Ryder Cup : Friday foursome matches
Team Europe completed a historic clean sweep of Friday’s opening foursomes to make the perfect start to their bid to regain the Ryder Cup.
The hosts' Captain Luke Donald made the decision to begin the 44th edition of the biennial transatlantic contest with foursomes in a bid to get off to a fast start and the move paid dividends at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.
Europe did not trail in any of the four matches, with the leaderboard exclusively blue from the moment Rory McIlroy made a birdie at the fourth in the anchor match.
But it was Viktor Hovland who set the tone for what was a memorable and historic morning session - winning the opening session of a Ryder Cup 4-0 for the first time in their history.
The Norwegian, playing alongside rookie Ludvig Åberg, chipped in for a birdie at the first, before his fellow Scandinavian birdied the second as they took control in the second match of the day against Brian Harman and Max Homa.
Playing in the opening foursomes match, Jon Rahm produced a sublime display in the company of Tyrrell Hatton, birdieing the third and fifth before the World Number Three almost holed his tee shot on the par-three seventh as they took control against Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns.
Both pairings maintained their command on proceedings as they went on to record 4&3 victories.
In third match out, Ireland's Shane Lowry and Austrian debutant Sepp Straka made five birdies as they raced four up after nine against Rickie Fowler and Collin Morikawa.
Despite losing two holes out of four from the 10th, they wrapped up a 2&1 win with a par on the 17th.
McIlroy, who is making his seventh Ryder Cup appearance, teamed up with Tommy Fleetwood to great effect, with the pivotal moment in their match seeing the Englishman hole a long-range par putt before the American pairing of Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele lost the 15th with a three-putt.
That put the European pair two ahead with three to play and despite losing the 16th, they decisively ended the match after McIlroy set up a three-foot birdie with a brilliant tee shot to seal a 2&1 success.
Friday Fourball Matches
| 12:25 | J Rahm/ THatton Tied | J.Thomas/J.Spieth |
| 12:40 | V.Hovland / L.Aberg Tied | S.Scheffler/B.Koepka |
| 12:55 | R.MacIntyre/J.Rose Tied | M.Homa /W. Clark |
| 13:10 | R. McIlroy/M.Fitzpatrick 5&3 | C.Morikawa/X.Schauffele |
Europe 6 1/2 USA 1 1/2 after Day 1.
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
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