Europe currently dominates the 45th edition of the Ryder Cup after the first day with a score of 2.5-5.5 following their victory in the afternoon fourballs session by 1.5-2.5. Donald’s team is giving no respite to the host team, which on this Friday has not found a way to truly ignite Bethpage and turn it into the powerful and intimidating weapon it was expected to be.
Jon Rahm, who has won his two points (the second alongside Sepp Straka in the best ball format, breaking the resistance of the World Number One, Scottie Scheffler), and Rory McIlroy, with a string of five birdies this afternoon and a titan-like finish, have positioned themselves today at the pinnacle of this Ryder. There’s a long way to go, that’s true, but let’s see who can bring them down from there. They have shown their team, practically the same as two years ago in Rome, that once again all roads lead to the Eternal City: at Marco Simone, at the end of the first day, the continental squad was leading by 6.5-1.5, a very similar result, although even more overwhelming.
The ‘hell effect’ of Bethpage, it must be insisted, has so far been dissolved, blurred, although in the afternoon the tight scores in several matches have certainly raised the decibel levels. The American fans are up for it, but they need to be fired up from inside the ropes. In New York and anywhere else, let’s stop kidding ourselves. The great and almost only good news for the stars and stripes team has been the stunning debut of Cameron Young, who won his match alongside Justin Thomas by 6 and 5 against Aberg and Hojgaard.
Fourballs session, Friday afternoon:
1. Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka win by 3 and 2 against Scottie Scheffler and J. J. Spaun.
Rahm didn’t start very sharp, just like in the morning, although this time he warmed up much earlier and, moreover, to display a splendid game. A chipped shot holed by Straka on the 2nd hole neutralised an early local advantage and almost from that point, the Spaniard was going to take the match on his shoulders, with a dazzling series of six birdies on holes 3, 4, 8, 11, 13, and 15, with special mention for the last one, the 15th hole, where he holed a six-metre putt to neutralise a great putt just holed by Scheffler from a bit further away, which could have complicated things in the final stretch for the European pair. Scheffler, before reaching this final stretch, seemed at times disoriented on the greens, it must be said, and when he found a way to harm the rival pair, he crashed against Rahm’s brilliant response. Spaun’s debut, by the way, wasn’t bad. In fact, he carried the weight of the pair at several moments. Scottie has yet to score in this Ryder, which is undoubtedly a surprise and a major problem for Keegan Bradley.
2. Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood win by 1 up against Bryson DeChambeau and Ben Griffin.
Intense duel, very intense, pure Ryder essence, resolved on the 18th hole with a birdie by Justin Rose. The two Englishmen were behind on the scoreboard for a long time, but always giving the impression of having the match reasonably under control and shifting gears in the decisive stretch. Rose and Fleetwood are, like Rory and Jon, two fundamental pillars of this team and have responded as such.
3. Cameron Young and Justin Thomas win by 6 and 5 against Ludvig Aberg and Rasmus Hojgaard.
Match with two debutants, Young and Hojgaard, with a happy, dazzling ending for the American, and rather grey for the Dane, who never felt comfortable practically at any moment, too out of rhythm on the greens. Aberg lacked the bite when he was the one keeping the continental duo’s options alive, while Young kept pulling fantastic shots out of the hat. Thomas improved significantly in the afternoon from the horrendous performances shown with the putter in the morning foursomes and notably accompanied the debutant Young’s display.
4. Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns draw against Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry.
It’s true, Rory didn’t win his match in the fourballs session. But it’s not always necessary to confirm oneself as a difference-maker. Cantlay has once again demonstrated that he is one of the toughest competitors one can encounter in this competition, but Rory responded to his rivals’ birdies (Cantlay on the 16th and Burns on the 17th) with equally valuable birdies when it really seemed the balance was tipping towards the American side. Lowry showed his class here and there, of course, but he still lacks an extra gear in this competition, that’s the truth. Rory even had a good birdie chance on the 18th, which would have been his sixth of the day, to have taken the full point, but it wasn’t going to drop.
Europe, ultimately, has picked up in this first day the thread it let go two years ago on the 18th hole of the Roman Marco Simone. Under the orders of Luke Donald, they continue to show themselves as a very compact, very solid team and certainly not easily impressed. The blues have found themselves more comfortable than their rivals on these soft greens of Bethpage, and Keegan Bradley finds himself against the ropes too soon, with three of his fundamental pillars currently deactivated: Scheffler, DeChambeau… And Bethpage.
