, especially from the tee. For their part, Cantlay and Schauffele kept their cool when things got tougher, showing great skill and the reason for their success in this type of competition: with the score tied, they played the 17th and 18th holes by the book, flawless, impeccable. Who knows if the point they rescued at the last moment will be decisive for their team’s fate at the end of the week.
Let’s not forget that seven years ago, not so long ago, in Paris, the host team fell in the first foursomes session, on Friday morning, by the same score (1-3) and then went on to come back to win the final victory. On that occasion, moreover, the saving point that the European team clung to also came in the fourth match, with the first of four victories that the pair formed by Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood would achieve. For the United States, however, what happens today in the second session of play, the fourballs, is of vital importance. Bradley’s team needs to heat up Bethpage somehow.
