– The United States cannot find a way to handle Europe. The foursomes on this second day were more evenly matched, more competitive, but the result was the same as Friday: a 1-3 European score for a total of 3.5-8.5, putting Keegan Bradley‘s team on the brink of disaster. The stars and stripes have now run out of room for manoeuvre. They have no choice but to make a comeback and, to start with, win the fourballs decisively this afternoon to reach Sunday’s singles with a chance of victory.
– Jon Rahm has once again stood out within the strong and solid continental squad. The Spaniard, alongside Tyrrell Hatton, won his foursome against the toughest and most uncomfortable pair of the rival team (3 and 2), formed by Cantlay and Schauffele, but it must be acknowledged that the standout moments of the duel almost always belonged to the Spaniard, especially the chip-in on the 8th to win the hole against the Americans, hitting the ball with his feet in the bunker, in a really tricky position. For now, no one can challenge him. He appears to be in full control of situations, even the most difficult ones, patient and even cheerful, convinced that his moment in the match will come soon. And it does, indeed it does. And Hatton, who was a bit more erratic from tee to green today, always steps up, always there to sink tricky putts, it’s impossible to knock him out of the match, to make him drop his shoulders. They closed the duel on the 16th hole with a great shot from Jon, leaving the ball just a metre from the hole, for his partner to finish the job. That’s it.
– The Basque and the Englishman have already done more than enough in the three editions of the Ryder in which they have paired (2021, 2023, and 2025) to be knocking on the doors of records and history. Jon and Tyrrell have played five times together (one fourball in 2021, which they tied, and four foursomes in Rome and New York, which they have won), with a total of 4.5 points accumulated. If we look at the numbers of the European team throughout its history, we must consider that, after those twelve points won by Seve and Chema in fifteen matches, the next record to beat is the six points accumulated by three different pairs: Woosnam and Faldo in ten matches; Clarke and Westwood in eight matches; and Rose and Stenson in eight matches. The record of Ballesteros and Olazábal remains unreachable, but Rahm and Hatton might have a few more editions together to surpass those other records. In any case, and leaving aside Seve and Chema, these numbers demonstrate how incredibly difficult it is to score in a Ryder with the same partner.
On the other hand, it’s worth noting Rahm’s individual record in foursomes, as he has played six and won them all, just like Tommy Fleetwood. Both, with such numbers, are already on the brink of legend, no less. And it says a lot about them that they stand out so much in this intricate and delicate format.
– Fleetwood, precisely, won alongside Rory McIlroy with great authority in their duel this morning against English and Morikawa (3 and 2), although with some last-minute trouble of no major importance. This American pair, for example, now that we were referring to how difficult it is to build a successful and lasting duo, we are unlikely to see them again in a Ryder Cup, whether they are on the team or not. Their passage through Bethpage has been rather inconsequential.
– Cameron Young remains the lifeline to which the United States team and their captain, Keegan Bradley, can and must cling. The debutant has been the soul (and the weapon) of the pair he formed this morning with Bryson DeChambeau and who comfortably defeated Aberg and Fitzpatrick (4 and 2).
– The great disappointment and surprise of this Ryder remains the poor performance of the World Number One, Scottie Scheffler, who has already played three matches and has yet to score even half a point. This morning he fell alongside Russell Henley against a European duo, formed by MacIntyre and Hovland, who also did not display their best game, that’s the truth. What the Scot and the Norwegian have, however, is a lot of courage. Scheffler, however, was seen early on with an almost resigned expression, and that’s despite Henley playing better today than on Friday. It’s as if the Texan feels in advance, before hitting the ball, that nothing will go as he has planned this time. He still has time to somewhat improve his results, as he is going to play all five points (again the Tiger syndrome in the American team?), but redemption would only come if the United States completed an epic comeback. Right now, to be honest, there is not a single indication that suggests such a possibility, but Donald’s boys would do well not to consider any point as secured, at least until they reach the magic number of 14.5.
