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Damien Woods emails: “God bless the Americans but you never poke an Offalyman. Shane’s father, Brendan, scored a point in the all Ireland football final of 1982 when they were overwhelming underdogs but beat a Kerry team going for five in a row. Expect something similar today…”
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This could be getting tricky. Rory McIlroy has stepped off his putt once more. He and Shane Lowry are chatting to the officials, but not a lot is happening. McIlroy circles the shot then tries again … the ball lags close. There are jeers to follow. Dame Laura Davies on Sky Sports wants to head out there to sort it out. “Ridiculous,” she says. And it’s surely only going to get worse. Then Shane Lowry drains his birdie from 11 feet. It’s only for a half as Cam Young has a tap in, but it’s spicy!
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Updated at 20.06 CEST
Rory McIlroy is waiting to hit a putt. And he’s waiting. He wants quiet and he’s not getting it. Meanwhile, the situation:
Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 2UP (5)
Scheffler/DeChambeau 1UP v Fleetwood/Rose (5)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (3)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (3)
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The American big boys have lit the fuse. After his eagle-3 at 4, Bryson DeChambeau knocks his approach at 5 inside 7 feet, and Scottie Scheffler joins him in that range. Their opponents, meanwhile, are struggling for birdie. Justin Rose is up first from 34 feet and can only lag to gimme distance. Tommy Fleetwood is 18 feet away and his putt edges the hole but doesn’t drop. DeChambeau capitalises by finding the hole and there is now red on the board. Can their team mates match them?
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“No envelope situation,” reports Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir. He expands that Viktor Hovland stepped down for cautionary reasons this afternoon and will play in the singles. He also explains that Shane Lowry has had a fan removed from the property for bad behaviour.
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The Europeans can’t match the eagle of Bryson DeChambeau so the second match is now all square (or tied as the US scoring system prefers this week). Back on 2, Matt Fitzpatrick misses a 3-foot putt but Tyrrell Hatton helped him out from the same range. Shane Lowry drains another winning putt at the 5th and gives another roar from the heart.
Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 2UP (5)
Scheffler/DeChambeau A/S Fleetwood/Rose (4)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (3)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (2)
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Simon McMahon is enjoying the fiery scenes: “Absolutely tremendous from Shane Lowry there on 5, giving it the full eff you plus bonus finger jabbing at the punter who had heckled McIlroy moments before. You just don’t see that any other week of the year, unless of course you’re drinking in Lochee High Street in Dundee. We’re all just friends and golf fans at the end of the day, though. Gotta love the Ryder Cup.”
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Bryson DeChambeau is not everyone’s cup of tea, but he is standing strong today. He doesn’t look happy about it, but his 193-yard approach to the par-5 4th misses the hole by inches. A gimme eagle for him. He’s happier as he gets to the green and urges the galleries to make more noise.
Bryson DeChambeau tees off from the fourth. Photograph: Michael Reaves/PGA/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 19.51 CEST
After Shane Lowry’s excitement, and Justin Rose’s quality, Sepp Straka makes a winning putt of his own at 2. Europe lead in three matches. A giddy start to the afternoon for the visitors.
Thomas/Young v McIlroy/Lowry 1UP (4)
Scheffler/DeChambeau v Fleetwood/Rose 1UP (3)
Spaun/Schauffele v Rahm/Straka 1UP (2)
Burns/Cantlay A/S Hatton/Fitzpatrick (1)
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Shane Lowry is pumped! There is aggro in his game with Rory McIlroy and when he holes a long eagle putt on 5 he goes bananas and shouts “F**k you!” as he points to someone in the gallery.
Shane, pumped. Photograph: Matt Slocum/APShare
Updated at 19.38 CEST
Joe Pearson asks: “Given Viktor Hovland’s situation, will we get to find out who’s in Bradley’s envelope?” Let’s hope the neck is just a little sore and the physios can work their magic, Joe. We will likely only learn that name if the worst case scanerio emerges tomorrow.
We have a break of the fourball deadlock, by the way. Justin Rose opens birdie-birdie and the second one wins the hole for Europe. He and Tommy Fleetwood lead 1UP in the second match.
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Ryder Cup rookies might be wondering what happens if Viktor Hovland can’t play tomorrow. The two captains put the name of a player in an envelope for these circumstances. If Hovland can’t play, the American whose name is in Keegan Bradley’s envelope will sit out the singles, and their match will be deemed to have been halved.
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Fantastic speculation about Viktor Hovland’s neck. Nick Faldo on Sky Sports wonders if he pulled it celebrating his putt on 17. There is a precedent for this. Ian Woosnam issued a famous fist pump when he holed the winning putt in the 1991 Masters – and pulled a muscle in his upper arm. He then spent his time in the Butler Cabin partially-anaesthetized by adrenalin as he struggled to get the sore arm inside the green jacket.
Viktor Hovland celebrates on the 17th. Is this when his neck twanged? Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPAShare
Updated at 19.42 CEST
Interesting. Viktor Hovland was set to play in the fourth match with Matt Fitzpatrick, but Tyrrell Hatton has turned up on the tee instead. Sky Sports reports the Norwegian has a neck injury. They’re taking on Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns.
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Earlier today, Scott reported an incident when Rory McIlroy shouted American fans to “shut the f*** up”. “I don’t mind them having a go at us, that’s to be expected,” he said after winning his foursomes. “I mean, that’s what an away Ryder Cup is. In between shots, say whatever you want to me. That’s totally fine. But just give us the respect, let us hit shots, and give us the same chance that the Americans have.” Fans have taken to shouting “miss it” or “it’s downhill” or “you missed this one yesterday” (and similar) as Europeans address the ball. The galleries have also collectively counted out loud as Europeans set themselves. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a little more intense if this afternoon goes on.
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Match three is testament to the cosmopolitan nature of the modern world. Spaniard Jon Rahm (married to an American) alongside Austrian Sepp Straka (whose mum is American) up against the Americans Xander Schauffele (French-German dad, Taiwanese-Japanese mum) and JJ Spaun (dad of European descent, mum Filipino-Mexican). It makes the simplicity of all the howling and hollering around this match seem a little bewildering!
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Updated at 19.05 CEST
A good start from Scottie Scheffler. He knocks his approach at 1 to 3 feet after the English pair leave their second shots outside 10 feet. What about beefcake Bryson? He tucks his effort inside Scheffler’s. (Back at the tee, JJ Spaun’s caddie jogs down the tunnel stroking the various Stars and Stripes flags on the wall.) Justin Rose makes his birdie, then they ask the Americans to polish off their efforts. Scheffler brushes his in for an opening half.
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Match number two. Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose up against the Alpha Americans Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler. Big roars for Scheffler, wild ones for DeChambeau. He’s absolutely amped and biffs his ball just short of the green. Scheffler is less alpha than his partner, of course, but syncing this pair together is a big statement ask from captain Keegan Bradley.
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Some sloppy approach work after all four players in the first match found the fairway. Rory McIlroy and Cam Young have the best birdie opportunities. McIlroy up first from 14 feet. He gets the count from the gallery and the putt misses on the high side. Young has half the distance and he pulls it! A flat start all round.
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First up in the fourballs: Shane Lowry (in the fairway) and Rory McIlroy (in the fairway) versus Cam Young (in the fairway) and Justin Thomas (in the fairway). There was a lovely photo on TV just now, showing Young as a toddler with his father at a Bethpage Black US Open, watching Tiger Woods. They looked like Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin.
Here goes Rory in the four-balls. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 18.41 CEST
It’s also worth remembering that these New York galleries don’t only throw flak at the Europeans. Earlier today, a voice hollered at Scottie Scheffler, while he stood over an approach shot on the back nine: “You’re the World No. 1 – start playing like it!”
Photograph: Paul Childs/ReutersShare
Updated at 18.40 CEST
There are dangers for Europe over the next 30 hours, of course. One is complacency. The outside chatter can be that the Europeans are flying and the Americans are flagging. But the players cannot afford to think like that. Rory McIlroy addressed another threat: how the crowd dynamic will change in the singles. The current lead is the exact one that the victorious European team had at this stage in 1987 – but an 8-4 advantage went pear-shaped at Brookline in 1999. One reason it went wrong there is that, in an intimidating atmosphere, the players coped with a pal by their side but struggled when they were alone. It’s not done yet.
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Thanks Scott. How much fun was that first session?! I’m a little exhausted and I was only watching it. I’m not saying I have the answer to the following riddle, but there is plenty of criticism flowing the way of Keegan Bradley’s captaincy. On Sky Sports Nick Dougherty and Laura Davies have pegged him stubborn for sticking to his plan. I think we can all understand what they mean. But remember Thomas Bjorn in 2018? It’s also widely believed that he won because he stuck to his plan. I suppose the only conclusion is that if you’re going to stick to a plan it had better be a damn good one.
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Here are the results of the morning foursomes …
4&2 DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 3&2
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 3&2
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP
USA 3½-8½ Europe
… and with that I’ll hand you over to Matt Cooper for the afternoon fourballs. See you tomorrow for the singles.
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The Saturday fourballs
5.25pm: Justin Thomas and Cameron Young v Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry
5.41pm: Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau v Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose
5.57pm: JJ Spaun and Xander Schauffele v Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka
6.13pm: Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay v Viktor Hovland and Matt Fitzpatrick
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Robert MacIntyre is asked about the nonsense from the gallery he has to endure. “It’s difficult … but we’ve got guys like this [taps Hovland affectionately] to back you up … guys in the changing room … the support staff … family and friends … our fans as well … we’re doing this not just for ourselves but everyone that’s here … just delighted to do it with this guy!”
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USA 3½-8½ Europe
Bob MacIntyre, who has taken so much abuse from the gallery this morning, has the welcome task of cosying the first putt up to kick-in distance. The world number one and world number three remove their caps and come across to shake their victors’ hands. Another session won by Europe in style! Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland beat Russell Henley and Scottie Scheffler 1UP.
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (F)
USA 3½-8½ Europe
Viktor Hovland lets it all out. Photograph: Jared C Tilton/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 18.37 CEST
Scheffler has left Russell Henley stuck teetering on the edge of a bunker. Can Henley channel his inner Jon Rahm, who holed out on 8 earlier from a similarly unpromising position? Nope, though he dinks out gracefully nonetheless, to four feet. That’s a great shot by any measure … and yet it’s not quite good enough in these extreme circumstances. Two putts for Europe from 12 feet to win the match.
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Scottie Scheffler up first … and he plays a stunningly awful shot from the fairway. A miscue that squirts off to the right and dunks apologetically into the tousled banks guarding the front of the green, between the bunkers. Where on earth did that come from?! That could possibly be the worst shot the world number one has hit in his entire career. He’s normally so deadly from that range. That’s an unforced error and a half. Viktor Hovland piles on the pressure by safely finding the centre of the green. Wow.
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Whatever happens down the 18th, this will be the first time in the European era of the Ryder Cup (since 1979) that an away team has won all three opening sessions. Hovland and MacIntyre need to hold on for the win if Europe are to match their own third-session scoreline record of 3½-8½, though, a high-water mark set on Saturday morning in 1987.
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Bob MacIntyre’s tee shot at 18 threatens to sail into the thick stuff down the right, but settles atop the shorter rough. Russell Henley responds by splitting the fairway. The USA not giving up hope of a half-point that would make the difference between a four-point deficit and a five-point gap.
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (17)
USA 3½-7½ Europe
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… or is it?!?!?!?! Because Russell Henley can’t make the 12-footer for birdie … and then Viktor Hovland makes up for his poor tee shot, and then some! He rolls in the 12-footer from the fringe, and the half ensures Europe can’t lose this final match now! Wow. There have been some sensational shots played this morning by both teams, and that’s right up there.
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (17)
USA 3½-7½ Europe
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There’s a rare old hubbub around the 17th green. A lot of hospitality having been enjoyed. Never mind the fact he’s 90 feet away, MacIntyre has a huge ridge to get up and over. Perhaps he should take a wedge, rather like Gary Woodland did on 17 at Pebble Beach en route to winning the US Open? But there’s nothing in the road, other than the hill, so putter it is. He races it 12 feet past. To be fair, that’s not the worst effort, though in the context of this match, it’s not likely to be of much use.
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Updated at 17.44 CEST
Viktor Hovland up first. He sends his eight iron onto the green … for what that’s worth, because he’s carved it way right, and though it’s on the long kidney-shaped dancefloor, he’s left his partner with a 90-foot putt. Scottie Scheffler isn’t going to look this gift horse in the mouth, and fires his tee shot straight at the flag. Well, a little to the right and long, but only by 12 feet. Huge opportunity for the hosts to level things up. Imagine the change in the mood in both camps if they can turn this one around!
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (16)
USA 3½-7½ Europe
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… but a fairly poor effort dies harmlessly to the left. Halved in par. We move on … and the final match of the morning is the first to reach the par-three 17th.
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (16)
USA 3½-7½ Europe
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Henley hits such a good putt. It is indeed a left-to-right drifter, set off on a gentle roll. It shaves the left-hand side of the cup. So close to birdie that would have asked big questions of Bob MacIntyre. Now the man from Oban has a fairly straight uphill effort to win the hole.
Russell Henley flips his putter on the 16th green. Photograph: Carl Recine/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 17.50 CEST
Hovland takes aim straight for the pin, worrying not a jot about the bunker guarding the front of the green. He lands his ball near the cup, but it spins back to 17 feet, leaving an uphill putt. The one Henley will have is a bit more of a left-to-right slider. It’s advantage Europe, but not by any great measure.
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The rough down the left of 16 isn’t thick … but Scottie Scheffler’s ball is sitting down. So he does a pretty fine job of whipping his wedge into the front of the green. Pin high, nearly, but 25 feet away. Viktor Hovland will be coming in from the middle of the fairway.
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Bob MacIntyre, his tail up, sends Europe’s tee shot at 16 down the middle. Over to Russell Henley, who pulls his drive a little into the rough along the left, but it’s not particularly thick, so it shouldn’t prove too much a problem for Scottie Scheffler. This is beautifully poised. What the USA would give to turn this one around. Even half a point would give them a little something extra to work with this afternoon.
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This anchor game is so precious to both teams now. From the fringe at the back of 15, Viktor Hovland duffs his putt, the backswing impeded by taller, thicker grass. That leaves plenty of work for Bob Mac to do … but he rolls in a very missable downhill ten-footer for the par. Now Russell Henley, from seven feet, simply has to make it. And he does! This one’s going to the wire, one senses. It’s been a heck of a scrap.
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (15)
USA 3½-7½ Europe
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USA 3½-7½ Europe
Patrick Cantlay is just off the front of the green. He doesn’t hit a particularly good putt. His ball trundles a good four feet to the right of the cup, and even clips the European marker. It’ll still be Europe, and Xander Schauffele will give Tyrrell Hatton a read. He makes the putt, then takes off his cap, ready to shake hands on the match. Hatton makes no mistake, and that’s another point for Europe, who now can’t lose the session.
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 3&2 (F)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (14)
USA 3½-7½ Europe
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Xander Schauffele’s iron into 16 spins back off the front of the green. Jon Rahm turns up the heat by wedging from 143 yards to three feet. Europe with a huge chance of chalking up their second point of the morning soon. Can the hosts dig deep and find something? Over to Patrick Cantlay, who has a good line in irritating Europe.
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Jon Rahm has a big chance to put Europe dormie three in the third match. But he underhits a fairly straight uphill 15-footer on 15. Once again, Europe leave the door ajar for the hosts, although that’s not half as careless as the McIlroy-Fleetwood three-putt on 14 back there. Still, all the eventualities are still possible.
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (15)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (14)
USA 3½-6½ Europe
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“GET IN THE BUNKER!!!” Not sure how clever some of this abuse is. Because the golfing gods don’t seem to like it very much. We’ve already seen Rory respond to some over-excited yelling by closing out his match in style; now Bob MacIntyre sends his tee shot at the par-three 14th to four feet. That leads to birdie, and the reclamation of a lead briefly lost when Scottie Scheffler wedged close at 13. It’s fair to say this is hotting up.
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (14)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (14)
USA 3½-6½ Europe
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Still, what a response to that trenchant back-and-forth between Rory McIlroy and the gallery! Fuelled by righteous anger, Rory hit one of the shots of the week so far. He speaks to US television: “You gotta focus on the task in hand … in the team format you can stick together with your partner and it makes things easier … it’s an absolute pleasure to play with Tommy.”
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USA 3½-6½ Europe
… but Collin Morikawa can’t make his birdie putt. Tommy Fleetwood tidies up for the birdie and a European point. The players are friendly with each other, at least, congratulating each other on a fine fight. Fleetwood lets his shoulders droop in a mock collapse as he smiles wryly at McIlroy, who is grinning now. They did their best to let that one slip, though. Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood beat Harris English and Collin Morikawa 3&2.
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 3&2 (F)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (14)
Henley/Scheffler A/S MacIntyre/Hovland (13)
USA 3½-6½ Europe
Rory and Tommy hug after a fine morning’s work. Photograph: Paul Childs/ReutersShare
Updated at 17.11 CEST
Whether that outburst proves a wise move by Rory only time will tell. How much of that is the gallery getting under his skin, or his professional irritation at the mistake on 14 that sparked this unlikely comeback, is up for debate. A healthy mix of both, I’d guess. Anyway, it’s all bubbled to the surface, and no doubt that’ll have a knock-on effect one way or the other for the rest of the week.
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Rory effs and jeffs at the gallery
“Guys, shut the fuck up!” Rory’s irritation betrays him in unequivocal fashion, after one doofus screams “FREEDOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!” in an elongated fashion as he stands over his shot. And there’s a good case to be made for not poking the bear because – Harris English having sent his approach from 152 yards to eight feet – McIlroy arrows his from 149 yards to three feet. Another big exchange of putts coming up.
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Tyrrell Hatton rattles in a ten-footer for par on 14. He had to do that, because Patrick Cantlay was waiting to win the hole from three feet. Cantlay tidies up for the half, but that’s a boost for Europe, who are just about holding firm in the face of this American fightback …. but only just. And it might not take much more fighting back for Europe to buckle. The momentum is with the hosts right now … and don’t the crowd know it!
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 2UP (15)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (14)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (12)
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… and suddenly Rory McIlroy’s preposterous rush of blood on the 14th green comes back to haunt Europe. Because he can’t make his 20-foot birdie putt on 15 … but Collin Morikawa is able to steer in his downhill right-to-left swinger for birdie, and all of a sudden, from four holes down, the USA are just two adrift with three holes to play. Could one of the most outrageous comebacks in Ryder Cup history be unfolding here?!
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 2UP (15)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (13)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (12)
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USA 3½-5½ Europe
The lead match fizzles out, with Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Åberg zig-zagging their way up 16 to little effect. They concede the hole and the match to the USA, who thoroughly deserve their comprehensive victory. They’ve been as excellent as the European pair have been shabby. Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Young beat Matt Fitzpatrick and Ludvig Åberg 4&2.
4&2 DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (F)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 3UP (14)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (12)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (12)
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Harris English sends his tee shot at 15 towards the booze lounge down the right. Collin Morikawa takes advantage of the free drop to whistle a fairway wood into the back of the green. Rory McIlroy, having split the fairway, sets up Tommy Fleetwood to find the heart of the green. Putting competition coming up.
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Bob Mac rolls it in! Then blows a few kisses in the direction of his fans, observers and critics in the gallery. That’s a huge half in the context of Scottie’s out-of-this-world approach.
3UP DeChambeau/Young v Fitzpatrick/Åberg (15)
English/Morikawa v McIlroy/Fleetwood 3UP (14)
Schauffele/Cantlay v Rahm/Hatton 2UP (12)
Henley/Scheffler v MacIntyre/Hovland 1UP (12)
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